Previously, Margalus served as the founding Faculty Director of Maker Innovation at DePaul University’s Idea Realization Lab(s) and was a Professional Lecturer of Industrial and Game Design in the Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media. Under his leadership, DePaul was recognized by Newsweek and MAKE Magazine as one of the nation’s top “maker schools.” Alongside his academic roles, he has collaborated with oncologists at the University of Chicago to develop cost-effective medical devices and diagnostics—initiatives lauded for their potential impact on healthcare accessibility.
Beyond academia, Margalus ran Lunar Giant, a video game company that successfully created and published games on Steam, and continues to direct Spacelab NFP, a non-profit makerspace that empowers community innovation. He holds an MS with distinction in Human-Computer Interaction from DePaul University, a BS in Political Science from North Central College, and multiple design certifications from Cornell, MIT, Harvard, and Pratt.
Margalus’s work has been highlighted by major outlets including the Chicago Tribune and NPR, and he has delivered keynotes for organizations ranging from Chicago Public Schools’ Googlepalooza to the American Medical Association’s ChangeMedEd. In 2015, he was invited to the Obama White House in recognition of his pioneering efforts in establishing makerspaces.
An avid outdoorsman, Margalus volunteers as a backpacking leader for the Sierra Club and currently serves as the National Outings Midwest Committee Chair. He is also a passionate cyclist who plans to complete his fourth RAGBRAI tour in 2025 and a coast-to-coast ride in the near future.
Curriculum Vitae — Download
Portfolio — Download
