As a longtime instructor at the Art Institute of Seattle, one of the very few manufacturers or restorers of extremely high-quality hurdy-gurdies, and as a 20-year veteran as a research biologist at the University of Washington, Alden Hackmann brings a wealth of experience teaching, designing, and implementing electronics concepts in multiple real-world settings. With a passion for electronics from an early age and an affinity for a doing things well, Hackmann has even designed and implemented onboard amplification systems.