[JSR] The SoCal MakerSpace Festival

A wide array of booths were presented at the festival [Source: Author, Jonathan Chun]

Many machines and technology were displayed for use and observing.[Source: Author, Jonathan Chun]

The SoCal MakerSpace Festival was hosted at the College of the Canyons, on Saturday March 23, 2019. This all-day engineering event featured 3D printing, lasers, coding, robots, art, hands-on STEAM activities, food trucks, free workshops, and a speaker series. The MakerSpace Festival brings together K-12 and college students, industry professionals, and innovators within the Maker movement, a tech-inspired DIY campaign working to improve communities. Makers from throughout the region showcased exciting demonstrations and encouraged hands-on fun. There was tinkering to be had by all ages.

Jonathan Chun, Grade 9 West Ranch High School

The theme for this year’s second annual event was “Hands-on Engagement for a New Generation of Engineers”. Some of the activities included were an interactive drum lesson, a robot booth where you could perform tasks via remote control, and carve-your-own name plaques using 3D printing technology. There were also many inspiring speakers conducting presentations about their work and how it relates to the field of engineering.

One interesting speaker was Dr. David Ciardi who is a scientist at NASA who was involved in the Kepler Probe Project. In 2009, his team launched the Kepler Probe into space with 25 cameras that mapped out thousands of undiscovered planets in the galaxy. Another speaker was William Hardwood, who spoke about his experience founding a startup project in solar paneling, eventually making his way into Lockheed Martin where he became an aircraft engineer. All of these speakers discussed the importance of their studies in the field of engineering and how this education helped usher them toward the big corporations they are working in today.

In all, the SoCal MakerSpace Festival was quite fun and entertaining. The festival featured a wide variety of interactive activities that encouraged everyone to become involved, regardless of age or experience. This festival was eye-opening for me and inspired me to continue to work hard in school so I can pursue a job in this field in the future.