Mission Possible: CWRU's think[box] innovation center adds new community floor

CLEVELAND — The Case Western Reserve University Sears think[box] is a seven-story innovation center. Though located on campus, it’s not just for students.

“We've always been open to the community, but now we're at a point where we're being more intentional of being proactive in how we engage with the community,” stated Ainsley Buckner, the Director of Prototyping, Art, and Community Engagement at the Sears think[box].

Each floor serves a different purpose. The most popular? Two makerspace floors filled with equipment like 3D printers, laser and water jet cutters.

“That space is like a library,” said Buckner. “You can come use the machines for free, and we teach you how to use the machines as well.”

Non-profit Ohio Concrete personalizes plaques. They couldn’t get the desired look, until using a 3D laser printer at CASE.

“It gives us the ability to customize and personalize for our members,” said the Northeast Ohio Promotion Director of Ohio Concrete, Bob Krulik. “And for me, these 3D printers are what is the very important part, because customization is a big part of everybody's business.”

Also in demand is the new community floor. Five thousand square feet, featuring an auditorium, two activity rooms and an exhibition area.

“What's great to be able to bring community into the think[box], work with professors, and actually come out with a full-fledged system dynamic model around the subjects we were talking about,” said Robin Brown, the Founders of CCOAL, the Collective Citizens Organized Against Lead.

CCOAL and Undivided Cleveland both address lead problems in Cleveland communities. CCOAL through education and connecting people to resources. Undivided Cleveland through charity work and their lead abatement program.

“We want to provide legitimate justice to them,” said Tanis Quach of Undivided Cleveland. “Health equity, economic equity, the same liberties and access to this country that the privileged people who are not ridden by lead exposure, the same liberties they have.”

Having this space available allows them to focus better on the task at hand.

“It's actually incredible because we don't have it where we from,” said Michael Espay II of Undivided Cleveland. “Case Western provided six, seven different ways for you to have a place to go.”

“A gathering place so we can organize, after Covid, a lot of places shut down,” added Brown.

Both groups see the university’s desire to open the campus further, for the benefit of the community. 

“Cleveland is starting to catch up to this corporate shift and this social shift, the renaissance of stimulating communities rather than prioritizing big business,” said Quach.

Eleven years after opening and half a million visits, the think[box] is still considered a quiet, lesser-known resource. CASE is ready for that to change.

“I think we're at a really pivotal point where I think we're going to see a real increase in community users using our space,” said Buckner.

Students have also launched businesses at the think[box]. CLEANR, which developed a microplastic filter for washing machines, and 3D Music, which prints plastic violins, have both seen success and have been featured on 3News.

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