BakerRipley’s Fab Lab Houston teamed up with the University of Houston as part of a summer camp for young innovators.
The two-week camp is designed for students interested in engineering, design, and innovation.
At camp, experts work with students to turn an idea into a product — one that helps solve a problem in their lives or in their communities. At the end, students present a rough prototype to the class.
“Our team guides students as they come up with their ideas for inventions, collect data through interviews and develop a customer needs matrix before they begin build on their prototypes,” says Mariam Manuel, instructional assistant professor and STEM master teacher with teachHOUSTON
Take Cristian Barinaga for example, 9th grader, who wears braces and finds them to be a hassle.
He’s working on a replacement for conventional braces that is removable and only used at night.
“It’s like a mouth guard with electromagnets that move back and forth and then move your teeth.” explains Cristian.
A STEM/Maker Challenge
Brent Richardson, Director of Fab Lab Houston, was on hand for a few sessions – supporting UH faculty, alumni, and Noyce scholars from teachHouston.
He also challenged students with building a gondola using a specific materials as part of a STEM/Maker challenge.
In addition, Fab Lab Houston provided high-tech tools like 3D printers and laser cutters for students to use.
These projects and partnerships, allow us to cultivate a community of makers by providing resources and opportunities for collaboration.
