'Maker' movement speaker coming to Cedar Rapids Jan. 20

The drive to create a maker space in Cedar Rapids will gain some inspiration from an appearance by a founder of Minneapolis' Mill Maker Space Jan. 20 at CSPS.

Brian Boyle, creator and founder of the Mill Maker Space, will talk with interested local makers and supporters from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20, at the CSPS Blackbox, 1101 Third St. SE.

The maker movement empowers individuals to learn skills and collaborate with others to invent and build.

A local maker group, CR EpiCenter, has met at the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Cedar Rapids, and more recently the Science Station at Lindale Mall. It partnered with the Science Station to host Iowa's first Maker Faire, which attracted about 550 people to Lindale Mall, last fall.

"There are some incredibly creative gifted people here in town doing some really interesting things," said maker Jim Jacobmeyer of CR EpiCenter. He said the benefits of a permanent maker space in Cedar Rapids might include building personal skills and collaborations, and eventually developing products that could result in commercial applications.

"It's hands-on. It's real-world. It's authentic," Jacobmeyer said of the movement. "People are using what they create."

Jacobmeyer said Boyle's Mill Maker Space, now open over a year, is the most impressive he's seen with a variety of classes and such specialized equipment as a 3-D printing machine a CNC machining table. He said Boyle's experience as the CEO of a manufacturing company gives him an interesting background and perspective on the maker movement.

The EpiCenter and the Science Center have discussed opportunities for sharing space when the Science Center eventually leaves Lindale Mall, Jacobmeyer said. The New Bohemia area is getting a strong look from the groups because of the creative synergies and support network with organizations and groups like the Cherry Building, the NewBo Farmers Market and CSPS, he said.

Boyle will make a presentation and answer questions about his experiences. The appearance will be sponsored by the Science Center, the CR EpiCenter and NewBo Bikes.

More details about the mill are available online at http://www.mnmill.org/blog/