Using the M-Lab
Visit our dedicated space during open hours! We will show you around and describe what you can build. It doesn't matter what type or level of experience you have; If you want to learn, we will teach you!
To use our facilities, all you have to do is complete the respective trainings for whatever you want to use! Trainings are designed with beginners in mind, so don't worry if you are new to everything. Some machines and tools only require online training, while more heavy-duty equipment requires partial in-person training sessions. In-person trainings are carried out by one of our student experts, and training programs were developed based on the industry's best practices.
As a Student-Run Facility, we are always looking for feedback from our users and local professionals! If you have anything like suggestions or general feedback, please let the Board of Directors know via the form below.
The M-Lab is run day-to-day by diligent student-workers, but there's always a need for more hands and brains! If you want to join our team, there are plenty of work/volunteer opportunities with the VERY REAL possibility to climb the ladder:
- Lab Assistants - This is our typical starting position, which includes 3 different jobs that rotate depending on our employees' availability: Shop Monitor (Keeps an eye on our shops to ensure proper use of equipment and enforcing safety policies), Team Task Manager (Works on the M-Lab's Task List), and Front Desk (Stationed at our front desk in the hallway to answer questions and ensure people check-in and out when using our facilities).
- Area Experts - These individuals are designated to specific areas of our facility to be fully knowledgeable on all things pertaining to it. They work under the Area Manager and are responsible for helping conduct maintenance as well as develop and/or conduct training.
- Area Managers - These individuals, typically promoted from Area Expert, are in charge of their designated area. They are responsible for keeping inventory up to date, choosing and training experts, and maintaining the space's functionality by keeping it organized and up to date with industry standards. Occasionally, equipment needs to be replaced, and we will leave it up to the Area Manager to select the best replacement for our needs based on their experience and expertise.
- Board of Directors- This board consists of student workers, typically sourced and promoted internally, who meet multiple times a week to keep the shop fully functional and set the standards and policies for operation. These positions are crucial for the M-Lab to function at all, as they are the backbone of our operation. Director positions include: Director of (D.o.) Operations, D.o. Administration, D.o. Communication, D.o. Student Employment, D.o. Training, and most importantly, the D.o. Safety. These Directors also meet with the M-Lab's Faculty Supervisor for support with leadership and to receive direct and immediate feedback from an in-house industry professional.
We often have ongoing employment searches with application forms that are visible on our Social Medias and LinkTree, but if that is not currently happening, please contact our Director of Student Employment via the Directory to discuss currently available positions and/or request an interview. [Enter] It is crucial that all applicants are aware that positions at the M-Lab are paid via Federal Work Study (FWS) and/or the Learn and Earn Program (LEAP), both awarded via Financial Aid/FAFSA. If you do not possess one of these awards, you can still work with us in a volunteer fashion, as many of our student workers do. Although you wouldn't be paid with money, you would be paid with valuable experience in many different career paths! As an employee of the M-Lab, you gain extended access to our facilities after-hours to learn all the machines you want, and key insights on modern manufacturing processes and technology! Employees at the M-Lab have been known to triple their resumes in just a year of employment, so consider joining us TODAY!
We encourage faculty to propose course projects that the students must develop at the M-Lab. These are great opportunities to further our students' learning in an interdisciplinary environment. Please contact the Director of Operations to brainstorm ideas to create a class project involving the space. Or if you already have ideas, we would love to hear them.
51±¾É« Courses that are currently integrated with the M-Lab:
- MET 230 "Engineering Graphics and Computer Solid Modeling"
- MAE 434W & 435 "Project Design and Management 1 &2"
- ENGN 110 & 121 "Intro to Engineering"
- WGST 390T "Women, Gender, and Technology Worldwide"
Visit our dedicated space during open hours! We will show you around and describe what you can build. It doesn't matter what type or level of experience you have; If you want to learn, we will teach you!
To use our facilities, all you have to do is complete the respective trainings for whatever you want to use! Trainings are designed with beginners in mind, so don't worry if you are new to everything. Some machines and tools only require online training, while more heavy-duty equipment requires partial in-person training sessions. In-person trainings are carried out by one of our student experts, and training programs were developed based on the industry's best practices.
As a Student-Run Facility, we are always looking for feedback from our users and local professionals! If you have anything like suggestions or general feedback, please let the Board of Directors know via the form below.
The M-Lab is run day-to-day by diligent student-workers, but there's always a need for more hands and brains! If you want to join our team, there are plenty of work/volunteer opportunities with the VERY REAL possibility to climb the ladder:
- Lab Assistants - This is our typical starting position, which includes 3 different jobs that rotate depending on our employees' availability: Shop Monitor (Keeps an eye on our shops to ensure proper use of equipment and enforcing safety policies), Team Task Manager (Works on the M-Lab's Task List), and Front Desk (Stationed at our front desk in the hallway to answer questions and ensure people check-in and out when using our facilities).
- Area Experts - These individuals are designated to specific areas of our facility to be fully knowledgeable on all things pertaining to it. They work under the Area Manager and are responsible for helping conduct maintenance as well as develop and/or conduct training.
- Area Managers - These individuals, typically promoted from Area Expert, are in charge of their designated area. They are responsible for keeping inventory up to date, choosing and training experts, and maintaining the space's functionality by keeping it organized and up to date with industry standards. Occasionally, equipment needs to be replaced, and we will leave it up to the Area Manager to select the best replacement for our needs based on their experience and expertise.
- Board of Directors- This board consists of student workers, typically sourced and promoted internally, who meet multiple times a week to keep the shop fully functional and set the standards and policies for operation. These positions are crucial for the M-Lab to function at all, as they are the backbone of our operation. Director positions include: Director of (D.o.) Operations, D.o. Administration, D.o. Communication, D.o. Student Employment, D.o. Training, and most importantly, the D.o. Safety. These Directors also meet with the M-Lab's Faculty Supervisor for support with leadership and to receive direct and immediate feedback from an in-house industry professional.
We often have ongoing employment searches with application forms that are visible on our Social Medias and LinkTree, but if that is not currently happening, please contact our Director of Student Employment via the Directory to discuss currently available positions and/or request an interview. [Enter] It is crucial that all applicants are aware that positions at the M-Lab are paid via Federal Work Study (FWS) and/or the Learn and Earn Program (LEAP), both awarded via Financial Aid/FAFSA. If you do not possess one of these awards, you can still work with us in a volunteer fashion, as many of our student workers do. Although you wouldn't be paid with money, you would be paid with valuable experience in many different career paths! As an employee of the M-Lab, you gain extended access to our facilities after-hours to learn all the machines you want, and key insights on modern manufacturing processes and technology! Employees at the M-Lab have been known to triple their resumes in just a year of employment, so consider joining us TODAY!
We encourage faculty to propose course projects that the students must develop at the M-Lab. These are great opportunities to further our students' learning in an interdisciplinary environment. Please contact the Director of Operations to brainstorm ideas to create a class project involving the space. Or if you already have ideas, we would love to hear them.
51±¾É« Courses that are currently integrated with the M-Lab:
- MET 230 "Engineering Graphics and Computer Solid Modeling"
- MAE 434W & 435 "Project Design and Management 1 &2"
- ENGN 110 & 121 "Intro to Engineering"
- WGST 390T "Women, Gender, and Technology Worldwide"
M-Lab Community
The M-Lab has a lively community of students dedicated to learning and making! Follow @odu_mlab on Instagram for weekly posts and high-quality videos about our facilities and student activity in the lab! We're also on YouTube, under the same tag, where we upload our Instagram videos for those who are not on that platform. Join our community Discord Server to interact with other users and our entire staff! Here you can talk about your projects with the community and/or share questions for our experts and managers to help you out!
The M-Lab has been known to house an active and tight-knit community of makers. In Spring 2025, the M-Lab hard-launched its own club at 51±¾É« called "The M-Lab Makers' Organization" (MMO)! The mission of the MMO is to bring the M-Lab community together outside of the normal operation of the space while encouraging the use of the space during operating hours. This is accomplished with fun social events and educational workshops that facilitate learning and community building. The MMO and its community events have always been and will always be open to anyone who is an active 51±¾É« student and wishes to join! To join the organization, you must register as a member on Campus Groups with a valid 51±¾É« Email, join our Discord Server, and repeat the pledge! The Makers’ Organization is nothing without its makers, so members are crucial to keeping the organization alive with activity and fulfilling our mission to promote innovation, education, and community! To accomplish this, members have a few responsibilities: Attend at least 5 open events and participate in our Semesterly Community Service Event, spread the word about our club by reposting advertisements on their social media platform of preference and via word of mouth to any classmates who may be interested, complete the M-Lab’s official trainings in at least two different areas within their first semester of membership, and encourage each other to socialize, progress, learn, and innovate! All who complete the previously stated will be rewarded with exclusive MMO-themed gifts!
The M-Lab has a lively community of students dedicated to learning and making! Follow @odu_mlab on Instagram for weekly posts and high-quality videos about our facilities and student activity in the lab! We're also on YouTube, under the same tag, where we upload our Instagram videos for those who are not on that platform. Join our community Discord Server to interact with other users and our entire staff! Here you can talk about your projects with the community and/or share questions for our experts and managers to help you out!
The M-Lab has been known to house an active and tight-knit community of makers. In Spring 2025, the M-Lab hard-launched its own club at 51±¾É« called "The M-Lab Makers' Organization" (MMO)! The mission of the MMO is to bring the M-Lab community together outside of the normal operation of the space while encouraging the use of the space during operating hours. This is accomplished with fun social events and educational workshops that facilitate learning and community building. The MMO and its community events have always been and will always be open to anyone who is an active 51±¾É« student and wishes to join! To join the organization, you must register as a member on Campus Groups with a valid 51±¾É« Email, join our Discord Server, and repeat the pledge! The Makers’ Organization is nothing without its makers, so members are crucial to keeping the organization alive with activity and fulfilling our mission to promote innovation, education, and community! To accomplish this, members have a few responsibilities: Attend at least 5 open events and participate in our Semesterly Community Service Event, spread the word about our club by reposting advertisements on their social media platform of preference and via word of mouth to any classmates who may be interested, complete the M-Lab’s official trainings in at least two different areas within their first semester of membership, and encourage each other to socialize, progress, learn, and innovate! All who complete the previously stated will be rewarded with exclusive MMO-themed gifts!
Off-Campus Community
Would you like to be one of the champions of the Monarch Engineering & Innovation Lab? We are always looking for funds to keep the M-Lab up and running. Any help, great or small, will make a long-lasting impact on our students. Reach out if you would like to partner with us on this amazing space!
Do you have a great idea that you think we can help with? Let's discuss! This could be an event, a company or individual project, a workshop...you name it. Contact us today!
Do you want to give back to your community? Our students are eager to learn from and interact with industry leaders. Consider mentoring some of our students or becoming part of the M-Lab Industry Advisory Board.
Are you looking for interns, co-ops or full-time hires? The students using our space become highly proficient, self-motivated, passionate, effective problem-solvers. Students with these solid interpersonal and technical skills are the future professionals companies desire. Contact us today. We have what you need.
We are looking for partnerships with STEM Academies/Magnet Schools to promote understanding of and engagement with the engineering & technology discipline. Contact us for more information.
Would you like to be one of the champions of the Monarch Engineering & Innovation Lab? We are always looking for funds to keep the M-Lab up and running. Any help, great or small, will make a long-lasting impact on our students. Reach out if you would like to partner with us on this amazing space!
Do you have a great idea that you think we can help with? Let's discuss! This could be an event, a company or individual project, a workshop...you name it. Contact us today!
Do you want to give back to your community? Our students are eager to learn from and interact with industry leaders. Consider mentoring some of our students or becoming part of the M-Lab Industry Advisory Board.
Are you looking for interns, co-ops or full-time hires? The students using our space become highly proficient, self-motivated, passionate, effective problem-solvers. Students with these solid interpersonal and technical skills are the future professionals companies desire. Contact us today. We have what you need.
We are looking for partnerships with STEM Academies/Magnet Schools to promote understanding of and engagement with the engineering & technology discipline. Contact us for more information.