Academic Blog Posts

The Williams MakersWeb is a network of staff and faculty expert practitioners that represent the 27 maker spaces and studios distributed throughout campus. It also includes 6 campus and 9 community partners. The MakersWeb embraces interdisciplinary networking as a means to better serve the mission of the College.

Introducing the Williams MakersWeb

By David Keiser-Clark | July 16, 2024

Below is the Daily Message published on Tuesday, July 16th, 2024: The Provost’s Office is excited to support the creation of the Williams MakersWeb, a staff-led initiative to improve opportunities … Continue reading

Nikhil Radosevich ‘27 created a data expression method for turning spreadsheets into 3D objects

Turning Spreadsheets into Skylines: A Makerspace and Zilkha Center Collaboration

By David Keiser-Clark | July 1, 2024

Some students see a spreadsheet and see rows and columns. Nikhil Radosevich ‘27 sees a skyline. Back in high school, Nikhil built a program that turns any spreadsheet directly into … Continue reading

Completed Turntable with the control board

Spinning Tales : Arduino Turntable Step-by-Step Tutorial (Part 2)

By Tashrique Ahmed | June 24, 2024

Welcome back to my deep dive into the creation of a low-cost DIY Arduino turntable designed for photogrammetry enthusiasts. In this continuation, I will share a detailed, step-by-step breakdown of … Continue reading

Left: Lion and Elizabeth; Right Anderson and Lion.

Lions at the Spruces

By David Keiser-Clark | May 25, 2024

What do Vienna, a long-lost trailer park in Williamstown, and two fifth graders have in common? They all came together via architecture, storytelling, and a whole lot of glue in … Continue reading

Assembling the Polyformer: Oscar Caino ‘27, a Swarthmore College student (left), and Camily Hidalgo Goncalves ‘26, a Williams College student (right).

Sustainable 3D Printing at Williams College (Part 2)

By Camily Hidalgo | May 23, 2024

Polyformer Updates My name is Camily Hidalgo Goncalves, and I am a sophomore at Williams College majoring in Chemistry with a Neuroscience concentration. As a Makerspace student worker, I have … Continue reading

Lauren Mukavitz ‘27: In the Makerspace taking the supports off my finished models

Reefs Reimagined: 3D Printing the Effects of Tsunamis on Coral

By Lauren Mukavitz | May 21, 2024

When most people think about coral reef degradation, they often think about bleaching and the effects of climate change. However, coral faces another danger that is hardly talked about—tsunamis. Coral … Continue reading

Exhibition: “Feel free to pick up and touch these reduced-scale 3D prints of Abraham Lincoln!”

The Lincoln Logs: Printing for the WCMA’s Emancipation Exhibition

By Harris Longfield | May 18, 2024

My most recent Makerspace academic project was assisting Beth Fischer, Assistant Curator of Digital Learning and Research for the Williams College Museum of Art. My task was to 3D print … Continue reading

Screenshot: Experimenting with the Reality Scan smartphone app

Lost but Found in the Photogrammetry World

By Milton Vento | May 16, 2024

The Quandary Have you ever broken or lost a small part of an important object you value? Perhaps the strap of that beautiful watch you got from your grandma or … Continue reading

Raspberry Pi 4 Model B

Truly-Local Internet: The PiBrary Project

By Gerol Petruzella | May 6, 2024

If a local organization has important information for its neighbors, is there a way it can broadcast directly to them without bouncing the data to Toronto and back? I grew … Continue reading

Simulating Spaces with Augmented Reality (AR)

By Valeria Lopez | May 3, 2024

At age nine, I had a bicycle accident (and yes, for those who know me, I can’t swim, but I can pretty much ride a bike, thank you!). It was … Continue reading

The 3D-printed replica of the Chinese Oracle Bone

Resurrecting the Ancient: A 3D-Printed Chinese Oracle Bone Finds a New Home at Williams

By Alexa Hanson | April 27, 2024

When students in ASIA 325 / ARTH 325: The Arts of the Book in Asia walk into class, they are greeted by an object that feels both ancient and cutting-edge: … Continue reading

TIDE Grant: Sustainable and Reusable STEM Learning Kits for Students in Under-Resourced 5th and 6th Grade Classrooms

By Alice Sore | April 20, 2024

Written by Divine Uwimana ’27 and Alice Sore ’27.  Introduction In an ideal world, students would have equal access to education, but that isn’t the case. While some schools have … Continue reading

Beyond Board Games: Exploring a 3D Printed Catan Boards’ Role in Creativity, Connection, and Vulnerability

By Cara Sturdevant | April 11, 2024

Few technologies capture the imagination like 3D printing. The ability to bring digital designs to life and hold them in our hands ignites a creative spark within us–or maybe just … Continue reading

Architecture in Slices: 3D Printing for the Big Art Show.

By Harris Longfield | April 11, 2024

In my first Makerspace academic project, I jumped into the deep end. My role was to support Giuseppina Forte, the Assistant Professor of Architecture and Environmental Studies, and her students … Continue reading

Fig. 1: Isabelle Jiménez and Harper Treschuk outside the Williams College Makerspace located in Sawyer 248

Pixels or Petals? Comparing Physical vs. Digital Learning Experiences

By Valeria Lopez | April 11, 2024

Learning has not been the same since COVID. Just like the vast majority of students around the world, my classes were interrupted by the COVID pandemic back in 2020. After … Continue reading