When you think of student jobs, you might imagine convenient campus gigs — shelving books or helping with research. But for Kade Bolen, a junior studying computer science and a MakerLab lead at Albertsons Library, student work means promoting sustainability and solving problems in unexpected ways.
Bolen, who grew up in Boise, noticed spools of expired 3D printer filament collecting dust, deemed unusable for projects. Seeing an opportunity, he sought a way to recycle the plastic. His determination, paired with the guidance of Caleb Ashcraft, MakerLab manager, led him to the Student Sustainability Fund grant, which supports student-led, eco-friendly initiatives.
With that support, Bolen modified an open-source kit and created a functional plastic recycler. Since recycling plastic filament requires multiple steps — dehydrating, shredding, melting and reforming — Bolen borrowed a dehydrator and a shredder from the Micron School of Materials Science and Engineering.
Now, thanks to him, Albertsons Library proudly displays 3D-printed objects made from recycled filament. Bolen continues refining his process and hopes to secure additional funding to bring a dedicated shredder and dehydrator to the library, keeping more reusable filament out of the landfill.
“Recycling this material as well as failed prints and support material from successful prints is a great way to continue using the same plastic a few times over and save money for the MakerLab in the process,” Bolen said. “This project is a fantastic medium for my desire to build, tinker and contribute to a greater cause that is being sustainable in a world where products are seldom built to last and microplastics are a growing concern.”
Bolen’s innovation extends beyond sustainability. He partnered with fellow MakerLab employee Nora Meeker to help a patient at St. Luke’s Hospital. Meeker, from Boise and a member of the class of 2027, is majoring in biology with a minor in Korean Studies. She spent her spring semester studying in South Korea.
Through Ashcraft, Bolen and Meeker met a woman struggling with limited hand mobility. The students designed and 3D-printed custom attachments for common objects like makeup brushes to make tasks requiring manual dexterity easier.
Encouraged by their success, Bolen and Meeker entered Boise Entrepreneur Week’s Health Tech Challenge, a competition where students pitch innovative healthcare solutions. They earned a top-three finish.