The White House’s “Week of Making” (June 12 to 18) will highlight the University of Illinois MakerLab as part of MakeSchools, a higher education consortium that promotes making as an important method of learning. The White House will release a letter summarizing the MakeSchools initiatives during the weeklong event.
“The Illinois MakerLab provides an innovative environment where students are learning and solving real problems,” said Vishal Sachdev, the director of the MakerLab. “Participating in this national event is important because it helps to establish Illinois as a thought leader in this space.”
The “Week of Making” coincides with the one-year anniversary of the first-ever White House Maker Faire. Events around the U.S. will support President Obama’s call to action to create a “Nation of Makers.” According to a White House press release, the purpose of the week is “to celebrate the students, entrepreneurs and everyday citizens who are using new tools and techniques to launch businesses, learn vital skills in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and lead a grassroots renaissance in American manufacturing.”
“Making is a fundamental human skill that many of us have lost or neglected,” Sachdev said. “Now, the availability of digital tools makes it easier for everyone to participate. All you need is an imagination.”
The Illinois MakerLab, opened in the spring of 2013, was the first Business School 3D Printing Lab in the world. The goal of the MakerLab is to show users that it is possible for everyone to make, using digital tools on their desktops.
The lab includes 16 desktop 3D printers, 3D design software and 3D scanning devices. The lab offers for-credit classes and workshops on a variety of 3D printing processes, including design, modeling and scanning. Visitors to the lab have made a variety of objects, including LED lights, wedding cake toppers and microphone chargers. One maker produced replicas of Illinois microbiologist Carl Woese’s scientific medals. The replicas are on display in the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology.
To kick off the “Week of Making,” the MakerLab is holding a “Free Print Day” on Friday, June 12, with special extended hours from noon to 6:00 pm, when any print that takes an hour or less to make will be free. Throughout the week, the lab is also offering classes for girls 7 to 10 years of age; robotics and 3-D printing workshops for high school students; and workshops for students, faculty and community members.
Learn more about MakerLab by visiting their website, Facebook page and Twitter account.