As the maker movement continues to grow, places for these new makers to bring their visions to life is increasingly important. We have seen libraries take on this challenge at a quick rate, but not every library has the foresight or budget to bring their own visions to fruition.
Located in Sarasota, the Suncoast Science / Faulhaber FAB LAB is a makerspace with the benefit of being part of a science center. Jennifer Holt came by to talk about the facility, which features many tools that are common to makerspaces, such as 3D printers, soldering irons, etc. In addition, this facility offers lesser-known or less available tools, such as laser etchers and CNC machines.
The facility event offers open house events to allow the outside world experience the wonders of the space and learn about the tools and learning opportunities available.
Scott is a developer who has worked on projects of varying sizes, including all of the PLUGHITZ Corporation properties. He is also known in the gaming world for his time supporting the rhythm game community, through DDRLover and hosting tournaments throughout the Tampa Bay Area. Currently, when he is not working on software projects or hosting F5 Live: Refreshing Technology, Scott can often be found returning to his high school days working with the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), mentoring teams and helping with ROBOTICON Tampa Bay. He has also helped found a student software learning group, the ASCII Warriors, currently housed at AMRoC Fab Lab.
Daniele is a student at Florida Polytechnic University who is studying Computer Science with a concentration in Cyber Security. In High School, she was introduced to the science and technology world through the Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST), a robotics foundation where students of varying ages can compete through tasks that their robots perform. With help from mentors she met through FIRST, she became interested in programming and developing. Today, Daniele is a special events host for F5 Live: Refreshing Technology and PLuGHiTz Live Special Events and a co-host for both The New Product Launchpad and FIRST Looks.