Equity in the Making Lab Hosts Third Workshop for Older Adults at Durham Center for Senior Life

View of Sphero robot obstacle course from above

People interacting with Sphero robot obstacle course.

The Equity in the Making (EITM) Lab recently concluded its third workshop for older adults at the Durham Center for Senior Life. In collaboration with the Durham County Library and School of Information and Library Science (SILS) alum, Jess Epsten, the team organized two engaging workshops: keepsake box creation and robotics obstacle courses for the Durham Center for Senior Living.
These workshops are part of an outreach initiative arising from Melo’s National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award, which emphasizes the need for focusing on underrepresented maker communities. The workshop designs were informed by the community’s feedback, which called for tech-centric programming and hands-on crafting experiences.


Four people glueing keepsake boxes together

Creating keepsake boxes

People interacting with Sphero robots

Interacting with Sphero robots

Person decorating keepsake box with stickers

Decorating keepsake box
















The Equity in the Making Lab team, consisting of Rachel Rodney, Yu Lee An, Jackson Barbee, Hao Zhang, and Principal Investigator (PI) Maggie Melo, facilitated the workshops. Their collective expertise and dedication ensured a smooth and enriching experience for the attendees, demonstrating the value of intergenerational learning opportunities and the impact of creative engagement.

The success of these workshops not only underscores the importance of including seniors in the maker community but also highlights the EITM Lab’s ongoing commitment to fostering inclusive and empowering spaces for diverse populations.

EiTM group picture under Center for Senior Life sign

EiTM group picture