Lab manager Jeff Whatley shows he’s a jack of all trades
Written by Shambhu Sharan, The Shorthorn staff
Tuesday, 09 March 2010 10:06 PM
Jeff Whatley, School of Architecture Design Resource Center lab manager, has been with the university for 10 years and helps students gain hands-on experience with material processes. Whatley assists with woodcutting, metal-grinding and designing projects in their coursework. (The Shorthorn: Rasy Ran)
Monday through Friday, Jeff Whatley spends countless hours sculpting, sawing wood, welding and designing with students.
But Whatley is no professor.
As the lab manager for the Design Resource Center in the School of Architecture, he guides, watches, directs and teaches architecture, landscape and interior design students to help them succeed in construction and design.
Learn More About Whatley’s Work
As a professional artist, sculptor and expert fabricator, he has a broad range of knowledge about architectural tools and construction materials. He said it’s the students that inspire him.
“It’s good that they keep me busy,” he said. “I learn, understand and discover new things from them. I sleep well at night because it is a tiring job.”
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Born and raised in Fort Worth, Whatley received his bachelor’s in liberal arts with a concentration in sculpture from the University of Dallas in 1995. He got his master’s in Fine Arts from the University of Washington in 1998 before working at UTA in 2000.
Architecture Dean Donald Gatzke said Whatley is more than a staff person — he has a very positive influence on students.
“As a support staff, his job is not only to see students not cut their fingers, but he is really a strong person,” Gatzke said. “He has a creative influence on students. He is also important for the school as he helps students with what they imagine.”
Architecture graduate student Ian Stowe said Whatley works and talks to each student to find proper solutions to architecture design problems.
Whatley makes an effort to take the time to help everybody, said Stowe, who built display cases and walls in the architecture gallery that were directed by Whatley for the reaccreditation.
“He is the only one building models and projects with the students,” Stowe said.
Whatley said he enjoys working with students because it is rewarding.
“It is challenging and hard to make money as an artist,” he said. “I just feel very lucky to have this job because it is in my field.”
“He is a great and very talented guy. He knows what he is doing. He encourages students to try to work themselves,”Marc McCollom,
architecture lecturer
Whatley designs many wooden art works, display walls and cases for the school, which are displayed on the second floor of the architecture building. He also has a concrete and steel sculpture on display in the Architecture Building.
He even gives a safety orientation to students before they start working in the wood shop.
Interior design senior Sherrill Pacheco said Whatley is patient, informative and above all, makes sure that the students are safe.
“His eyes and ears are always alert,” Pacheco said. He gets down and dirty with us,” “I am very thankful to him. He makes difficult jobs easier.”
Architecture lecturer Marc McCollom and Whatley teach the furniture design and construction class at the Design Resource Center.
“He is a great and very talented guy,” McCollom said. “He knows what he is doing. He encourages students to try to work themselves.”
Whatley’s willingness to work here shows generosity and spirit, he said.
“It is important for the design students to understand design materials and making things,” McCollom said. “There is no prestige in teaching that kind of hands-on stuff.”