This month, we highlight Cath Bruhnke, emerging technologies librarian and director of the Adobe Studio and Makerspace. Bruhnke comes to Clemson from Spartanburg County Public Libraries, where they have served in several roles since 2017, most recently as the director of the Spark Makerspace. They also previously served as assistant director for information and reference services and as teen programming assistant. Bruhnke earned a Bachelor of Arts in graphic design from Charleston Southern University and a Masters in Library and Information Science from the University of South Carolina.
How long have you been at Clemson and how did you get here?
My journey as a faculty member at Clemson began on May 1st, 2024. I was drawn to this institution by the opportunity to enhance my professional skills in the context of an R1 institution. My experience in librarianship, gained from working at a public library, provided a solid foundation. I am particularly excited about expanding my research skills and reaching a wider audience with my teaching skills.
Tell us about you your work with at Clemson, and what aspects are you most passionate about?
At Clemson, I am the Adobe Studio & Makerpace Director and the Emerging Technologies Librarian. I guest lecture about all things Adobe, design basics, and anything Maker adjacent. I am most passionate about experiential learning through play, and I love teaching others that it’s not all about the end process or perfection. It’s about learning through hands-on making. Makerspaces are often perceived as intimidating because they have all this expensive-looking equipment. I want to help guide students through that initial hesitance and show them that it’a not so scary once you take that first step.
I know you were also part of the Adobe Makerspace, so please let us a little more about that group, how that intersects with your job in Clemson, and how faculty members across the university can take advantage of the center.
That is an excellent question, but I know it can be confusing! Two groups are working together in the Adobe Studio & Makerspace. First is the Adobe Studio, a partnership between Clemson and Adobe that is part of Adobe’s Creative Campus. Adobe has generously given Clemson a gift to pay for new equipment, computers, and licenses for anyone working or attending Clemson to use their products for free. The Adobe Studio has its own set of Adobe Interns that can help with Adobe product questions. They also handle the Video and Audio studio reservations. Second, we have the Makerspace, a student-run organization that provides training on all the Makerspace equipment. The Makerspace interns run the makerspaces in Cooper Library and The Watt Innovation Center. These interns train on all the software and hardware in both spaces to help you make incredible projects like personalized stickers, embroidered hats, and laser-etched water bottles.
How do you manage your time to balance teaching/research/service with your personal life?
I put up firm boundaries. My personal life has changed a lot in the last year, with both my parents retiring, and all three of my nephews are now in school, so the time I spend with them is shortened during the school year for all of us. I also commute from Spartanburg, so I try to minimize the time I am away from home by getting up at 5:30 am to catch the 7 am bus at CU-ICAR to be on campus by 8 am. I check my email on the bus and prepare for the day before my interns arrive so that I can jump straight into work and not have to spend time on emails. I stay late when I need to but come in late the following day to make up for it. I also have a neurological disorder that affects my energy levels, so I try to conserve as much energy as I can for the evening to spend with my spouse and fur kids. I’m lucky not to have regular teaching assignments, so I don’t check my email in the evening or on the weekends.
What advice would you give to first-year assistant professors?
Meet as many people as you can! Whether that’s attending campus symposiums, coffee with your department, candidate presentations, or eating in the dining halls. The people you meet here at Clemson are willing to help, brainstorm, and listen to your words. They have been instrumental in my success so far at Clemson, and it’s been a joy to get to know so many talented and kind people. Don’t try to do it all your first year. There is a sense of urgency to try to catch up with your peers, but take it one day, week, or month at a time and focus on familiarizing yourself with the campus and your department. You will grow as you settle into your course load and position. If you take on too much, don’t hesitate to ask your colleagues for help!
What resources, tools, and programs at Clemson facilitate your success as a faculty member?
The most fantastic resource I have found is other employees. When I have a question or don’t understand something, I know I can always ask my Library colleagues. They have been a wealth of knowledge and are always patient when explaining their experiences, ideas, or solutions to my questions. I have also enjoyed using employee health services for primary health care, such as sinus trouble or colds, especially since most of my healthcare team is in Spartanburg, and it’s sometimes hard to plan around traffic and commute times. I have grown to enjoy working in Faculty Success to track what I have accomplished in my short time at Clemson. It’s been energizing to see all the little things that have added up to a successful half a year here in my new position.
How do you see the Library, as part of a growing university, evolving in the next 5 years?
I see the Library becoming even more of a central community hub on the campus. The Library sits in the middle of the campus and offers places for studying, collaborating, making, learning, and much more. As the campus expands, the Library will have to grow too. I envision the Library becoming a core pillar of the campus where students will come to participate in learning new skills in the Adobe Studio & Makerspace. A place where even more students will congregate to share knowledge and participate in hands-on learning from the Data Visualization Lab, Clemson Center for Geospatial Technologies, the Social Media Listening Center, and the Digital Media Learning Center.