Maker's Paradise

How CMU students create, collaborate, and learn through IDeATe

At Carnegie Mellon, IDeATe brings together students from across disciplines to explore new tools, collaborate on creative projects, and learn by making.

The following reflections are drawn from student voices featured in IDeATe stories over the past year.

Creating Across Disciplines

“To me, IDeATe is exciting because it’s one of the few places on campus where people from completely different disciplines come together around a shared creative goal. I’ve worked with CS, music, and HCI majors all because we just wanted to make something cool, and that kind of interdisciplinary energy is really rare and valuable.” –Ria Itty, College of Fine Arts

“When considering different opportunities, one thing I look for is a community where people have these different skill sets and backgrounds. I want to broaden not just my perspective on my field, but my perspectives on life — it’s something that I really value.” –Daphne Han, School of Computer Science

“The material taught all around is all so inspiring, and has opened views of technology in the world as really something in our own hands as young creatives. Learning with people across disciplines is absolutely rewarding in this way!” –Ebba Shim, College of Fine Arts

“IDeATe for me has really been a place where I can apply the skills that I have in my primary major of electrical and computer engineering, and really define creative projects and work with people from many different disciplines to create something that we're really passionate about.” –Maddie Burroughs, College of Engineering

Making with Spaces and Tools

“IDeATe’s Media Lab is such a nice space — it’s a blackbox studio with an eight-speaker ring setup, which is essentially true surround sound. It’s a very very rare experience to be able to feel like you’re fully immersed and in the sound, and because of the way the lab is set up, it’s possible to fill the space at very low levels of volume, rather than making everything too loud.” –Allen Zhou, College of Fine Arts

“Through the generosity and mentorship of IDeATe staff and professors, I have discovered a love for teaching sewing, expressing creativity through visible mending, and sharing repair skills with dozens of students, staff, and community members. The workshops rely on IDeATe labs to teach hand and machine sewing for garment repair, helping the CMU community extend the lives of clothing and accessories, a necessary life skill that reduces reliance on the polluting and consumptive fashion industry.” –Katrina D’Arms, College of Engineering

“The Cosplay Club holds general meetings in Studio A every Sunday, and we also store our supplies there. It’s an amazing experience to get to create in a makerspace setting, and we’re very grateful that IDeATe supports the club and provides resources for us!” –Marina Wang, College of Engineering

Learning from Makers and Mentors

“I feel like everyone is so quick to talk about the material resources and neglect the true value of IDeATe that no other place on campus has: its staff and faculty. Robert Zacharias, the primary physical computing instructor is one of the most amazing teaching professionals I’ve ever had the privilege of learning from and working with. He is so good at what he does, and making it digestible for the masses — it’s unmatched anywhere else on campus — and I’m on my third major and have taken a class in every single school imaginable.” –Zarmond Goodman, Dietrich College

“IDeATe is a really open and welcoming community. It doesn't matter your experience or what you're majoring in; you will find people who are happy to teach you whatever you want to know.” –Amanda Witt, College of Engineering

“Many of the instructors are artists and makers themselves, and the instructors I've been able to work with in IDeATe are some of the most invested and compassionate instructors I've ever worked with.” –Maddie Burroughs, College of Engineering

Trying, Failing, Mastering Something New

“I appreciate how accessible the program is for beginners. When I first came to CMU, I hadn’t even heard of any of the industry-standard tools we use in IDeATe, but these classes helped me build a solid understanding of what’s “under the hood” and how the things we see in games and films are actually made. It’s a community that lowers the barrier to entry and encourages lots of exploration for sure.” –Ria Itty, College of Fine Arts

“As an engineer the projects I do are important for my learning and my degree. But the projects I work on in IDeATe feed the soul. They keep me passionate and going through the semester.” –Ylia Thumann, College of Engineering

“I found IDeATe really early in my college journey, and since then, it’s been my home for creating anything on campus. I’ve always loved art, and IDeATe allows me to explore my fun, artistic side — while still utilizing the more technical knowledge I learn in engineering classes.” –Maya Beach, College of Engineering