Christian McKay

Christian McKay is director of the Design and Digital Fabrication Labs at IU Bloomington’s Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering, where he designs and implements what he believes to be an essential aspect of education in design and technology: makerspaces.

As a designer and sculptor with his MFA from California College of the Arts, McKay promotes the benefits of hands-on inquiry-, problem- and project-based educational experiences and incorporates them into the spatial and programmatic design of the Luddy School’s Makerspaces. These design considerations are also informed by McKay’s research at the intersections of education, design and fabrication processes, an example of which has been a collaborative venture with K-8 students and teachers to develop greater access to makerspace technology in the classroom.

As an educator of digital design and fabrication, McKay structures his classes to get students familiar with design and fabrication processes and materiality. Project examples include 3D-printed audio speakers driven by interactive sensors; programmable lamps; and drones. He treats digital design as fundamental to modern fabrication processes and a critical skill for technology students to develop for the success of their careers as technology’s horizons broaden and interdisciplinary teams become more prevalent.

Areas of Expertise

Digital design, 3d design, digital fabrication, makerspace/digital fabrication labs operations, digital design and fabrication education.