4 minute read
A Steady Force Behind the LCC Fab Lab
BY ALEC MATHEWSON ’95 , Design Curriculum Lead, Fab Lab Coordinator
In the past 10 years, LCC’s Fab Lab — a hands-on learning space that encourages students to explore their imaginations, share ideas, learn, and design together — has evolved into a thriving hub of innovation. Known today as the Centre for Discovery, it integrates design, technology, the love of making things, and entrepreneurship. More importantly, it allows students of all ages to explore their creativity and curiosity and develop critical mindsets. Alec Mathewson ’95, LCC’s design curriculum lead and Fab Lab coordinator, shares how Chris Shannon, Pre-U ’76 has been a main driver in its growth and success.
In 2015, I pitched an idea proposing the creation of a Fab Lab on campus, a space designed to bridge the innovative, interdisciplinary learning often reserved for higher education with the creative potential of elementary and high school students. I was deep into my design and computation art studies at Concordia and never expected that one of the best places to practice creative technology would be at my former school and current place of employment. I realized that access to educational technology alone is simply not enough and that school students were missing out on maker-driven experiences. Fab Labs democratize access to modern means for invention, empowering communities not just to use technology but to create it. Children also need a dedicated space to experiment, learn from each other, engage in project-based learning, and, above all, transform ideas into tangible outcomes. Chris Shannon was the first to recognize how such a space could foster leadership.
Launching a Fab Lab was a bold initiative, especially given the significant investment required. Yet, Chris recognized its potential, understanding that the Fab Lab model — developed at MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms — operates under specific conditions set by the Fab Foundation, uniting a global network around shared principles. More than just a feature, the Fab Lab could be seen as a transformative space for interdisciplinary learning, connecting LCC to a worldwide movement. He understood that a Fab Lab could foster an environment where students engage in entrepreneurial thinking while getting their hands dirty, honing their decision-making skills, and learning from mistakes as they iterate toward solutions. Moreover, a Fab Lab would connect students to a broader, global community of changemakers and innovators, supporting project-based learning and Chris’s vision of building a global school.
What began in a single classroom has grown substantially. Expanding the LCC Fab Lab into what we now call the Centre for Discovery — a dedicated space for design and innovation — required someone to stand behind the idea that such resources must be central, available, and visible. This expansion was possible because someone was bolstering the idea of building something different and the belief that creativity and active discovery belong at the heart of our school community.
The Fab Lab is not only a foundation for innovative thinking and exploration; it is also a space for research and creation. Students, faculty, and staff have the opportunity to learn alongside each other. They play with and experiment on emerging ideas about design and technology. We have been given the opportunity to invent new learning experiences that require active participation and collaboration.
I have always felt encouraged by Chris as he quietly nurtured the project’s growth, supported me professionally, and ensured that I could share ideas with other schools and communities. An ambitious project like the LCC Fab Lab and Centre for Discovery needs a champion to contextualize and market its benefits to the school community. While our success reflects the efforts of many passionate LCC leaders, it was Chris’s vision of a school built on the power of people and community that truly paved the way for something lasting.
His willingness to take risks on new ideas and empower faculty and staff with the freedom to be inventive has made all the difference. By encouraging us to be inventive, Chris Shannon has left an indelible mark on our community that will inspire students and educators for years to come.
