I enjoy being able to help everyone continue their work and research by prolonging the life of their equipment, minimizing downtime, and allowing them to avoid spending an exorbitant amount of money bringing in manufacturer technicians for issues.
Meet Amber Bartz! Amber has been with the department for nearly three and a half years. Her official title is instrument maker, but she says a more accurate title for her would be appliance repair, a critical role for chemistry research and teaching. She holds an associate of arts degree in graphic design and illustration and a technical degree in industrial and electrical maintenance. In her role, she primarily works with electricity, using testing equipment to diagnose issues. Amber says, “I take broken things apart, tinker for a bit, and magically they work after they are put back together again.” She also assists in running the Electronics Shop and is responsible for maintaining the Electronics Shop inventory in S307. Before UW, she performed HVAC and facilities maintenance at Truax Field for two years and at Willy Street Co-op West for six years. Outside of UW, Amber enjoys roller skating and is a retired roller derby player. She is waiting patiently for outdoor skating since Madison no longer has an indoor rink. She also enjoys being a parent to her cat, collecting toys (from Xenomorphs to Sanrio), making art, watching sci-fi media, experimenting with recipes, and attending EDM and metal concerts.