Spreading the word and work of the NIHERST Fab Lab The National Institute of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology (NIHERST) is mandated to promote the development of science, technology and higher education in Trinidad and Tobago, and enhance the innovative, creative and entrepreneurial capabilities of the general population. Through our mandate, the country’s and region’s first Fab Lab was registered by the Fab Foundation, which emerged from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Bits & Atoms Fab Lab Program. The NIHERST Fab Lab aims to provide the local, regional and international population with affordable access to digital fabrication equipment and resources for education, creativity, innovation, and professional development. Originally designed for communities as prototyping platforms for local entrepreneurship, Fab Labs are also being utilized by schools as platforms for project-based, hands-on STEM education. Users learn by designing and creating objects of personal interest or importance. Empowered by the experience of making something themselves, users both learn and mentor each other, gaining deep knowledge about the machines, the materials, the design process, and the engineering that goes into invention and innovation. Our lab focuses on design, hands-on projects, robotics, product development and prototyping. We are committed to providing a relaxed environment for tinkering and sharing of ideas, by users such as students, teachers, designers, engineers, inventors, artisans, hobbyists, entrepreneurs and maker of all things. Our Fab Lab has been specializing in artisanal jewelry and we are proud to allow more artisans to brand their lines as locally made. We also host periodic events such as “Intellectual Property Clinics”, “Artisan Workshops” and “Meet the Entrepreneur Series”! Visitors to our National Science Centre can receive information sessions at our lab. We offer a variety of workshops, camps and other outreach activities for various age groups, as well as consultations and space for your own personal projects. We had planned on hosting a week of activities at our National Scince Centre for the 2020 World Creativity and Innovation Week, however the global COVID-19 crisis and subsequent national lockdown inspired a different direction. We have now been focusing on building our online platforms, thereby enabling a wider and more accesible reach. And have there launched our facebook and instagram pages: https://www.facebook.com/niherstfablabtt and https://www.instagram.com/fablabtt. For the 2020 World Creativity and Innovation Week, we will be showcasing the creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship stemming from our Fab Lab and those of the global network, through thematic posts as follows: – Motivational Monday – Trending Tuesday – Throwback Wednesday – Entrepreneurship Thursday – Fab Labs Creations Friday – Anything Fab Lab Weekend

#FabLabTrinidadandTobago #fablabtt #niherstfablab #wciwtt