MakerSpace—Where creativity and education meet
UMass Boston’s MakerSpace is a place that fosters creativity and hands-on engagement in the learning process. In the last couple of years, the space had shifted to a model wherein the “lab” was turned into a creative studio. “With IT funds we were able to get reliable printers and components to continue to make the place a true MakerSpace Studio,” says Zack Ronald, Manager of Innovation Education Technology. “Our model now is student driven. Students can take a 90-minute MakerSpace Certification Course, taught by one of the MakerSpace students, and be able to print within reason.” Students, staff and faculty now have access to 3D printing, 3D modeling, electrical components such as Arduino, ESP32’s and Raspberry Pi’s and components, sewing machines, robotic components, and a number of tools which allow them to make and create.
Empowering through Certification
More than 500 students have become certified to use the MakerSpace, thanks in no small part to the student workers who keep the space running smoothly. “The certification course is something that we designed to train students to be able to use the machines themselves,” says Olivia Moos, a senior computer engineering major who works at the MakerSpace. “It is catered to people that have never done any 3D printing or 3D modeling before. At the end of the course, they are able to use our machines and software to print out the models that they made.” With help from her peers, Moos designed the certification course that she now teaches weekly.
Supporting Engineering Education
Student employees also provide training to larger groups, such as the 100+ students enrolled in Dr. Rafael Valotta Rodrigues’ Engineering 104: Introduction to Engineering. Valotta Rodrigues utilized the MakerSpace for the first time in 2024, developing two projects—one individual, one group—that provided students with hands-on 3D printing experience and the ability to create something tangible from scratch. “I think the reactions from students are very nice. The actual 3D printing and getting to see a drawing from a computer becoming a touchable object—something real—they get very excited about it,” he says.
Embracing Sustainability in 3D Printing
Realizing how much waste printing creates, the MakerSpace’s student employees have taken initiative to recycle whatever materials they can. “We had always known we were generating a lot of filament waste. Most things that get 3D printed require support, prints fail, and each thing that gets printed generates a little bit of waste in any scenario,” says Sydney Bailey, a May 2024 graduate. The MakerSpace team currently uses leftover scraps to make small items—they blend it up, melt it down, and use silicon molds—but the goal is to eventually turn scraps back into usable filament.
They have partnered with the Master Planning and Sustainability Office to reach this goal, and to fulfill a mission of becoming zero-waste by 2025. In addition to recycling scraps, workers also continuously find innovative ways to refurbish donated equipment and cut down on waste—for example, by shifting from plastic filament holders to cardboard to be more environmental.
Furthermore, Moos has spearheaded efforts to utilize plastic bottles at the MakerSpace. After seeing someone reuse plastic in a similar way on social media, she used parts of an old printer to create a bottle filament machine that could take advantage of the mass amounts of used Smartwater bottles on campus.
A Welcoming Space for Collaboration
The MakerSpace has developed into a very important part of the UMass Boston campus, and everyone involved notes the inclusive atmosphere, wonderful leadership, and student-led initiatives as keys to its success. “Students from all disciplines come in seeking advice for projects or things that they are interested in. Our student employees act as mentors for them and provide them with assistance,” says Ronald. “I feel the approach of students teaching the certification courses, teaching the workshops, and working directly with students to help them with projects makes the studio a welcoming place.”