Department head(s)
Katherine Aidala
- Director of the Fimbel Maker & Innovation Lab
- Kennedy-Shelkunoff Professor of Physics
- on leave 2022-2023
The Mount Holyoke College Fimbel Maker & Innovation Lab supports novices and experts alike as they turn their ideas into tangible reality. We foster collaboration across the College and inspire our students to pursue careers and projects they might never have considered.
The Lab brings together the tools, people, and resources to support maker culture on campus. We welcome all ideas and facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations. We will connect you to the wealth of expertise and facilities on our campus and beyond.
The Fimbel Lab is open to all members of the Mount Holyoke College community, including Five College students who are taking Mount Holyoke College classes. Academic projects receive priority, but we also welcome personal projects. There is no charge to use the space, but there may be a charge for materials.
Work also extends beyond the Mount Holyoke community. Fimbel Lab staff regularly hold workshops for middle school and high school students in both informal and classroom settings. Please contact us if you would like to learn more.
A wide range of classes make use of Fimbel Lab staff and equipment to support specific areas of study and we offer a few classes every semester taught entirely in the lab. Examples of courses using the space include:
Fimbel Maker & Innovation Lab resources are available to departments and student orgs to help promote activities and events. We’ve helped create stage sets for plays, and swag to promote awards and more.
From bike generators to Halloween costumes to chocolate molds, Fimbel Lab workshops are open to students, faculty and staff. We have also offered workshops for middle and high school students, including a week-long summer camp.
A crucial part of the mission of the Fimbel Maker & Innovation Lab is working with students beyond the College, especially those from underrepresented groups who are interested in engineering and science. We are in the process of aligning our activities with the Massachusetts State Technology and Engineering Standards, and are planning a professional development workshop for teachers. Are you associated with a school or organizations that would be interested in exploring a workshop or curricular support such as using technology in the classroom? Contact us! We'd be happy to work with you.
The Fimbel Maker & Innovation Lab provides 8,000 square feet where students can implement, adapt and expand diverse concepts of creation.