Robert L. Martin received degrees from Illinois State University in renewable energy and engineering technology as well as project management. He held several leadership roles in student organizations and part-time jobs related to sustainability and renewable energy. Martin went on to author publications, start his own company Open Source Classroom focused on 3D literacy, and develop a trademark and certification program for 3D Literacy. His work bridges education and open-source technologies to facilitate innovative problem solving.

1. Curriculum Vitae
Robert L. Martin received his M.S. in Project Management in December 2013 which was preceded by a B.S.
double major in Renewable Energy and Engineering Technology from Illinois State University (ISU). During
both undergraduate and graduate studies at ISU, Martin became involved in numerous extracurricular
activities while working multiple part-time jobs. Junior year of undergrad, Martin was appointed Secretary of
Sustainability in the Student Government Association and earned the “Secretary of the Year” award at the end
of his term. Senior year, Martin was elected president of ISU’s Renewable Energy Society and co-founded of
ISU’s Annual Electric Vehicle Night. His part time jobs included working a Technology Assistant for the Center
for Renewable Energy, a Utility Rate Analyst on the Open Energy Information project (openei.org), and helped
to develop two new classes for the Renewable Energy major as a Graduate Teaching Assistant. Martin received
the “Senior Award for Outstanding Achievements” from the Department of Technology during his last
undergraduate year and the “Outstanding Research Award” while in graduate school. He was also employed by
Clean Line Energy Partners, a Texas-based company, working on a $2.6 billion, 500-mile HVDC transmission
line project as the Illinois Outreach Coordinator. Martin authored and published several academic journal
articles including “3D Printers in Technology and Engineering”, “Addressing sustainability issues in complex
urban systems using a sustainable energy plan”, and a technical paper titled “Promoting sustainable
infrastructure: a feasibility analysis of a utility-scale PV covered parking structure”. Martin also contracted
through the State Board of Education to write an introductory guide for teachers called, “3D Literacy: Essential
Skills for Fueling Innovation”, which was published in the fall of 2014 (www.illinoiscte.org). Currently, Martin
is pursuing his passion of entrepreneurship and facilitating the advancement of open-source technologies in
both educational and industrial sectors.
Approximately five years ago Martin built his first 3D printer from an open-source design and began his
extensive experience in creating innovative projects and teaching others how to build and utilize the
technology. In January of 2013, Martin teamed up with ISU professors Dr. Chris Merrill from Technology
Education and Dave Kennel from Engineering Technology to organize and administer a pilot program in the
summer of 2013 for Illinois high school teachers providing instruction on how to build, operate, and maintain
3D printers while seeding educational opportunities for more interactive and innovative curricula. After
working with around 100 teachers and facilitated the building of 30 3D printers in this pilot program, Martin
recognized a large disconnect in current technology educational practices and the advantages in learning how
to utilize open source technologies when involved with creative and innovative problem solving. Martin’s
passion for teaching people how to build and use open-source 3D printers compelled him to start a company
designed to bridge the gap between education and open-source technologies. In September of 2013 during his
last semester of graduate school, Martin officially formed Open Source Classroom, LLC. Soon after forming the
company, he decided to enter into ISU’s “Start-Up ISU” competition hosted by the College of Business and
competed against 14 other start-up companies. Martin’s Open Source Classroom, LLC won 1st place and
received a $51,000 prize package to assist with building this new company. During the developmental stage of
building Open Source Classroom, LLC, Martin created the 3D Literacy™ concept which integrates a combination
of engineering disciplines to maximize the utility of 3D printers. The three elements of 3D Literacy™ include:
3D Printers, 3D CAD Design, and 3D Programming. Each discipline alone provides vast amount of learning
opportunities, but Martin encourages teachers to blend these concepts together to exercise higher technical
cognition skills to facilitate creative and innovative thinking while accessing free and open-source information.
Open Source Classroom, LLC now provides numerous professional development opportunities including
multiple levels of 1-Day trainings in each area of 3D Literacy™ and offers a 3-Day “Build Your Own 3D Printer”
workshop. In the past two years Open Source Classroom has facilitated the building of over 150 open-source
3D printers through the “Build Your Own 3D Printer” workshops teaching about three times as many
individuals from both the educational and industrial sectors. Recently Open Source Classroom, LLC applied for
and received a trademark on 3D Literacy™ and is developing the 3D Literacy™ Certification Program which will
provide students with opportunities to utilize various engineering skills into innovative, 3D literate activities.
Martin sees the 3D Literacy™ Certification program as an opportunity for the manufacturing industry to work
directly with educators to create fluid certification programs that can quickly be administered in primary and
secondary educational institutions to help prepare the future workforce for our rapidly changing, highly
technological society.