Hello! My name is Mikey Heins and I am a junior Fine Arts major concentrating in Photography here at UNT. My passions are art and technology, and I love combining the two whenever possible. I have always been interested in tinkering, making, and learning, with fond memories of staying up late as a kid watching the legendary Make Magazine instructional videos on YouTube. I spent many hours in my youth working on projects on my bedroom floor (as indicated by the many stains, dried glue, and burns on that poor carpet), ranging from circuitry, woodworking, and crude robots. I got my first Raspberry Pi (a teeny credit-card sized computer) around 6th grade, opening the doors to the magic of programming! I joined a First Robotics Competition team during my freshman year of high school, which is where I believe I grew and learned the most. For all four years, I worked endlessly with my team to create from scratch, our very own robots to compete in difficult challenges.

Here is an in-progress picture of one of my favorites:

A truly giant RC car, complete with independent wheel suspension. As the programming and electronics captain, it was my job to make sure our robot could follow commands, complete tasks, and speed through the course to victory. My time at the UNT Makerspace has been an absolute joy, constantly being surrounded by state-of-the-art equipment, brilliant thinkers, and genuine curiosity. I am grateful to be a part of this “making” community, and as always I hope others can find a new passion through working and learning with us as well.

Written By: M. Heins