Reshaping the Higher Education Makerspace and Harnessing Current Disruptive Events

Abstract

"Sustainable futures: propelling innovative ecosystems" was the theme intended for the Ninth Annual National Academy of Inventors Meeting. With the meeting cancelled, the content for the conference is being distributed online and in print format. Indeed, rather than shifting the conference's theme, the COVID-19 pandemic has required us to examine ecosystems in a new context that likely would not have been fully explored otherwise. Makerspaces, an important part of the innovation ecosystem, rose alongside the maker movement as physical places where fabrication equipment is accessible to the masses. As the benefits of the spaces and the maker mindset were learned, libraries and educational institutions introduced makerspaces as a service for patrons and students in support of their missions to increase intellectual growth and creativity. Makerspaces have now become ubiquitous in the higher-education landscape; most campuses have one, if not multiple, makerspaces. An unstated goal of makerspaces is often to turn the patrons into "makers." Most university campuses have embraced the maker mindset; however, while this approach may inspire some students, many do not participate. Even those spaces created as a catch-all way of introducing students to new technologies fail to attract large numbers of students and are not seen as equally beneficial or inviting by all students. University makerspaces have disparate origins, many created for department or discipline-specific needs. Thus, with the university as an institution where people of vastly different backgrounds, education levels, and knowledge come together and connect with the local, scientific, and business communities, the discipline-centered approach falls short. As universities train disciplinary specialists who can work in a broader context, their makerspaces must evolve past these limiting perspectives to better address the changing needs of the work-force and industries. The continued work and outreach of makerspaces despite the shuttering of campuses for COVID-19 may help us appreciate that facilitating, promoting, and organizing the connection of people and ideas to solve problems is as important as the physical spaces. We have witnessed makerspaces become rallying points where technology and resources, diverse skill sets and perspectives, and the mindset of reducing ideas to practice are combined to tackle urgent problems and create impactful solutions through interdisciplinary approaches that unite education, research, community, and industry efforts. Now is the time to capture this growth in reach and responsibility in the mission and format of the evolved makerspace.