Institute of Making presents: Lunchtime Makes

The Institute of Making has just joined UCL, bringing their mission of uniting researchers and makers from all disciplines in hands-on learning with them. Every Wednesday in term time, they will be running 'making sessions' - covering a range of areas and open to all UCL staff, students and alumni.

Academia often focuses on intellectual rather than physical learning - but they feel there's a lot to be learned from working with materials and making.

Sessions will be on a drop in basis and no previous experience is required, there will different activities each day and participants can simply turn up:

• Monday: Material Wonders - On Monday morning the MakeShed will be assembled and the lunchtime session will include a hands-on introduction to some of the Materials Library, with demonstrations

• Tuesday: A Taste of Materials - How does the material of cutlery affect the experience of eating? Zoe Laughlin from the Institute of Making serves up the results of her research on this topic.

• Wednesday: Cryogenic Cooking - Liquid Nitrogen Ice-Cream Making (with a side order of chocolate casting, for those who don't fancy cold treats).

• Thursday: Chocolate Casting - An introduction to casting, using chocolate (with a side order of pewter casting for those who like things hotter).

• Friday: Pewter Casting - Using the casting skills from yesterday, or learning them on the day, shape molten metal into solid objects to take home.

The Institute of Making will open in their permanent venue in the Malet Place Service Engineering Bay in January 2013.

Image: An electronic engineering student

Related links:

The UCL Institute of Making
Lunchtime Makes