Auburn to construct world-class engineering lab, expand nation’s largest student-run makerspace
Published: Feb 13, 2026 12:50 PM
By Jeremy Henderson
The largest student-run makerspace in the country is getting even larger.
The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering will begin construction this spring on a world-class laboratory designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration, creativity and industry-relevant research in advanced manufacturing while also expanding the Design and Innovation Center, commonly known as the makerspace.
Geared for high-tech electronics manufacturing, materials testing and advanced manufacturing, the Analytical, Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Laboratory will occupy 16,000 unfinished square feet within the plinth beneath the Gavin Garden green space connecting the Brown-Kopel Engineering Student Achievement Center and the Gavin Engineering Research Laboratory. In addition, nearly two-fifths of the facility will be set aside to boost the total footprint of the Design and Innovation Center from 12,000 square feet to more than 19,000 square feet.
A new terraced entrance to the Brown-Kopel Center plinth will be constructed off the Ginn Concourse to enhance access and bring in natural light.
“This project is another demonstration of our commitment to provide the best student-centered engineering experience in America," said Mario Eden, dean of engineering. "Engineering students will have access to even more state-of-the-art resources, as well as areas specifically designed and designated to foster idea conceptualization and development."
Resources facilitating professional grade electronics manufacturing include an Inline Production PCB Assembly Line allowing students to build and test electronics at an industrial scale, and a high-mix assembly system capable of placing tiny components with extreme precision.
In addition, the lab will feature a suite of powerful imaging tools typically found only in high-level research facilities. An MX1 X-Ray system will enable inspection of the internal integrity of manufactured electronics without damaging them. Cutting-edge microscopy will be supported by scanning electron microscopes, a transmission electron microscope and an ion beam microscope.
New makerspace resources include high-tech prototyping tools such as Trotec laser cutters and approximately 40 additional 3D printers. The expansion also allows for integrated design resources such as AR/VR stations, large-format printers and a crafting station equipped with embroidery machines, heat presses and vinyl cutters.
It's almost enough to make software engineering senior Matthew Clegg, who manages the makerspace's student leaders, or "maker assistants," want to stick around for a few more years.
"The makerspace has been absolutely instrumental for me as a student, and I'm definitely not alone," Clegg said. "We're seeing more and more students working on class projects and making use of nearly all the machines."
The makerspace currently boasts nearly 3,000 active users and supports the curriculum of 16 classes, ranging from Structural Analysis to Computer-Aided Design. Its unique operational model allows students to take nearly total ownership of the space's day-to-day logistics, from staff scheduling to equipment acquisition.
"Having as much control over our own unique areas, and so many resources, is incredible, and the community that we’ve developed here is, in my opinion, unparalleled," said Clegg, who also heads training on makerspace’s laser cutters. "This expansion will enable us to keep up with the ever-increasing volume."
Bob Ashurst, professor of chemical engineering and the Design and Innovation Lab's faculty director, agreed.
"The addition will obviously enhance the culture of innovation the students have built, but we’re also providing them with the really high-end analytical and manufacturing tools they'll encounter in the workforce," Ashurst said. "That offers a kind of hands-on education you definitely can't get from a textbook. And with the additional 7,000 square feet for the Design and Innovation Center, I think it's definitely safe to call Auburn's not just the largest student-run makerspace, but one of the best on-campus environments of its kind in the country — maybe the best."
The project will be financed by the State of Alabama's FY23 Supplemental Budget supporting higher-ed initiatives in manufacturing and innovation.
"Like with the recent renovation of the Montgomery Advanced Manufacturing Laboratories in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, the AIM Laboratory and the expanded Design and Innovation Center will help continue to align the best student-centered engineering experience in the country with Auburn's comprehensive push into advanced manufacturing," said Allan David, associate dean of research. "It's going to make us even more effective in connecting student creativity with the university’s high-level research infrastructure."
Media Contact: , jdh0123@auburn.edu, 334-844-3591
A rendering of the entrance to the Analytical, Innovation and Manufacturing (AIM) Laboratory and expanded makerspace, featuring a new terraced entrance off the Ginn Concourse.
