In the heart of Baltimore’s Federal Hill, the Digital Harbor Foundation (DHF) is bustling with students of all ages. The building features makerspaces that encourage innovation and creativity, and help students build their technical skills through activities like 3D printing. Here, Amy Hurst, associate professor of information systems, works alongside middle school students to help explore and prepare for future careers at the intersection of science, technology, entrepreneurship, and the arts.
Hurst began developing the makerspace in collaboration with the DHF through a grant from the National Science Foundation in June 2016. It features a large open room filled with tables, chairs, 3D printers, and dozens of small objects, such as animal figurines, that students have created using 3D printers. It doesn’t function as a traditional classroom, teaching design concepts in…