Updates Archives – EITM: Equity in the Making Lab

Building the Inclusive Makerspace Toolkit: A Behind-the-Scenes Look

May 28, 2026/in Updates

Have you ever walked up to a makerspace, peeked inside, and then just… kept walking? You’re not alone. That moment at the doorstep, that split-second decision to enter or walk away is exactly what the EITM Lab has been researching for years. And now, we’re turning those findings into something anyone can use.

Say hello to the Inclusive Makerspace Toolkit.

The Inclusive Makerspace Toolkit is an open educational resource (we’ll just call it the Toolkit!) being developed right here at the EITM Lab. It’s designed to help makerspace educators, administrators, and staff create spaces that feel genuinely welcoming to everyone.

The Toolkit is organized into five modules:

Module 1: Read the Room; explores how the physical details of a makerspace, from wall color to the projects on display, send powerful signals about who the space is for.
Module 2: At the Threshold; zooms in on that doorstep moment and what shapes a student’s decision to walk in or walk away.
Module 3: Let the Room Do the Work; examines how thoughtful design choices can communicate inclusion without requiring any direct intervention.
Module 4: Same Space, Different Signal; shows side-by-side what changes when a makerspace is intentionally redesigned with equity in mind.
Module 5: From First Visit to Maker Identity; looks beyond the threshold to ask how makerspaces can keep students coming back and support them in developing a genuine maker identity.

Now, a quick introduction.

We’re excited to welcome a new addition to the EITM Lab team this summer; say hello to Punya Aragula!

Punya is a rising second-year PhD student in the School of Information and Library Science at UNC-Chapel Hil.. Her research sits at the intersection of participatory research, responsible technology, and the social impacts of emerging technologies. She’s drawn to qualitative and mixed-methods approaches that center care, curiosity, and lived experience.

Punya will be contributing to the development of the Inclusive Makerspace Toolkit this summer, and we couldn’t be more excited to have her on board. The lab’s work aligns closely with her own research interests, particularly the idea that the spaces we design say a lot about the communities we value. We’re looking forward to all that she’ll bring to the team!

Stay tuned for more updates as the Toolkit takes shape!

Snowflakes, Cocoa & Community

December 4, 2024/in Updates

To close out the semester, the Equity in the Making Lab hosted a fun, relaxing event where students could unwind and learn a new craft: making snowflakes with a Cricut machine while enjoying hot chocolate. The event was a great success for drawing in students.

At the event, participants had the option to create traditional paper snowflakes with scissors or use the Cricut to design more intricate patterns. Initially, some students were hesitant to try the Cricut. However, after a brief demonstration and reassurance that it only took a few minutes to learn, many were eager to give it a try. Once they got comfortable with the machine, several students stayed longer to experiment with different materials, such as vinyl, and explore Cricut’s drawing feature.

The casual nature of the activity and the opportunity to try something new in a low-pressure environment helped make students feel more comfortable using the lab’s resources. Throughout the event, many students asked about the lab’s hours and how they could use the space in the future, which gave us a perfect opportunity to share information about upcoming lab hours and other programming for the next semester.

In line with our mission of “Equity in the Making,” the event was designed to foster a welcoming atmosphere. A welcoming space is one that not only offers accessible programs but also creates a supportive environment where everyone feels invited to participate. We made sure to offer a familiar, simple activity that everyone could enjoy, greeted students as they entered, and displayed visual examples and materials that encouraged them to dive into the making process. By creating a space that felt both approachable and engaging, we were able to introduce students to the lab in a way that was both fun and informative.

Implementing “Familiar Feels Welcoming” through Makerspace Activities

September 25, 2024/in Updates

Makerspaces are just a room with tools unless there is an engaging community utilizing the space for the benefits of collaboration, ideation, and exploration. Because of the critical aspect of community in the soul of a makerspace, creating spaces that are inclusive and engaging are a necessity, which is what has inspired the need for EiTM’s research.

EiTM has explored the spatial design and experiences of underrepresented students at the threshold of makerspaces. But, for makerspaces that are tucked away into corners of the university or library, programming becomes a useful tool of engagement.

One of EiTM’s findings is that familiar things make spaces feel welcoming, as seen in our paper “Space invaders: first time users feel like intruders in the makerspace.” For example, if students see popular characters such as a Grogu (baby yoda!) statue, or a Pokémon ball, students are more willing to enter the space and see what it’s about. Along the lines of familiar patterns, EiTM has created a challenge to emulate the Animal Crossing: New Horizon (ACNH) stamp challenge!

Stampbook from Animal Crossing: New Horizons

In ACNH, players can collect stamps at different parts of the museum to show that they have been to the exhibit. For example, a player receives a fossil stamp in their stampbook when they go to the fossil exhibit.

EiTM implemented this idea but with makerspace tools and buttons. When a student uses a tool, they can also create a button signifying that they used a tool in the makerspace!

Examples of Stamp Challenge items

The tools included in this challenge are:

3D printer

Laser cutter

Cricut

Tufting

Soldering pen

The goal of creating this program was for EiTM to invite students to use the lab’s makerspace in a way that implemented the study findings of ‘familiar feels welcoming’. Additionally, in our marketing of this activity we highlight that no experience is needed, to assure students that they do not need to know how to use the tools before participating.

Example of Cricut and Soldering Pen Stamps

Summer Insights: Connections through Collaborative Making

August 27, 2024/in Conferences & Events, Updates

This summer has been a series of exciting events and collaborations that highlight EiTM’s commitment to fostering inclusive and engaging makerspaces. From thought-provoking lectures to hands-on workshops, the lab’s activities have not only showcased our research but also actively involved community members in the dialogue about spatial equity and inclusion.

ASERL Lecture & Making

Dr. Melo presented “Building Inclusive Communities: The Role of Spatial Equity in Makerspace Design and User Engagement” at ASERL (Association of Southeastern Research Libraries). Following the lecture, attendees took part in a making activity at the Kenan Science and Engineering Library makerspace. Included in this making workshop was creating bookmarks with Cricut, friendship bracelets, and a collaborative tufting piece.

Tufting Workshop

The tufting project, in particular, allowed attendees to contribute personally by adding their own color choices to a communal artwork, symbolizing the collective nature of the conference.

EiTM Featured in CRAFT Newsletter

The EiTM Lab was featured in the July 2024 CRAFT Newsletter (Critical Relationality Alliance for Transformation). Highlighted in this feature was Dr. Melo’s NSF funded research “Why do students turn away at the threshold of a makerspace?”

CRAFT’s mission to bridge equity, making, and education aligns closely with EiTM’s goals, and this recognition reflects our ongoing efforts to address and understand the barriers to participation in makerspaces.

Photovoice Workshop at BeAM

Prior to the start of the Fall 2024 semester, EiTM participated in staff training at BeAM (Be a Maker) Makerspace. EiTM lead a photovoice workshop with 24 new student staff members to heighten their understanding of what inclusive or exclusive narratives the BeAM makerspace presents. The workshop was composed of two story-making sessions where staff members explored the makerspace and took pictures to tell a story of inclusion, and a story of exclusion. The session concluded with a gallery walk and a discussion that connected these narratives to Dr. Melo’s research on spatial design.

Photovoice Workshop with BeAM Staff

Conducting this photovoice workshop offered the opportunity for EiTM to share findings interactively with makerspace staff members and informed the next stage of Dr. Melo’s study exploring how inclusion can be communicated in makerspaces.

Next Steps

As we reflect on these summer highlights, it’s exciting to see that the EiTM Lab’s efforts are making meaningful strides towards more inclusive and engaging environments in makerspaces. We look forward to implementing the next phase in the study “Investigating Spatial Arrangements of Makerspaces and Their Impact on Diverse User Populations.”

Reflecting on a Month of Making: EiTM Lab’s Symposium Highlights and Takeaways

April 2, 2024/in Conferences & Events, Updates

In February 2024, the EiTM Lab participated in various maker symposiums focused on equitable making and maker literacies. Dr. Melo joined these events virtually, while Graduate Research Assistants Luxin (Grace) Zhang and Rachel Rodney physically attended workshops in the Bay Area, California, and Arlington, Texas, respectively. Below, you can find the key insights gained from these events.

CRAFT Network for Researchers and Makers

From February 9th to February 12th, Grace attended the 2024 CRAFT Network Meeting: Cultivating Reciprocal Partnerships with Communities, Researchers, and Makers Educators at the Children’s Creativity Museum in San Francisco, California.

Photo of Children’s Creativity Museum

Grace presented various EiTM Lab publications to a group of scholars and practitioners specializing in equity and interdisciplinary approaches in STEM education. These publications included the original virtual Makerspace, its redesigned version, and signage from the redesigned Makerspace. During the presentation, she discussed the connection between physical spaces, learning, and the sense of belonging. Grace affirmed what the research data revealed: the Virtual Makerspace can be a valuable tool for educators and researchers aiming to create community-centered learning experiences, drawing on direct feedback from users.

During the group discussion, Grace raised important questions regarding the systematic impact of research, emphasizing the importance of effective dissemination and communication for sustained research influence, particularly after funding ends.

At the CRAFT Network conference and during the tour of the Children’s Creativity Museum, the EiTM Lab showcased the significant cultural and creative contributions of local communities. They shared valuable resources with their partners and linked their work to the broader maker community outside their state, specifically highlighting Bay Area makerspaces and practices. This was aimed at laying the groundwork for future research-practice partnerships.

People sitting around tables at conference

Photo from CRAFT Meeting

Maker Immersion for Makerspace Organizers

Furthermore, EiTM participated in the Maker Literacies Mini Immersion event on February 23rd, 2024, at the University of Texas Arlington (UTA) Library. The goal of this event was to engage with Maker Literacy standards that their Fablab developed through research studies conducted with UTA students. Some standards they established included students’ abilities to ideate and prototype, be safe in a makerspace environment, and collaborate in teams when making. To see more details about Maker Competencies, please refer to this resource.

As part of the Mini Immersion, EiTM evaluated how the literacy standards might be applied to INLS 690: Information Professionals in the Makerspace, which is a recurring course where information science students learn how to express data through making.

Glasswork and Digital Presentation Area in UTA Library Fablab

In addition to the workshop regarding maker literacy standards, we toured UTA Library’s Fablab and networked with other makerspace professionals who attended the event.

For participating in this event EiTM was granted $2,000 to purchase additional materials for our lab to contribute to students’ learning outcomes. In the past, students in our department have been very interested in making with textile materials such as quilting and crocheting. To expand on the textile making capacities of our lab, we added tufting tools and materials. Initial impressions students had of the addition were excitement and curiosity. We are looking forward to seeing what they create with these new tools!

Creating a yarn wall for students to use in tufting

2024 Updates from Equity in the Making Lab

February 22, 2024/in Updates

The new year brings with it exciting news from the Equity in the Making (EiTM) Lab. We are thrilled to announce updates about our virtual makerspace, strategies for incorporating inclusive signage in your makerspace, and an overview of upcoming events.

Virtual Makerspace Web Traffic in 2023

Graph illustrating international impact.

We are excited to share that in 2023, our website has attracted 1,446 visitors. This is a 52% increase from 2022, showing a steady growth of engagement.

The impact of our research reached a global audience in 2023. In 2023, we presented findings from Dr. Melo’s NSF funded study “Equity in the Making: Investigating Spatial Arrangements of Makerspaces and Their Impact on Diverse User Populations” in several national conferences, and two international conferences. The graph shows what engagement the EiTM Lab has had internationally – with viewers from Canada, India, and Australia, amongst others.

We were also keen to assess how practitioners, librarians, and researchers have used the Virtual Makerspace open educational resource (OER). Overall, the Virtual Makerspace for Researchers & Practitioners has received 570 views since its creation in June 2023, and the virtual makerspace has been accessed 61 times. A couple of users reached out to us following our talk about the Redesigned Virtual Makerspace at the International Symposium of Academic Makerspaces, and we asked how they used the resources. They explained how they shared the Virtual Makerspace with their colleagues and managers, and that findings from our research are shaping their thoughts around makerspace design. Specifically, users stated:

“We are always trying to see how other spaces are set up to improve our own. The virtual tours definitely help make that a lot easier without having to go to a physical space! Seeing your VR space has given us some ideas of things we can look to implement in the future (the lines that show how to get somewhere).” – Louli Kourkounakis, Manager of Rutgers Makerspace at Rutgers University

“I’ve been keeping some of the takeaways in mind around signage, color, furniture choice, and layout, as we plan for events in our space and as we make continuous improvements more generally.” – David Selles, Senior Director of STEAM Education and Operations at The Possible Zone

Future research is needed to understand the full extent of the ways the OERs are used, but the responses we have thus far are promising.

Signage for Your Makerspace

Whether or not you have utilized the virtual makerspace yet, we are sharing signage ideas that were created for the virtual makerspace, which you can now use in your makerspace! The document linked below showcases. Signage is a small, but impactful way to grant students “permission” to use and interact with the space. Access the Makerspace Stickers created on Canva, or learn more about the types of stickers at this OER “Changes in Re-Designed Makerspace.” To revise the existing makerspace stickers we designed, you can make your own copy of the Makerspace Stickers and revise them with a free Canva account.

Examples of stickers that communicate inclusion.

For more information on the study’s findings on signage and makerspace inclusion, check out our publication “The Power of First Impressions: Exploring the Design Impact of ‘Small Details’ and Signage for First-time Makerspace Users.”

Recent and Upcoming EITM Events

Research assistant Grace Zhang (attended in person) and Dr. Melo (participated remotely) attended the CRAFT Network convening 2024 in San Francisco, CA in February. This convening inspired change-making through collaboration and research, advancing the impact of making for equity and education. Grace shared the virtual makerspace with a group of makerspace leaders and practitioners from across the country. Attending the CRAFT Network conference will advance EiTM’s work in equity in making with the national makerspace community and bring back new ideas to inspire future work.

Additionally, research assistant Rachel Rodney (attending in person) and Dr. Melo (participating remotely) will join the Maker Literacies Mini Immersion on February 23, 2024. Throughout this event, the group aims to delve into maker literacies and examine relevant policies. The aim of the event is to drive learning in maker environments in universities.

Furthermore, Dr. Melo will be the keynote speaker at Library 2.024’s mini-conference “AI and Libraries: Applications, Implications, and Possibilities” on March 21st. This mini-conference will investigate the impact of AI on libraries and resources in public spaces, to share considerations of how libraries might evolve as AI continues to shape everyday life.

Fall Semester Updates

October 25, 2023/in Updates

This Fall Semester, EiTM has been participating in conferences and publishing research from the most recent stage of Dr. Melo’s NSF Career Grant. You can find “Space Invaders: First time makerspace users feel like intruders” by Dr. Maggie Melo and Rachel Rodney published in Library and Information Science Research.

Furthermore, “The Power of First Impressions: Exploring the Design Impact of ‘Small Details’ and Signage for First-time Makerspace Users” by Dr. Maggie Melo and Rachel Rodney was published and presented in the 2023 International Symposium on Academic Makerspace (ISAM) at Carnegie Mellon University. Attendees were excited about this research – an intriguing question of one attendee being, ‘how do I keep plants alive in a makerspace without windows?’ From our experience, in a makerspace with windows but in the basement… is to keep buying more when taking them on sunbathing trips outside the department fails to fulfill their needs.

Welcoming New Research Assistants

In addition to these accomplishments, EiTM is happy to introduce two new research assistants! Learn more about them below:

Luxin (Grace) Zhang (She/Her)

Researcher & Master Student, School of Information and Library Science, UNC-CH

Grace is a graduate student in the School of Information and Library Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Before coming to UNC, she received a B.S. in Business Information Systems with a 4-year scholarship. During the past 5 years of study in the information area, she found her interest in social media and social computing, human-computer interaction (HCI), and health informatics. She likes watching J-Drama and making press-on nails in her free time.

Mackenzie (Kenzie) Novak (She/Her)

Researcher & Undergraduate Junior, School of Information and Library Science, UNC-CH

Kenzie is an undergraduate junior at UNC studying Information Science with minors in AD/PR and Data Science from Ocracoke, NC. She is passionate about User-Centered Design, data visualizations, data mining, and the intersection of information science and marketing.

Other Accomplishments

EiTM’s research assistants are also paving their own ways forward by presenting in conferences. Ph.D. student Rachel Rodney recently presented her talk “Breaking the Research Paradigm: Unlearning Biases and Fostering Inclusive User Experiences” at UX Y’All in October 2023. Additionally, Masters student Luxin (Grace) Zhang will be presenting “Decision Sciences in Practice: Industry 4.0 technologies applications” at the Decision Science Institute (DSI) in November 2023.

This fall, EiTM has not only made significant contributions to conferences and research publications but has also welcomed new research assistants who bring fresh perspectives and expertise to the team. As our research expands and our team grows, we continue to explore intriguing questions and engage in discussions that drive innovation in our field.

The Bridge Between Making and Computing: A Physical Computing Workshop with CHIP High School Program

July 31, 2023/in Updates

At the EiTM lab, research assistant Rachel Rodney hosted an engaging workshop with 8 high school students participating in a summer ENABLE program through CHIP (Carolina Health Informatics Program). As part of the students’ exploration of programming within Health Informatics, EiTM introduced them to the exciting world of physical computing, emphasizing the role of User Experience (UX) in the process.

To lay the groundwork for the workshop, Rodney kicked things off with a brief presentation connecting making and programming in the form of physical computing; this was to ensure that the students had a solid understanding of concepts they would need to utilize before diving into the design challenge. Rodney further emphasized the importance of including the user in the process, influenced heavily by Rodney’s background in UX research.

The design challenge was crafted to merge UX principles with physical computing. Rodney presented a persona of Rayna, who uses an upper limb hand prosthetic. Her pain points were two-fold: first, she desired an easier way to create Minecraft figures out of Perler beads, and second, her parents sought a solution to track her emotions (in order to use these data points to discuss later with Rayna).

During the workshop, students were reminded to approach this challenge with an open mind while also being aware of the assumptions they might make during the ideation and prototyping stages.

The design challenge began with rapid ideation, where students brainstormed and sketched various ideas for tackling Rayna’s pain points. Following ideation, the students moved on to rapid prototyping. Equipped with low-fidelity materials like pipe cleaners, tape, paper, drawing tools, and string, they set out to create tangible prototypes that would help communicate their ideas. The students created solutions ranging from digital applications to physical devices, and even some that combined both aspects. Below are pictures of some of their prototypes!

During the workshop, it was evident that these students were already deeply passionate about equity and accessibility across health informatics. Witnessing the enthusiasm and creativity of these students was inspiring. By encouraging them to think about the end user throughout the design process, EiTM hopes to support a new generation of technologists who prioritize the needs of all users.

Dr. Melo’s Keynote Talk at University of British Columbia

June 12, 2023/in Conferences & Events, Updates

Dr. Melo delivered a keynote at the University of British Columbia’s Inclusive Makerspace Conference on May 25, 2023. The keynote presentation explored the reasons behind students’ hesitations at the makerspace threshold, highlighting the need for inclusive makerspace design, addressing feelings of alienation, and offering practical strategies to create a welcoming environment. The Virtual Makerspace resource was also introduced during the talk, “The Virtual Makerspace is a generative tool to gain user reactions and feedback on a makerspace. We invite you to use it for learning, research, and community building purposes, for example. Here are five methods practitioners and researchers can implement using the Virtual Makerspace.“

For more information, please see the keynote description below and the presentation slidedeck.

Keynote description:

Why do students turn away at the threshold of a makerspace? The makerspace threshold, where students must decide whether to enter or turn away, is a critical area for educators to investigate. This is because it offers valuable insights into students’ gut reactions when making the decision to enter the makerspace. By examining this threshold, educators can better understand why underrepresented communities are hesitant to participate in makerspaces and identify the discrepancies between the Maker Movement’s inclusive goals and the actual demographics they attract.

In this keynote, Melo outlines an approach to capture and analyze previously uncollected data on students’ real-time thoughts and feelings within a makerspace. By using virtual reality to record students’ first impressions and emotions, her research offers a unique perspective on the barriers that prevent diverse user communities from feeling welcome and included. The findings emphasize the significance of permission and purpose for underrepresented students to engage with the makerspace and the importance of addressing the feelings of alienation and exclusion experienced by students. The keynote presentation will not only present the findings on inclusive makerspace design, but it will also offer practical strategies and applications for attendees to use into their own makerspace. Attendees can expect to gain valuable insights and strategies for creating more inclusive makerspace designs that foster a diverse and enriching environment for all.

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

April 3, 2023/in Updates

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

Interacting with Sphero robots

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