Cryptologist. Army Reserve truck driver. College instructor. Fabrication expert. 3D printing enthusiast.
Shawn O’Grady’s career path has had a few plot twists, but that’s kind of the point.
Long before he started helping University of Michigan students turn digital ideas into physical objects, Shawn served as a Cryptologist in the U.S. Navy and drove trucks in the U.S. Army Reserve. Today, you’ll find him at the Duderstadt Center, where he works in Fabrication and Computing and teaches students how to take an idea from “What if?” to “Wait…I actually made this.”
Shawn joined the Duderstadt Center in 2008 as a 3D printing support specialist. Since then, the fabrication resources have expanded to include laser cutting, milling, electronics workbenches, 3D scanning, hand tools, and more.
But for Shawn, the coolest technology in the room isn’t really the point. It’s what students do with it.
“I didn’t originally set out to pursue entrepreneurship,” Shawn says. “What drew me in was the joy of teaching students how to make things.”
That maker mindset eventually brought him to the Center for Entrepreneurship, where he contributes his expertise in 3D printing, modeling, and digital fabrication. His role gives students the technical skills to complement what they’re learning about entrepreneurship—and, more importantly, the confidence to experiment.
Because sometimes an idea needs to get out of your head and into your hands.
“I enjoy seeing students build new skills and gain confidence as their ideas become real, tangible products,” Shawn says. “Watching them realize they can create something that makes a positive impact is the best part of teaching.”
And if you’ve never touched a 3D printer? Even better. Shawn wants students to feel comfortable walking in with curiosity rather than expertise. Whether you need help with a fabrication project, want to learn a new tool, or simply have an idea you’re not quite sure how to build yet, he’s there to help you figure it out.
His advice for students considering CFE?
“Your journey into innovation, risk-taking, and leadership can truly begin at the CFE. It’s a place where ideas become action, and where you can build the skills and confidence to explore entrepreneurship in a supportive environment.”
Beyond the 3D Printer
When Shawn isn’t helping students make things, he has a few other interests that fit his maker personality pretty perfectly: cars and motorcycles, vintage computing, and walks with his wife and their two collies.
Basically, if it involves figuring out how something works—or making something work better—Shawn is probably interested.
Faculty Fandom takeaway: You don’t have to arrive at entrepreneurship through the “traditional” route. Sometimes it starts with curiosity, a willingness to try something new, and someone like Shawn showing you how to turn an idea into something you can actually hold.