The P.D. Merrill Makerspace
The P.D. Merrill Makerspace is a fully equipped laboratory for creating and building, turning ideas into reality, and developing solutions to real-world problems. Whether you come to the Makerspace as part of a class, as a student researcher or innovator, or just for fun, the Makerspace has something to offer every student 鈥 regardless of program or major.
The Makerspace comprises two labs, one for fabrication and one for digital design.
Fabrication Lab
The P.D. Merrill Makerspace鈥檚 Fabrication Lab is a place where anyone can make (almost) anything. All planning, design, production, and fabrication processes are done in one place.
The laser cutter is a student favorite and can be used to engrave on and cut a variety of materials, including leather, acrylic, and glass. In addition to fiber art supplies, woodworking tools, a vinyl cutter, and a sewing machine, the lab also boasts 3D printers and an electronics station.
Whether you need to create a physical device for a research project, make your homework assignment stand out, or you simply want to come in to learn new skills and make something cool 鈥 the tools and materials in the Fabrication Lab are available to all students. Our professional staff provides training on all the equipment, no experience is necessary to get started.
Design Lab
The Design Lab is a technology hub 鈥 a place where students can create a digital simulation or demo of a product idea. In our Design Lab, you鈥檒l have access to powerful Alienware computers to work on application and software development so that you can create digital prototypes of the products you envision. You can use the Design Lab to develop apps, virtual games, GIS applications, 3D models, and more.
Whether you visit the Design Lab as part of class in business, marine science, aquaculture, neuroscience, or another discipline, or you come in independently with an idea all your own, your time here will help transform a concept into a reality while providing you with the opportunity to develop valuable technical skills that will boost your resume and your career prospects. Our professional staff provides training on all the software, no experience is necessary to get started.
Explore Student Makerspace Projects
Tracking Ocean Conditions
Sarah Piehler (鈥22) and Olivia Hardy (鈥22) create a prototype of a buoy that can remotely monitor oceanic conditions.
Fundamentals of Artificial Intelligence
Jessica Minieri (鈥23) and Calum Murray (鈥24) team up to create a fundamentals of AI curriculum to benefit fellow students.
Monitoring Coral Health
Grace Frohock (鈥22) discusses her research in determining the health of ocean corals by measuring their fluorescence with advanced camera technology.
Smart Baby Blanket
Hannah Welch (鈥21) shows off the 鈥渟mart baby blanket鈥 she developed in the Makerspace. It calibrates the level of heat needed by each individual infant.
Location and Hours of Operation
Join us! You are welcome to drop in at the Makerspace any time during open hours, 10 a.m.鈥4:30 p.m, Monday鈥揊riday. Incidental changes to our hours are posted on our .
P.D. Merrill Makerspace
Rooms 44, 51, and 52
Decary Hall
Biddeford Campus
(207) 602-2848
About P.D. Merrill and the Charitable Trust
The P.D. Merrill Charitable Trust has been a strong supporter of innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives at the 色香视频and has given several annual gifts, starting in 2013, to support the Student Innovation Challenge, the precursor of today鈥檚 Maine Ideas Challenge, an idea-stage competition that encourages innovative and sustainable solutions to social, environmental, and health issues facing our society.
P.D. Merrill was chair of Merrill Industries and a prominent business leader in the Portland community. He and his father established Merrill鈥檚 Marine Terminal in Portland, through which Maine gets its road salt and other industrial commodities, including newsprint for the Boston Globe, New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal.
He was instrumental in the renovation of what is now Merrill Auditorium, named in honor of his parents. He chaired the Maine State Chamber of Commerce and Business Alliance from 1998 to 1999, was a founder of the Maine Economic Research Institute and was active in both the International Forest Products Transportation Association and the Industrial Advisory Board of the Loeb Sullivan School of International Business and Logistics at the Maine Maritime Academy. He was also involved in a wide variety of other philanthropic endeavors throughout the state.
Merrill joined 色香视频鈥檚 Board of Trustees in 1984, serving as chair of the Board of Trustees from 1995 to 2000 when Westbrook College joined 色香视频.
The P.D. Merrill Charitable Trust has been a strong supporter of innovation and entrepreneurship initiatives at the 色香视频and has given several annual gifts, starting in 2013, to support the Student Innovation Challenge, the precursor of today鈥檚 Maine Ideas Challenge, an idea-stage competition that encourages innovative and sustainable solutions to social, environmental, and health issues facing our society.
The Merrill Trust made a significant gift in 2017 to expand the Makerspace with rooms and equipment to support digital application innovation and development. The most recent gift in 2019 provided further support for the Student Innovation Challenge, funds to add professional staff, and funds to bring visiting innovators from other industry and academic institutions to 色香视频 to share their expertise with students.
What can students do in the Makerspace?
Get Inspired
Come to a workshop or event to have fun and learn something new.
Get Creative
Develop your idea for solutions to real-world problems.
Get Involved
Join a team and be part of innovation challenges at 色香视频 and beyond.
Get Experience
Conduct research, invent something new, take your skills further.
Get Hired
Build skills that employers value and connect to mentors and careers.
Contact
For more information or email the Makerspace program coordinator.