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CATEGORIES:Lectures,sutvlive
DESCRIPTION:Jean-Michel Molenaar is a driving force behind many of the Fab 
 Foundation’s global initiatives. Since 2007\, he has played a key role in e
 stablishing Fab Labs—innovation spaces equipped with digitally controlled m
 achines—across diverse environments\, from cutting-edge university research
  centers to refugee camps and war zones. His expertise spans installations\
 , training\, and strategic development\, continually fostering innovation a
 nd collaboration worldwide.\n\nOver the years\, Jean-Michel has launched Fa
 b Labs in numerous countries\, tailoring them to vastly different contexts.
  He previously managed the Bio Academy\, an advanced course in synthetic bi
 ology\, and served as a Professor of the Practice in the Department of Biom
 edical Engineering at Tufts University\, where he guided students and facul
 ty in prototyping and advancing research.\n\nIn his current role at the Fab
  Foundation\, Jean-Michel oversees the deployment of Fab Labs both internat
 ionally and within the U.S.\, while also managing much of the organization’
 s online presence. His work encompasses everything from project development
  and contract negotiations to procurement\, logistics\, installations\, and
  training—ensuring the successful creation of new labs that expand the netw
 ork and drive shared research forward.\n\nBeyond his professional endeavors
 \, Jean-Michel enjoys skiing\, long hikes\, home- cooked meals\, and sharin
 g these experiences with friends and family. A published author in both Fre
 nch and English\, he is fluent in multiple languages and lives in the breat
 htaking French Alps with his wife and three adventurous sons.\n\nSynopsis:\
 n\nThe SUU Festival of Excellence Keynote presentation featured Senior Depl
 oyment Manager at the Fab Foundation\, Jean-Michel Molenaar. His presentati
 on was titled\, “Beyond Prototypes: Building a More Inclusive Future with F
 ab Labs”.\n\nHe began with some background on Fab Labs\, including the firs
 t 3D printer he built in 2008\, which he said\, “changed my life. Just the 
 concept that I could make a machine that could make objects for me was sort
  of a life-changing thing for me\, and started off this path I’ve been on.”
  He further dove into the history of computation and fabrication\, and summ
 arized that the goal was the Star Trek Replicator. He said\, “We’re trying 
 to get to a situation where you can make anything anywhere and you don’t ha
 ve to send truckloads of stuff all across the globe.” \n\nHe spoke of Neil 
 Gershenfeld’s grant he received at MIT\, “with the idea to work on this roa
 d map towards the future”. In order to do that\, he’d need a machine that w
 ould allow him to work on every scale\, from furniture to the molecular sca
 le. In the center of all this\, Molenaar stated\, is a Fab Lab. The equipme
 nt required for it\, as well as the course that Gershenfeld built around it
 \, was for personal fabrication. He showed photographs of Fab Labs\, which 
 include laser cutters\, precision machining\, large format machining\, elec
 tronics\, vinyl cutters\, 3D scan and printing\, and more. In addition to t
 hat\, Molenaar noted the importance of the global connection between Fab La
 bs. \n\nHe spoke briefly about biology\, and progressions that have been ma
 de in that field. The machines are becoming more effective\, cheaper\, and 
 we’re getting closer to the Star Trek Replicator in that sense. In our worl
 d\, things are made out of varied materials\, from biological processes to 
 inorganic materials\, and Molenaar said\, “For me\, it’s important that in 
 education we start to look at all these things in a less siloed way and in 
 a way that’s more transversal\, and will allow us to create things in radic
 ally different ways.”\n\nHe took time to acknowledge the community that has
  formed around Fab Labs\, and the global teamwork that happens because peop
 le are able to work on projects around the world. The Fab Foundation\, whic
 h is the non-profit organization behind the Fab Labs\, was started 16 years
  ago. They had realized that “what we needed to do is create an organizatio
 n that was there for the labs\, but that wouldn’t tell any of the labs what
  to do or how to do it.” The Fab Foundation\, with team members across the 
 globe\, is a diverse group joined together because\, “we have this naive no
 tion that maybe we can change the world and make it a little more equal and
  equitable.”\n\nOne of the main programs the Fab Foundation offers is educa
 tion. They have various courses\, including the Fab Academy\, which is the 
 same course that Neil Gershenfeld offered at MIT. They also offer textile a
 nd technology courses\, Fab Lab learning for education professionals\, and 
 inclusion courses. \n\nThey also host various events\, as well as setting u
 p the Fab Labs themselves. They have different kinds of Fab Labs\, with the
  highest level being able to produce the equipment needed for standard Fab 
 Labs. Jean-Michel Molenaar concluded his presentation by sharing that the F
 ab Foundation is establishing their global headquarters in Boston\, Massach
 usetts\, which he was excited to say would help them prototype things for t
 he global community.
DTEND:20250401T183000Z
DTSTAMP:20260411T080740Z
DTSTART:20250401T173000Z
GEO:37.676662;-113.068718
LOCATION:R. Haze Hunter Alumni Center (CC)\, Great Hall
SEQUENCE:0
SUMMARY:Jean-Michel Molenaar - Festival of Excellence Keynote Speaker
UID:tag:localist.com\,2008:EventInstance_46746704627261
URL:https://events.suu.edu/event/apex-jean-michel-molenaar
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