Making
University of North Georgia Opens MakerBot Innovation Center
Students at the University of North Georgia have a new facility for taking projects from concept to reality. The institution partnered with 3D printing company MakerBot to open the UNG MakerBot Innovation Center, a multi-disciplinary "learning and creation lab" open to all majors and departments across the university.
The space boasts 32 pieces of equipment and technology, including a large array of MakerBot Replicator 3D printers as well as the MakerBot Innovation Center Management Platform, software that "links the [printers] together, streamlines productivity and staffing of the center, and provides remote access, print queuing and mass production of 3D prints," according to a press release.
"This lab will advance UNG's mission to foster creative ideas and apply innovative thinking, and it will employ the latest in digital technology to help the university's students and the region's business and entrepreneurial community develop successful ventures from anywhere in the world," said Pamela Sachant, head of UNG's Department of Visual Arts, in a statement. "Students and faculty from across multiple disciplines and fields of study will be able to utilize the equipment in this lab, bringing to life in a tangible way business projects, visual art pieces, science experiments, and even physics assignments."
The UNG facility is the first MakerBot Innovation Center in the state of Georgia, joining 14 other centers at institutions across the country, including Central Michigan University, Florida International University, Florida Polytechnic University, Penn State University, University of Maryland, University of Massachusetts and SUNY New Paltz.
About the Author
Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].
