Me, MakerSpace, Grief, and the Next STEM Generation

As part of the LIFT and Activate programs at iAccelerate, University of Wollongong, I had the opportunity to access the UOW Maker Space, a vibrant facility on campus equipped with 3D printers, multi-material cutters, and most importantly, amazing and generous in-house experts.

I’ve always loved crafts, and 3D printing had long been on my “I-want-to-learn” bucket list. So when I first stepped into Maker Space, I was blown away. I came home buzzing with excitement and told my kids all about it.

Fast forward to a pupil-free day for my 13-year-old son, I decided to take him to MakerSpace with me. He was hesitant at first, being in an unfamiliar place and surrounded by adults and complex tools, he felt small and unsure. But the staff at MakerSpace weren’t just technical experts, they were incredible teachers. They guided him patiently through the design process and showed him how to bring an idea to life. That day, he made his very first 3D prints and a prototype of a merchandise item I needed for my business.

He came home beaming with pride and told all his schoolmates what he’d done. From then on, any time he had a day off, he’d ask if he could come back, this time with his 10-year-old sister.

Then came the school holidays. But something devastating happened. We had to put down our beloved 14-year-old Pomeranian, Bobo. We brought her home. We buried her in her favourite spot in the garden. It hit us all hard.

It was then that my son asked if he could make something special for Bobo. Of course, we said yes.

The following week, the kids and I returned to Maker Space with a mission. They had designed a memorial plate for Bobo’s resting place. I watched them pour their grief, love, and memories into their work. It became more than just a plate, it was a healing process. That plate still sits on Bobo’s grave, a quiet tribute from two young hearts who love her.

People often ask: Why is teaching STEM to the next generation so important? Whose responsibility is it? When and where do we even begin?

There’s a quote I often think about by James Emman Kwegyir :
“If you educate a man, you educate an individual. But if you educate a woman, you educate a family (a nation).”

Being a mum and the primary caretaker of the kids, being exposed to this wonderful world of STEM, amazing facilities and people, I couldn’t help myself taking them along my own adventure, and it changed them.

My son has since completed the final design of the company merchandise, a fidget toy shaped like my business’s logo and mascot, Red. His sister is now playing around with designs of her own, dreaming up what she can create next.

Yes, they still ask me, “Mum, when can we go back to MakerSpace?”

But what I’ll remember most is how this space, filled with tools and tech, became a space for healing, creativity, and connection, for all of us.

Gita was supported to join the iAccelerate community through a Female Founders scholarship, which provided access to Making sessions at the UOW Makerspace to allow her to protoype, tinker and learn new skills.

Female Founders scholarships are delivered by the LIFT Project, with funding from the Commonwealth Department of Industry, Science and Resources Women in STEM and Entrepreneurship grant.