Fabrication Laboratories (Fab Labs) empower students with hands-on STEAM skills for today’s global economy while supporting local innovation through community access. Although the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) grant program that supported Fab Lab equipment purchases has ended, many schools across the state have Fab Labs in place. This summer training series helps educators maximize these spaces with strategies for instruction, operations, and real-world connections:
- Learn how to utilize a Fab Lab to foster multi-disciplinary learning and engage students with hands-on STEAM education.
- Discover how to use simple problems to teach age-appropriate concepts while optimizing your Fab Lab’s setup, training, and operations.
- Gain strategies to guide students through problem identification, solution design, prototyping, and testing.
- Explore ways to connect your Fab Lab with industry and community partners for real-world impact.
WORKSHOP At A Glance
July 13 – 16, 2026
9 AM – 4:30 PM
In-Person
On-Campus
Cost
Varies - See below for details & discounts!
What will you gain?
Introduction to Fab Lab Equipment
Mon., July 13, 2026, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
$199 Discounted Rate | $249 Regular -
See details below
Never been in a Fab Lab, or have limited experience? This 1-day course will introduce you to the equipment and walk you through several projects, from start to finish! All materials provided. Limited to 20 participants. Upon completion, participants will:
- Be introduced to a Fab Lab environment.
- Understand the operation of each piece of equipment.
- Complete an initial project on each process commonly found in a Fab Lab.
- Take away a product you have assembled using each process.
Teaching in a Fab Lab
Tues.-Thurs, July 14-16, 2026, 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
$599 Discounted Rate | $749 Regular - Details below
This 3-day course focuses on applied learning within a Fab Lab. Some prior experience within a Fab Lab environment is helpful but not a requirement. Participants are asked to bring a personal laptop but all other materials provided. Limited to 20 participants. Upon completion, participants will:
- Examine applied learning within a FabLab.
- Learn and experience successful methods of teaching in a Fab Lab.
- Complete several projects you can utilize in a classroom.
- Connect the learning process to learning outcomes with fun activities.
Who should enroll?
This series is designed for K-12 educators and administrators. There are no prerequisites to participate in Introduction to Fab Lab Equipment. For Teaching in a Fab Lab, some prior experience within a Fab Lab environment is helpful but not required.
What will it cost?
Introduction to Fab Lab Equipment:
- Early Bird Discount (register by June 29, 2026): $199
- Stout Proud Discount (UW-Stout Faculty, Staff, Student, and Alumni): $199
- Regular Registration: $249
Teaching in a Fab Lab:
- Early Bird Discount (register by June 29, 2026): $599
- Stout Proud Discount (UW-Stout Faculty, Staff, Student, and Alumni): $599
- Regular Registration: $749
Important Notes:
- REGISTRATION CLOSES JULY 5, 2026.
- Faculty/Staff/Students: Use your UW-Stout email when registering to receive discount.
- Alumni: Reach out to gieskingj@uwstout.edu to receive a discount code BEFORE completing the registration form.
- Waiting List: Each course is limited to 20 participants, so we encourage you register as soon as possible. We will have a waiting list for each course and will notify you if a space opens up, in order of completed registration.
- FAQs: For information on Payment and Cancellation Policy, Disability Accommodations, and other issues, please visit the Frequently Asked Questions page.
"I knew very little about Fab Lab equipment or how to build a curriculum around that. But after this week-long workshop, we've had and really diving into it and thinking about it, I feel like I am more prepared as an educator. And that is something I can bring back to my school and share with everybody there."
- Mackenzie Bennin, Granton Area School District
"Digital fabrication is wonderful for students to experience at any age. The idea that you can take your abstract thoughts and ideas and make a physical object out of them is very empowering.”
- Chris Wiemer, Stoughton High School
Mike Cropp
Mike Cropp is the Manager of the Fab Lab. He has a degree in Engineering Technology-Mechanical Design from UW-Stout. He has held a variety of positions in his career, from an Applications Engineer at Stratasys, Ltd. to project manager for the Center for Innovation and Development to Lecturer for the Operations and Management Department at UW-Stout. His current role is working with digital fabrication technologies in the Fab Lab to push their boundaries, finding new ways to solve challenges or create fun products. He has over 20 years of experience designing new products, training digital fabrication processes, and building machines.
Laurence Charlier
Courses will be held in the UW-Stout Fab Lab, Vocational Rehabilitation (building #7 in the Campus map below), room 120.
- Lot 14, by the south side of Sorenson Hall, is s the closest lot to park to this location.
- There is also street parking next to the Vocational Rehabilitation building.