On June 18th, 2014 the White House will host its first-ever Maker Faire in support of the establishment of the National Day of Making. As 3-D printers, laser cutters, sophisticated design software, and other innovative technologies have become more accessible to the public, the White House is championing this emerging sector of the economy that many see as part of the revitalization of American manufacturing. By inviting a select few inventors and entrepreneurs to showcase their creations, the White House hopes to inspire them and others across the US to continue pursuing their passion for technology and design.
Through the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy twitter, @whitehouseostp, the Maker Faire will be a collaborative effort between the White House and young techies and tech entrepreneurs working in their local makerspaces. Makers in these labs will be tweeting #NationOfMakers with updates and photos of their own projects as contribution to the nationwide Maker Faire initiative. A quick Twitter search for #NationOfMakers shows that celebrity figures like Wil Wheaton (@wilwheaton) and the band OK Go (@okgo) who helped the White House announce the Maker Faire, have already expressed their excitement for an event that promotes American ingenuity and creativity.
On their blog, the White House encourages people at home to participate by live-tweeting their projects, hosting a making event at their local makerspace, or teaching a fellow maker the ropes of makerspace tools and technology. Other ways to get involved include sharing your project or plans for a project with other makers, or if you are really ambitious, starting a project from scratch with other makers via online hangouts.
The White House has issued a statement that through the Maker Faire, it hopes to generate interest in technology and innovation among the American youth. -Making can inspire and empower more young people to excel in design and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and to pursue careers making things in manufacturing,- their blog states. The founding of the National Day of Making illustrates the White Houses investment in bringing young Americans to the forefront of modern technology and entrepreneurialism. It will demonstrate that their passion for modern technology can be transferred beyond their local makerspaces to full-fledged enterprises.
