SSMC 2026 Speakers
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | July 6–9, 2026
Tuesday – July 7
Safety & Professional Practice
“Safety isn’t Rules. It’s Culture” - Keynote Speaker Alexandra McNamara
Keynote Blurb: "Shop safety is often approached through policies, procedures, and enforcement, but lasting safety is built through culture, not rules.
In this keynote, Alex McNamara examines the gap between written safety standards and real-world behavior in shops and on site. Through stories from high-pressure build environments and educational settings, she highlights how communication, training, and psychological safety directly influence physical safety outcomes.
Attendees will gain practical insights into fostering environments where safety is understood, adopted, and sustained - not just enforced.
About Alex:Alex McNamara is a technical director, rigging expert, and welder whose career spans from Broadway stages to massive music festivals in the Saudi desert. Based in Nashville, she recently managed over 35 sponsor builds at Governors Ball and led VIP site builds for Soundstorm, one of the world’s largest electronic festivals.
Alex holds an MFA from Yale in Technical Design & Production and is ETCP certified with additional credentials in welding, fall protection, and site safety. She's also the author of a groundbreaking thesis on gender inequities in workwear, which combines industry interviews, historical research, and a survey of over 700 tradespeople.
On social media, Alex is the voice behind Built Pretty, an educational platform dedicated to tool literacy, construction history, and empowering underrepresented workers in the trades. Her viral videos on screwdrivers, hammers, and “how not to use a drywall screw” have earned her a devoted following across TikTok and Instagram, where she’s known for her witty, deeply knowledgeable takes on tools, tool history and job site culture.
Chemical Risk Assessment & Hierarchy of Controls - Roxane Strobel, Cal Poly EHS
“Understanding Chemical Hazards and the systems in which to control their risks”
Using Risk and Safety Solutions (RSS) to Enhance Machine Shop Safety and Compliance - Melonee Cruse, MS CSP, Occupational Safety Programs Specialist, Environmental Health & Safety, Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, CA
This presentation introduces how the Risk and Safety Solutions (RSS) system supports machine shop technicians and managers in maintaining a safe, compliant, and efficient work environment. RSS is a practical tool for identifying hazards, documenting safety controls, managing inspections, tracking corrective actions, and maintaining chemical and hazardous waste records.
Participants will learn how RSS supports everyday machine shop operations by simplifying hazard assessments for equipment, tracks corrective actions, and maintains accurate documentation for audits and regulatory compliance.
Wednesday – July 8
Training, People & Practice
Training the Trainers - Eric Pulse Cal Poly, CENG Fabrication & Design Shops Manager - Moderator
Cal Poly Student Shop Techs Panel- Have an open discussion with Student Shop Tech leadership, both past and present.Panelists include Ella Perry: Lead Tech ‘25-’26, Safety Supervisor ‘24-’25; Elliot DeJong: Machine Maintenance Supervisor ‘25-’26, Lead Tech ‘26-’27; & Taylor Smith: Summer ‘26 Lead Tech & Training Supervisor ‘26-’27
Crafting Accessibility:Making Space for Everyone - Inclusive Woodshops and Makerspaces - Heather Durand, NC State, Materials Technology Laboratories Manager
Makerspaces and woodshops are naturally engaging for students who thrive on hands-on, creative, problem-solving. Yet, the reality of a traditional shop—loud machinery, complex multi-step processes, high-sensory input, and physically rigid layouts—can create unintentional barriers for neurodivergent individuals and students with disabilities. This session addresses how shop managers, faculty, and student staff can lower these barriers to create a truly accessible environment without compromising safety.
Training at Scale: Managing Large Cohorts Across Multiple Years - David Kempken, Cal Poly Architecture
11:45 AM – 12:00 PM
Industry Spotlight - Autodesk
Thursday – July 9
Systems, Strategy & the Future
Computerized Maintenance Management System Using Limble - Dennis Tapella, Washington University, St Louis
Fab Nights: Learn it, Make it, Keep it…In 3 hours or Less - Jacob Misch, UNC Asheville
How do you effectively engage your university community in hands-on making? FAB Nights are short, 2–3 hour workshops designed for students, staff, and faculty to learn specific tools, equipment, and processes in a welcoming, low-pressure environment. These small-group sessions require no prior experience and allow attendees to create and take home a completed project they can be proud of. FAB Nights have been an effective way to engage the broader university community while introducing students to foundational skills and tools in a safe, supportive environment. These events provide students with an accessible entry point to begin developing personal projects, offer an informal academic space for exploration and hands-on learning, and create opportunities for our student employees to strengthen their teaching abilities while exploring potential career paths. Join us to learn about Fab Nights and follow the journey of two students who made the most of this program!
Tools in Practice: Industry Solutions for Academic Shops - Trak Machine Tools
Making Makerspace Value Visible: Journey Mapping as an Advocacy Tool - Matthew Briggs, University of Arizona
We will explore how journey mapping can be used to make the value of makerspaces visible and actionable. We will discuss why journey mapping is an effective advocacy tool, particularly for communicating user experiences, identifying gaps, and aligning stakeholders around critical needs. Attendees will learn a practical approach to creating journey maps and see real examples from our makerspaces where these tools have been used to advocate for safety improvements, increased funding, expanded resources, and staffing support. The session will provide strategies for translating everyday user interactions into compelling narratives that drive institutional decision making.
Lunch & Learn Committee Update - Noah Coleman, Ringling College of Art & Design