Whether you're looking to prototype a new product, make a handcrafted birthday gift for mom or add a finishing touch to a class project, Carolina's makerspaces have just what you need.
The University's four makerspaces — located in Murray Hall, Carmichael Residence Hall, the Hanes Art Center and Kenan Science Library — are designed for the Carolina community to connect with one another to design and create physical objects for education, research, entrepreneurship and recreation. Students can participate in open studios, training sessions and workshops in spaces equipped with emerging technologies like 3D printing and electronics, as well as traditional wood and metalworking shops.
The Be a Maker network, which runs the Murray Hall, Carmichael Residence Hall, the Hanes Art Center facilities, is more than just physical spaces with countless tools and technology. It’s a community of tinkerers and creators looking to bring their ideas to life. Open to students, faculty and staff, BeAM aims to make everyone feel empowered to reach their full making potential by creating a welcoming and creative environment.
BeAM’s goal is to help all Tar Heels become makers. While makerspaces might seem ripe for biomedical engineering and computer science students, BeAM attracts artists, STEM majors, dentistry students, med school students and many more.
That environment ultimately led Newsweek and maker magazine, Make:, to list Carolina as one of higher education’s top maker schools in the world.
It’s a space that forms a community made up of students who are really open to sharing ideas and working on projects together. I meet really interesting people here.
Charlotte Dorn, a senior majoring in computer science
We want everyone that engages with the makerspaces to elevate their curiosity, creativity and prototyping abilities, as well as technical and professional skillsets. We are part of a system that’s supercharging Carolina’s innovation engine and another reason Tar Heels will continue to lead in the 21st century.
Kenny Langley, director of BeAM
While the state-of-the-art makerspace network provides on-campus space for students, faculty and staff to make and design physical objects, Carolina’s BeAM has extended its impact beyond the makerspaces by producing making kits for students to create wherever they are.
BeAM supports research and scholarship across all fields and promotes interdisciplinary and team-based approaches to solving problems. Learn how it can take your projects to the next level.
At the start of the pandemic, when PPE supplies were critically low, BeAM and medical students teamed up with Duke and NC State to design and produce face shields for health care workers. The team created 40,000 faceshields for frontline workers when they were needed most.
On the surface, playtime might seem non-essential at college. But play is vital at BeAM. In fact, Albert Einstein’s quote, “Play is the highest form of research,” graces the wall at BeAM@Murray.
With that credo, BeAM welcomes all Tar Heels, including faculty and staff, who want to bring projects to life.