Happy Birthday SciFabLab!

ICTP staff, scientists and local dignitaries from the city of Trieste, along with members of the general public, gathered to celebrate the third anniversary of the Center’s Scientific Fabrication Laboratory (SciFabLab). The lab, located on ICTP’s campus, offers work space and equipment to encourage "makers"--people who like to design and build technology-based products--to bring their creative ideas to life.

Examples of products made in ICTP's SciFabLab, which celebrated its third birthday

See photos of the birthday event.

At a special event to mark the occasion, ICTP Senior Scientist George Thompson, on behalf of ICTP Director Fernando Quevedo, welcomed attendees and offered thanks to the Comune of Trieste for their support which has made it possible for the SciFabLab to open its doors to the general public. In its three years of operation, the lab has organized and hosted numerous, free events for the public.

Thompson also announced that, at the encouragement of the Comune, ICTP’s SciFabLab will target younger people to inspire innovation and creativity. “I am happy to say that this is a great idea that we have taken to heart and that indeed this will be done during September, October and November,” he said.

In addition, Thompson cited the importance of the SciFabLab to Trieste’s vision as the European City of Science for the year 2020, a designation it recently earned in an international competition by cities to host the prestigious Euroscience Open Forum, the most important European event dedicated to science, technology, society and policy. “The SciFabLab will also play its part in this great adventure,” he explained.

The Trieste Assessore of Communications and Information Systems, Serena Tonel, offered congratulations to the SciFabLab at the birthday event. “We want our city to be more internationally competitive, and the SciFabLab is important for this,” she said.

Use of the SciFabLab is subject to the acceptance of a project proposal. Priority is given to science, education or sustainable development projects, including thesis projects; robotics, electronics, micro-controllers and computer-based science projects; 3D printing for education; green technologies and alternative energies; and "Smart Village" and "Internet of Things" applications.