The Atwood Innovation Plaza Makerspace has become a hub for sparking creativity. From LED lamps to homemade shirts, creativity doesn’t stay on paper — ideas are brought to life through hands-on workshops.
The Atwood Makerspace provides a place for the St. George community and Utah Tech students to learn how to create a variety of projects. The Makerspace offers the equipment and materials needed to complete them.
Each workshop lasts around two hours and costs $30 to cover material fees.
In January, the Atwood Makerspace hosted a Laser and Light: LED Lamp Workshop. During the one-day workshop, participants learned the basics of Adobe Illustrator, soldered the lights into the base and engraved designs using a laser cutter. Participants had creative control over the design they engraved.
The training was hands-on, allowing participants to create a product from start to finish. Makerspace trainers guided participants through each step, teaching the skills needed to complete the project.
By offering access to tools and training, the Atwood Makerspace allows the community to learn new skills and bring their ideas to life.
“You can make whatever you want,” said employee Sydney Freeman, a junior design major from Aubrey, Texas.
Staff members used a television to demonstrate the process of using Adobe Illustrator, then allowed the participants to create their own designs .
The Makerspace is offering four workshops this semester:
- Jan. 15: Laser and Light: LED Lamp Workshop
- Feb. 19: Charm and Chain: Keychain Workshop
- April 2: Make It, Wear It: T-Shirt Workshop
- April 9: Peel and Stick: Sticker Workshop
“If you’re interested in any sort of production design or making items at the Makerspace, this is a great way to see the whole process start to finish,” said Sadie Sorenson, the Makerspace’s assistant manager.
Outside of the workshops, The Innovation Lab offers free training on all of its machines. Anyone can visit the lab to learn how to use the equipment. To get trained on a machine, participants must schedule a 30-minute training course through the lab’s website, Freeman said.
The trainings for machine use in the Makerspace are open to anyone ages 12 and older. Participants younger than 12 years old must be accompanied by an adult.
Machines available in the makerspace include:
- Roland sticker and poster makers
- Sewing machines
- Laser cutter
- 3D printer
- Woodshop machine
After completing training, participants may return to the Makerspace with their own materials or purchase materials at the lab. Users must schedule machine time, and fees apply for reserved time slots.
The Makerspace also offers after-school and summer programs for children to participate in workshops. Workshops are designed for kindergarten through 12th grade.
“Each age group has different projects catered to their age,” Bailey Larkin, the Makerspace manager, said. “A previous training we did were storybooks for the younger kids. For the middle school age, they had a Pokémon class this past summer.”
Workshop information is available on the Makerspace website under the STEM section.
