April 22-26, the UCR Library’s Creat’R Lab hosted its 2nd annual Maker Week, which included the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fair.

The event, co-sponsored by Blackstone LaunchPad and ASUCR, showcased the creativity and technical prowess of UCR students. The top 3 student projects, chosen by a panel of judges, were awarded prizes.

Senior Ernest Romero, representing a team of bioengineering students, secured first place and a $200 prize with his group’s pediatric smart harness to support and monitor movement. The harness, designed for children with cerebral palsy and similar conditions, integrates three types of sensors to monitor improvements in things like heart rate, step count, and pressure distribution.

"Our project is a senior design project sponsored by Dr. Kokkoni from the bioengineering department,” Romero shared. “The majority of our work was done in the Creat’R Lab and the Robotics Lab, where we focused on sewing and assembling our different sensors."

Acknowledging the collaborative effort, Romero added, "It wasn't just me who won. This award is a testament to our entire team's hard work."

Other projects in the fair included:

• Sam Sheikholeslami’s automotive racing parts and apparel brand (2nd place)
• Sethya Pugal’s security system (3rd place)
• Lilianna Angel’s cosplay masks
• Samatha Graham’s handmade jewelry

Dr. Francisca Reyes, Campus Director of Blackstone LaunchPad, emphasized the diversity and creativity among the participants: "It's great that we had a diverse group of students from different backgrounds. It's important for other students to see that innovative and entrepreneurial ideas can range from technical to creative."

Brendon Wheeler, Maker Services Coordinator for the Creat’R Lab, praised the event, noting, "The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fair was a great representation of what our students are capable of. We’re thankful for our partnerships with Blackstone, ASUCR, and the UCR Library, which played a crucial role in supporting our students’ innovative projects."

The success of Maker Week underscores the UCR Library’s commitment to fostering an environment where students can collaborate, innovate, and bring their ideas to life. As the Library continues to support innovative projects with resources like the Creat’R Lab, Robotics Lab, 3DXP Lab, and STAR Lab, the future looks bright for UCR’s budding innovators!