We are kicking off the new school year with lots of fresh, new faces around the Makerspace. Our new Marston Makerspace team is full of super talented crafters, makers, tinkerers and more! Read below to learn a bit more about the faces you will see around!
Name: Aceline (Ace) Manganti (she/her)
Position: Open Lab Facilitator
Maker Bio: Ace loves to design and make things by applying skills learned in her engineering classes and projects to help others as well as satisfying her own creativity. Originally from Jacksonville, FL, Ace loves to spend her free time outside of Makerspace playing volleyball, eating out, or spending time with friends.
Name: Angie Garcia – Amaya (she/her)
Position: Open Lab Facilitator
Maker Bio: Angie is an aspiring film director who has a creative eye for design. She loves to craft collages and buttons in the Makerspace. She was born and raised in Miami, Florida. Outside of the Makerspace, Angie spends her free time practicing on her guitar and writing songs and poetry.
Name: Austin Quesenberry (he/him)
Position: Open Lab Facilitator
Maker Bio: Austin is a generalist crafter with a knack for everything clothing and DIY. He thinks that getting experience with dyeing and painting your own clothes, making patches, etc. is an invaluable experience for learning more about what fashion really speaks to you.
Coming from Gainesville, Florida, Austin loves playing the trombone in his free time, and is an avid Gators sports fan. He likes to play board games, spend time with friends, and watching old detective shows.
Name: Brittney Merryweather (she/her)
Position: Makerspace and 3D printing Manager
Maker Bio: Brittney is a maker at heart and loves helping people realize their visions with a variety of tools and techniques, including 3D printing.
Originally from Vancouver, Canada, Brittney is a former STEAM educator and global education consultant with a passion for DIY, kayaking, and cats.
Name: Hope Luo (she/her)
Position: Open Lab Facilitator
Maker Bio: Hope loves crafting and creating, with a special passion for mixed-media art, experimenting with different mediums, and filling her sketchbook with new ideas. Originally from Jupiter, Florida, she enjoys bringing ideas to life through cosplay and hands-on projects.
Name: Matthew Gutierrez (he/him)
Position: Open Lab and 3D Printing Facilitator
Maker Bio: Matthew is a hands-on engineer with a passion for bringing ideas to life through robotics, mechanical design, and mechatronics projects.
Originally from Miami, he has spent years mentoring students as a robotics coach, volunteering at local competitions, and helping others develop their engineering and teamwork skills. Outside of engineering, Matthew enjoys rock climbing, camping, and exploring the outdoors, driven by curiosity, creativity, and a desire to make a positive impact through his work and community involvement.
Name: Ryan Samuels (he/him)
Position: 3D Printer and Machine Technician
Maker Bio: Ryan is a freshman with a love for all things engineering.
Name: Sarah Valdes (she/her)
Position: Open Lab Facilitator
Maker Bio: Sarah is an all-around crafter with a love for sewing and hands-on activities.
Originally from Miami, Florida, Sarah has a knack for learning all things creative, striving to be a jack of all trades. Outside of the Makerspace, you can find her being with her cats, plants, or just binging TV-shows.
Name: Timothy Wahl (he/him)
Position: Open Lab and 3D Printing Facilitator
Maker Bio: Tim is an engineer who loves to make cool things and compete in robotics competitions. He likes to make things that fly, launch, drive, or otherwise move. Originally from Orlando, FL, he competed in Vex Robotics for 4 years and worked at a prototyping company making knives, rock climbing walls, valves, etc. Outside of engineering, he likes to go enjoy the outdoors, finding the perfect spot for his hammock.
Name: Valeria Rivera (she/her)
Position: Open Lab Facilitator
Maker Bio: Valeria is a freshman chemical engineering major who loves arts and crafts, especially collecting and making decorations for her room. She was born in Colombia but grew up in Fort Lauderdale. Outside of school she enjoys playing volleyball and going to work out classes.
Name: Lillian (Lilly) Nguyen (she/her)
Position: Open Lab Facilitator
Maker Bio: Lilly is a 3rd year mechanical engineering major chemical engineering major who loves tinkering with new machines and gadgets. She is originally from the panhandle of Florida. Outside of classes, she enjoys staying active from powerlifting, pickleball, workout classes, running, and hiking.