Computer science major revolutionizes sustainability in Albertsons Library

When you think about student work in college, what comes to mind? Maybe it's the convenience of working on the same campus as your classes. Do you typically imagine transformative scholarship, and revolutionizing sustainability?

Well, that's par for the course for Kade Bolen, a computer science junior and MakerLab lead working in Albertsons Library.

Kade Bolen and his recycler located in Albertsons Library

When Bolen started working for the library in the fall of 2023, he found spools of expired 3D printer filament that couldn't be used for projects. He saw this as wasted potential and wanted to find a way to utilize the scrap. After tossing some ideas around through collaboration with MakerLab colleagues, Caleb Ashcraft, the lab's manager, introduced Bolen to the Student Sustainability Fund grant, which funds student-led projects that promote sustainability on campus.

Bolen was thrilled by the grant's possibilities, saying, "Free money just sits there until someone uses it, so I figured I could be someone that did."

It turns out that "free money" from the grant and a little encouragement was exactly what Bolen needed to propel his idea forward. Library Technology Unit Head Yitzhak "Yitzy" Paul provided forward momentum to Bolen by informing him of an open-source kit he could modify and have up and running faster than starting from scratch. A couple of weeks later, Bolen had a functional recycler.

Solving problems through unique collaborations

Plastic needs to be dehydrated and shredded before it can be melted and recycled into usable filament. To accomplish this, Bolen sought support from the Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering. The Engineering Innovation Studio has a shredder and dehydrator that Bolen was able to borrow.

Since then, Bolen has successfully created 3D-printed objects with recycled filament that are on display in Albertsons Library. He's currently navigating the unique challenges presented by plastic bottles, like their tendency to get caught up in the shredder's teeth.

Bolen is hopeful and plans to apply for the Student Sustainability Fund grant again this year to bring a shredder and dehydrator into Albertsons Library. His dream is to have the whole operation running in-house, saving plastic bottles all around campus from their landfill fates and turning them into 3D printer filaments with unlimited potential.

Students and staff can visit the MakerLab and see Bolen's machine on the first floor of Albertsons Library to discover how this innovative technology solves problems of all kinds.

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