The MakerSpace kicked off its third semester of women’s workshops on January 27, featuring a hands-on DIY fidget spinner event in the second-floor ABS Engineering Center. From 6 to 8 p.m., the MakerSpace collaborated with the Machine Shop, a sister space that houses machinery and overlooks the MakerSpace, to host the women-centered program using in-house materials and 3D-modeled designs. The fidget spinner event, as well as the other women’s workshops run by MakerSpace student employees, provide step-by-step guidance on drawing, designing, and machining products from scratch.
The fidget spinner event was the first women’s workshop of the year, building from introductory MakerSpace skills while incorporating new skills from the machine shop. This was only the latest women-oriented event of the series, which has been an ongoing initiative since 2022. The MakerSpace Women’s Workshops program was awarded the 2024 “Program of the Year for Educational Impact” and represents a joint collaboration with the Director of the MakerCenter, Paul McClelland, and Class of 2026 members and machine shop employees Nataly Jimenez and Alicia Kearney, and are aimed to orient the MakerSpace as an inclusive space. Featuring monthly events blending introductory and focused sessions, women’s workshops prioritize familiarity with the goal of welcoming women/non-binary students to explore the creative space.
MakerSpace employee and Society of Women Engineers (SWE) E-Board member Jeylan Jubran, a 2/4 Industrial and Systems Engineer, staffs the front desk to help with student projects when she’s not troubleshooting the machines. Jubran gained hands-on experience in MakerSpace after working the desk and assisting student projects and now manages women’s workshop outreach. “Now that we have stable attendance, we’re focusing on themes and more elaborate ideas,” says Jubran. She outlines the progression of the women’s workshop series from launch, mentions various joint SWE events to increase attendance and cover basic workshop skills, and spotlights the team’s current efforts to expand creativity with themed workshops.
Stevens launched MakerSpace in Spring 2021 as an around-the-clock student workshop for academic and personal construction projects. An open layout furnished with wooden work benches and equipped with machinery and tools creates a studio-quality environment. The MakerSpace offers diverse crafting and building materials, from automated tool cabinets, 3D printers, drill presses, soldering workstations, a vinyl cutter, a band saw, VR headsets, and an engraver, all of which are accessible to students who complete safety quizzes found on the MakerSpace Canvas shell.
Student employees are available at the front desk between 2 and 6 p.m. to troubleshoot machinery and offer in-depth project consultations for emerging build ideas. The MakerSpace provides materials, equipment, and technical guidance to make the building process a creative sandbox for students of all majors.
The next women’s workshop features Valentine’s Day crafting this Monday, February 10, while a Star Wars-themed workshop, planned in collaboration with the Aerospace Club, is set out for May. The full semester itinerary can be found on MakerCenter’s Instagram as the Women’s Workshop series enters the Spring semester with great momentum.
