Abram and Cassidy are students at Middlebury College participating in the Middlebury Innovation Hub’s Vermont Innovation Summer, a program that supports students working at companies and on self-directed projects across Vermont’s innovation ecosystem. This summer Cassidy and Abram will be working at Generator supporting our youth summer camps, and working on a variety of fabrication and communication projects. If you see them around our space or in town be sure to say Hello!
Cassidy (Minh) Nguyen
Age: 20 (Rising Sophomore)
Pronouns: He/Him
From: Vietnam
Studying: Undeclared, Middlebury College
LinkedIn: @minh-nguyen
What attracted you to working and learning at Generator, and are there any particular goals or accomplishments you are hoping to achieve while you are here?
I first learned about Generator through a poster at the makerspace at Middlebury. Curious, I looked it up and asked an instructor and a few teaching assistants about it. They all spoke highly of the experience. The more I learned, the more surreal it felt that an opportunity like this could exist as a career. Many of the things I’ll get to do here are activities I would happily pursue on my own. And as equally importantly, Generator offers the chance to explore the rest of the fun tools I haven’t had the chance to before, which would be tremendous in helping me discover which ones resonate with me on a deeper and more purposeful level.
Which tools are you most excited to learn about and use? Why?
Arguably the sewing machines in the embroidery section as of this moment. I hope to be attending a couple of beginner workshops in our space to learn more about some practical mending techniques for my day-to-day fits & work on some personal designs that would look great on natural fabric. I’d also like to be down in the woodshop a bit more frequently as I do aim to work as a luthier at some time in the future, so getting acquainted with all of the machinery required for the work would be stupendous for this purpose.
How would you describe a makerspace to someone who doesn’t know?
A makerspace to me is a shared environment organized into areas that support different types of creative processes (with literal sign-posting). More than that, though, I think spaces like these fulfill a fundamental human need. Everyone has this energy in some form, and a makerspace provides the resources and freedom to transform an idea into something tangible; since it’s difficult to define exactly what a “maker” is because people bring such different interests, skills, and goals into the space. So what matters most is that such a space ought to entertain a whole lot of experimentation, and flexibility. That I think would foster the conditions for people to explore ideas that might otherwise never leave their imagination.
Have you been surprised by anything at Generator? What has been your favorite part about the space or the community so far?
There’s always a lot going on, with a kind of constant flow of projects and experimentation that makes the space feel active and alive. A lot of what stands out is how open everything feels; there’s space to learn, ask questions, and just try things even when you’re not fully sure where to start or who to ask. When we took initiative to dig into something outside what was planned, or asked about things that weren’t immediately clear, it usually ended up leading somewhere pleasant.
What are you looking forward to most about your summer in Burlington?
Playing a lot of music, taking a lot of photos, in general just making a lot of cool stuff 🙂
Abram Weil-Cooley
Age: 21 (Rising junior)
Pronouns: he/him
From: Sandwich, New Hampshire
Studying: Mathematics and pre-engineering.
What attracted you to working and learning at Generator, and are there any particular goals or accomplishments you are hoping to achieve while you are here?
I was initially attracted to Generator because of the opportunity it presented to grow as a designer and fabricator, but as I interviewed and learned more about the space, my interest shifted to learning more about the social aspects of engineering. While my goals for this summer are still based on creation, I am now interested in both mechanical and social engineering, and in both physical and social projects.
Which tools are you most excited to learn about and use? Why?
I am most excited about learning to use the laser cutter, vinyl cutter, and sewing studio, since those are the tools I have the least experience with.
How would you describe a makerspace to someone who doesn’t know?
I think the best way to describe a makerspace is as a community. Anyone with enough money can buy tools and supplies to work on their projects, but a makerspace provides much more: from tool trainings and workshops to knowledgeable fellow fabricators and networking, the defining element of a makerspace is its people.
Have you been surprised by anything at Generator? What has been your favorite part about the space or the community so far?
I was surprised by how welcoming the community was – I assumed that Generator members and staff would be gruff professionals, too busy with their projects to really notice a couple summer interns. Instead, people say good morning, ask how I am, or notice my Middlebury T-shirt and share their connection to the school. That is definitely my favorite part of the community so far- that and the incredible amount of knowledge on tap from those same people.
What are you looking forward to most about your summer in Burlington?
This is my first time living in any kind of city, and I’m excited to explore the opportunities for music, dance, and good food. Most importantly, I’m looking forward to spending time with all kinds of wonderful people, including my housemates in Bankus, my teammates at the Mansfield Nordic Club, and (of course) everyone at Generator. I can’t wait to learn new peoples’ stories, and also to make a few of my own.
