The P.D. Merrill Makerspace
The P.D. Merrill Makerspace is a fully equipped laboratory for creating and building, turning ideas into reality, and developing solutions to real-world problems. Whether you come to the Makerspace as part of a class, as a student researcher or innovator, or just for fun, the Makerspace has something to offer every student — regardless of program or major.
The Makerspace comprises two labs, one for fabrication and one for digital design.
Fabrication Lab
The P.D. Merrill Makerspace’s Fabrication Lab is a place where anyone can make (almost) anything. All planning, design, production, and fabrication processes are done in one place.
The laser cutter is a student favorite and can be used to engrave on and cut a variety of materials, including leather, acrylic, and glass. In addition to fiber art supplies, woodworking tools, a vinyl cutter, and a sewing machine, the lab also boasts 3D printers and an electronics station.
Whether you need to create a physical device for a research project, make your homework assignment stand out, or you simply want to come in to learn new skills and make something cool — the tools and materials in the Fabrication Lab are available to all students. Our professional staff provides training on all the equipment, no experience is necessary to get started.
Design Lab
The Design Lab is a technology hub — a place where students can create a digital simulation or demo of a product idea. In our Design Lab, you’ll have access to powerful Alienware computers to work on application and software development so that you can create digital prototypes of the products you envision. You can use the Design Lab to develop apps, virtual games, GIS applications, 3D models, and more.
Whether you visit the Design Lab as part of class in business, marine science, aquaculture, neuroscience, or another discipline, or you come in independently with an idea all your own, your time here will help transform a concept into a reality while providing you with the opportunity to develop valuable technical skills that will boost your resume and your career prospects. Our professional staff provides training on all the software, no experience is necessary to get started.
Explore Student Makerspace Projects
Tracking Ocean Conditions
Sarah Piehler (’22) and Olivia Hardy (’22) create a prototype of a buoy that can remotely monitor oceanic conditions.
Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence
Jessica Minieri (’23) and Calum Murray (’24) team up to create a fundamentals of AI curriculum to benefit fellow students.
Monitoring Coral Health
Grace Frohock (’22) discusses her research in determining the health of ocean corals by measuring their fluorescence with advanced camera technology.
Smart Baby Blanket
Hannah Welch (’21) shows off the “smart baby blanket” she developed in the Makerspace. It calibrates the level of heat needed by each individual infant.
Location and Hours of Operation
Join us! You are welcome to drop in at the Makerspace any time during open hours, 10 a.m.–4:30 p.m, Monday–Friday. Incidental changes to our hours are posted on our Instagram account.
P.D. Merrill Makerspace
Rooms 44, 51, and 52
Decary Hall
Biddeford Campus
(207) 602-2848
About P.D. Merrill and the Charitable Trust
The P.D. Merrill Charitable Trust has been a strong supporter of innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives at the University of New England and has given several annual gifts, starting in 2013, to support the Student Innovation Challenge, the precursor of today’s Maine Ideas Challenge, an idea-stage competition that encourages innovative and sustainable solutions to social, environmental, and health issues facing our society.
What can students do in the Makerspace?
Contact
For more information visit the P.D. Merrill Makerspace blog or email the Makerspace program coordinator.