Academic Blog Posts

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

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

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

Sam Samuel '26 creating a temporary sled guide to saw logs into planks with bandsaw

Whittle by Whittle: Envi Center Garden Signs 

By Sam Samuel | April 2, 2024

When I was a prospective student, I recall my host bringing me near the Class of 1966 Environmental Center (“Envi Center”) to meet some of their friends. While passing through, … Continue reading

Yoheidy Feliz connecting a red maple slab to a slanted locust base, with dowels and wood glue.

Makerspace Collaborating on Multiple Sustainability Projects

By David Keiser-Clark | August 21, 2023

Last spring semester, the Makerspace @ Williams College pivoted to focus on academic projects that support teaching and learning goals; previously, this focus had been an aspirational goal. The Makerspace … Continue reading

Anubhav Preet Kaur

From Teeth to Time: Discovering Siwalik Hills’ Past Through Archaeology

By Valeria Lopez | June 26, 2023

How did we get here? Where do we come from? What does our future encompass? As an aspiring scientist, I have always been fascinated by these (and many more!) questions … Continue reading

Polyformer

Sustainable 3D Printing at Williams College (Part 1)

By Camily Hidalgo | June 15, 2023

The massive amount of plastic bottles incinerated or dumped in landfills or oceans is a growing global concern. In the United States alone, despite recycling efforts, 22 billion plastic bottles … Continue reading

Arduino board for turntable

Spinning Tales: My Whimsical Adventure in Arduino Turntable Wonderland

By Tashrique Ahmed | June 2, 2023

I remember the day I first laid eyes on that clunky, awkward, yet fascinating automated burrito-making machine in the local toy store. It was love at first sight! I knew … Continue reading

Sculpting a Spine with 3D Printing and Plaster

The Backbone of Art: Sculpting a Spine with 3D Printing and Plaster

By Elissa Berger | May 15, 2023

This semester in Beginning Sculpture (ARTS 132), my professor Amy Podmore tasked us with creating a sculpture in response to a prompt titled “Scaffolded Fragments.” For this project, we had … Continue reading

A prehistoric cave bear tooth (a molar), excavated from Divje Babe, a cave site in Slovenia that also houses evidence of Neanderthal activity. The tooth is estimated to be 80,000 years old.

Cave Bear Tooth: Preserving the Past with Pixels

By David Keiser-Clark | December 10, 2022

What happens when a scientific technique meant to illuminate the past threatens to erase it? That’s the puzzle at the heart of an interdisciplinary project at Williams College, where Chemistry … Continue reading

The “Press The Button” Project

By Sam Samuel | December 7, 2022

Route 2, a highway that cuts through campus, holds a degree of danger as students frequently cross to get to classes, dorms, extracurriculars, etc. Due to this, the campus provides … Continue reading

DAVID5 3D Scanner

3D Scanning: Trials and Tribulations

By Sebastian Tabit | December 2, 2022

This semester I’ve spent most of my time trying to get our DAVID5 (bought by HP and since discontinued) 3D Scanner operational. The scanner is a neat tool that takes … Continue reading