The Stanley Black Decker Makerspace hosted Make48 last weekend

Positioned just below a large, ticking clock, the Saxa Solvers talked about how they came to a Towson makerspace on Friday night.
Melissa Zheng and Seyi Osobamiro had interest in entrepreneurship and problem-solving that they’ve explored in classes. Sarah Martin sees making and design as means to address social justice issues. “It’s something I’m passionate about and I want to use these tools for what I’m interested in pursuing,” she said.
The four-member team from Georgetown University was surrounded by a shop full of tools, and students from 11 other colleges. Cameras wove in and out to grab a shot, and a few technicians offered advice.
That was the early scene on the latest shoot for Make48. Over 48 hours, teams were tasked with coming up with an idea for a new product, creating a prototype and pitching it. The TV show, which airs on PBS, picked Stanley Black and Decker Makerspace in Towson as the latest location for its invention competition.

Watch as Curt kicks off Make48 Season 3 in Baltimore at the @StanleyBlkDeckr Makerspace! pic.twitter.com/jI9kxO7PGm

— Make48 (@gomake48) August 11, 2018

Opened last year near the hardware company’s Towson tool headquarters, the makerspace provides a place for employees of the tool company to test out new tools, work on prototypes of new ideas and get trained. Shop Manager Audrey Van de Castle showed us some of the tools, such as a laser engraver and CNC plasma cutter. Last weekend, they were on offer to the students, who worked against the ever-present clock.
For Make48, the show will be part of Season 3. Set to air in the fall of 2019, it’s the first with college students.
Student teams were also represented from Rice, Tulane, University of Nevada-Reno, University of Miami, University of Connecticut, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, University of Illinois-Champaign, K-State Polytech, Kansas City Art Institute and Michigan Tech.

College teams compete at Make48 in Towson. (Photo by Stephen Babcock)