UC Makerspace to host Maker Evenings, open house

On Oct. 9, Makerspace staff will host an Open House and Club Night from 4 to 7 p.m. Then, from Oct. 10-14 from 5 to 7 p.m., they’ll offer Maker Evenings, with multiple make-and-take workshops each night. 

Guests at the Open House and Club Night will be able to:

• Customize their own T-shirt using a heat press
• Laser-cut and assemble a phone stand
• Watch a CNC router in action and take home a small widget

“We’ll also be joined by several student organizations that frequently use the Makerspace,” said Lucy Weaver, Makerspace coordinator. “These organizations will be tabling and showing off some of the great work they have made using the Makerspace. While these events are targeted at first-year students, we invite all to join us for a night of making.”

The Maker Evenings are a first-time offering for the 12,000-square-foot prototyping and fabrication facility. Including popular programs like the Wood Charcuterie Board Workshop, Stained Glass Workshop and the Sticker Workshop, they’ll be a “great introduction to the Makerspace’s capabilities,” Weaver said. 

In recent years, makerspaces have proliferated in higher education in response to the maker movement — a cultural trend that encompasses hands-on learning and DIYing at the intersection of technology and innovation.

At UC, where practical learning has been baked into the culture since the university invented cooperative education more than 100 years ago, the Makerspace attracts hundreds of students each year looking for sophisticated equipment and training to work on capstones, inventions and the like. 

The space is also available for UC faculty conducting research, local artisans exploring new materials and techniques, entrepreneurs building prototypes and industry partners conducting research and development.  

“We are here to support artists, designers, inventors, tailors, hobbyists, startups, small companies and everything in between,” said Benjamin Jones, Makerspace director. 

The open house is available to makers 18 years or older. No membership or affiliation to UC is required. To register, visit the Makerspace website. 

Maker Evenings require an active membership to the Makerspace along with pre-registration for all workshops.  

All participants must wear closed-toe shoes.

The UC Ground Floor Makerspace is located on the first floor of the 1819 Innovation Hub, 2900 Reading Road, Cincinnati. 

UC shuttle services will be running from Campus Green Garage to the 1819 Innovation Hub. Use the live shuttle tracker to plan your trip. 

Featured image at top: During Maker Evenings in October, workshops will include wood charcuterie boards, stained glass and stickers. Photo by Cincinnati Innovation District Marketing & Communications team.