UCLA Samueli Makerspace
9,000-square-foot student makerspace
3D printers, a virtual reality system, electronics fabrication tools and more are available, free of charge, to Engineering students for personal projects and group activities.
About
New UCLA Samueli Makerspace
In 2018, the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering opened a new 9,000-square-foot student makerspace in Boelter Hall.
Here, students can build personal projects, hold group activities such as workshops and hackathons, and participate in a robot hockey league. The space is supervised by trained student staff members, and is open, free of charge, to all UCLA Engineering students.
Creativity
What kinds of things can students make here?
“Anything from an Arduino-based obstacle-avoiding, Bluetooth-controlled rover with a laser-cut acrylic chassis, to a 3D printed model rocket can be built in the space”
“This space will provide an enormous number of students with the ability to unleash their creative sides,”
“And I have no doubt that great things will come as a direct result of the learning that takes place in the new makerspace.”
Caleb Lessard-Clouston
Third-year mechanical engineering major and part of the student staff
Design. Build. Create.
“This new makerspace will be a place for students to use their imaginations, learn new skills, and work with each other to design, build, and create,”
“The facility will be almost entirely student-programmed—this is their space and we’re really excited to see it open and what they’ll do in it.”
Jacob Schmidt
Bioengineering Professor
Boelter Hall Makerspace Director
The Possibilities
Engineering Design
The space will also be the location for new lower-division, project-based undergraduate classes covering engineering design that will debut this fall quarter.
Possible class projects include:
Rockets, both 3D-printed and larger high-powered models
Go-karts
3D printed pharmaceuticals
Electrocardiogram machines
Virtual reality games and controllers
The new makerspace adds to the university’s available offerings at Rieber Hall in student housing, the Lux Labs in Powell Library, and Young Research Library.
Available Equipment
Located on the first and second floors of Boelter Hall, the makerspace includes 12 3D printers; laser cutters; tools for light machining; circuit board printers; reflow oven; electronics fabrication and test equipment; embroidery machine; and a dedicated virtual reality system. There are plans to add bioprinters and other wet lab tools later this academic year.
Contact Information:
1805 Boelter Hall / 2808 Boelter Hall (Google Map )
Hours of Operation:
9:00 am – 6:00 pm (Monday – Friday)
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm (Saturday)
Resources:
Makerspace Student Staff Positions
schmidt@seas.ucla.edu
