IUP initiative garners $1.5 million grant for multi-country STEAMSHOP spaces

INDIANA, Pa. — Indiana University of Pennsylvania has been awarded a $1.5 million Build Back Better Regional Challenge Grant to develop an entrepreneurial makerspace ecosystem with Pittsburgh-based company Advanced Robotics for Manufacturing that’ll benefit a local business.

The school will lead the effort for the STEAMSHOP (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics shop) that’ll include the robotics and electronics site Made in Johnstown and a satellite location in Armstrong County.

“When they reached out to create this tri-county economy, we were super excited,” Made Director Michael Rottman said.

He noted that by working together the three spaces will be able to provide expanded access to numerous resources for their members, which will be impactful for them.

“What we’re trying top do with Made in Johnstown is build the creative economy here,” Rottman said.

This funding will be used to advance and strengthen the existing makerspaces at IUP and in Cambria and Armstrong counties through a hub-and-spoke model designed to build enhanced collaboration and coordination among the three programs and other regional makerspaces.

That includes expanding community access, augmenting tools, equipment and services, developing workshops and installing new resources in robotics and Computer Numerical Control milling.

Additionally, the grant will provide monies for dedicated staff at Indiana’s facility and new programming at the school.

“This new partnership with the ARM Institute also provides opportunities to learn and share innovations and best practices in robotics, AI and advanced manufacturing,” an IUP release said.

STEAMSHOP’s primary goal is to engage with diverse populations while creating an integrated training and research program in design thinking, improve digital literacy, prototyping and robotics to capitalize on the school’s strengths while developing partnerships across the campus and region.

“IUP is very proud to be part of this important regional initiative and to serve as the hub of this exciting tri-county STEAMSHOP project,” university President Michael Driscoll said. “This project builds on our faculty and programmatic strengths and reflects our commitment to enhancing the economic vitality of our regional community.”

Frederick Adkins, IUP professor of math, is the principal investigator for the project and said he’s looking forward to “connect with and serve more regional businesses and entrepreneurs.”

“The expansion of our services to include physical computing with digital sensors in the new Armstrong County IUP STEAMSHOP site and our partnership with the Made makerspace in Johnstown provides new opportunities to collaborate and connect with residents and students across all three counties,” Adkins said.

Johnstown Area Region Industries is involved as well.

“JARI is pleased to help connect Johnstown facilities and programs with our IUP collaborators,” JARI President Linda Thompson said in the release. “So much more is possible when we all work together for the betterment of our region.”

The funding builds upon the nearly $1 million IUP got last September through the Build Back Better challenge grant to support four initiatives, including STEAMSHOP.