Fab Foundation

THE FAB FOUNDATION WAS FORMED FEBRUARY 6, 2009 TO FACILITATE AND SUPPORT THE GROWTH OF THE INTERNATIONAL FAB LAB NETWORK. THE FAB FOUNDATION IS A US NON-PROFIT 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION EMERGING FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY'S CENTER FOR BITS & ATOMS (CBA) INTERNATIONAL FAB LAB OUTREACH PROGRAM. OUR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO THE TOOLS, THE KNOWLEDGE AND THE FINANCIAL MEANS TO EDUCATE, INNOVATE AND INVENT USING TECHNOLOGY AND DIGITAL FABRICATION TO ALLOW ANYONE TO MAKE (ALMOST) ANYTHING, AND THEREBY CREATING OPPORTUNITIES TO IMPROVE LIVES AND LIVELIHOODS AROUND THE WORLD. COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND NON-PROFIT CONCERNS ARE OUR PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES.

THE ORGANIZATION PROMOTES DIGITAL FABRICATION BY FACILITATING THE DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY-BASED AND EDUCATIONAL FAB LABS, THE DISSEMINATION OF BEST PRACTICES IN DIGITAL FABRICATION THROUGHOUT THE FAB LAB NETWORK, FACILITATION AND DISSEMINATION OF RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY-BENEFICIAL PROJECTS, THE FUNDING AND FACILITATION OF FAB LAB AND DIGITAL FABRICATION PROJECTS THAT BENEFIT PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES IN EXEMPLARY WAYS, SUCH AS MOBILE FAB LABS FOR EMERGENCY AID, OR FAB LABS FOR DEVELOPING WORLD CONTEXTS. THESE SERVICES INCLUDE DEPLOYING, INSTALLING, TRAINING, AND CONSULTING FOR NEW FAB LABS AS WELL AS PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT OF ESTABLISHED FAB LABS. THE ORGANIZATION WORKS TO GATHER AND PROVIDE CRITICAL EVALUATION DATA AS WELL AS PROVIDE TOOLS FOR TRACKING THE IMPACT OF FAB LABS IN EDUCATIONAL, BUSINESS AND SOCIAL CONTEXTS. AS PART OF ITS SERVICES, THE ORGANIZATION PROVIDES A NETWORK FUNCTION FOR THE FAB LAB COMMUNITY, BRINGING TOGETHER FAB LABS AROUND THE WORLD EITHER PHYSICALLY (FOR ANNUAL MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS) OR VIRTUALLY THROUGH ONLINE TOOLS AND RESOURCES. ADDITIONALLY, AS A RESOURCE TO EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, ENTREPRENEURIAL ORGANIZATIONS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC THE ORGANIZATION HAS DEVELOPED AN ONLINE GLOBAL MAP OF FAB LABS, MAKERSPACES, AND INNOVATION SPACES SUCH THAT PEOPLE OR ORGANIZATIONS THAT NEED ACCESS TO THESE FACILITIES CAN FIND THEM EASILY.

THE ORGANIZATION BRINGS DIGITAL FABRICATION TOOLS AND PROCESSES TO PEOPLE OF ALL AGES, TEACHING THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE OF DIGITAL FABRICATION, DEVELOPING CURRICULUM FOR FORMAL AND INFORMAL EDUCATIONAL SETTINGS, AS WELL AS DESIGNING AND OFFERING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR TEACHERS, FAB LAB MANAGERS AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS. THE ORGANIZATION OFFERS ADVANCED TECHNICAL EDUCATION THROUGH THE FAB ACADEMY WHICH PROVIDES INSTRUCTION AND SUPERVISES INVESTIGATION OF MECHANISMS, APPLICATIONS, AND IMPLICATIONS OF DIGITAL FABRICATION AND OTHER TECHNOLOGIES. THE FAB ACADEMY IS A WORLDWIDE, DISTRIBUTED CAMPUS UTILIZING FAB LABS AS CLASSROOMS AND LIBRARIES FOR A NEW KIND OF TECHNICAL LITERACY. THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDES PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND RESOURCES FOR K12 TEACHERS AND EDUCATORS THROUGH ITS SCOPES-DF WEBSITE AND RESEARCH PLATFORM (SCOPESDF.ORG). THIS SITE SHARES RESOURCES AND DISSEMINATES BEST EDUCATIONAL PRACTICES FOR EDUCATORS USING DIGITAL FABRICATION TO TEACH STEM DISCIPLINES AND SKILLS.