Meet a Maker: Jason Hill
With two months until Des Moines’ 2025 Mini Maker Faire, please let us introduce Jason Hill, Exhibits Coordinator for the Science Center of Iowa and 3D printing extraordinaire. Being a very creative nerd, Jason builds full sized, wearable Star Wars armor and props. He uses 2 3D printers (Elegoo Neptune 3 Max and a very modified Prusa mk2.5) plus a lot of sandpaper and Bondo to create his work.
We sat down with Jason learn how 3D printers are changing the game for makers.
What Makes a Maker?
Makers are anyone who can create something from ingredients or parts. Making becomes an art when you put your passion and creativity behind something to make something special you’re proud of.
Where do you show off your creations?
Comic cons and Halloween parties
What’s the difference between creating something for yourself vs creating it for someone else?
There are pros and cons to both. I like being able to try stuff on while I’m sanding to do test fits, but with someone else you have to put armor on them and ask them how it feels and what adjustments it needs. I also find I’m a bit more of a perfectionist when I’m making things for others vs myself and that can add a lot of time to the project.
What are your final preparations to get ready for a con?
It is always important to lay everything out the night before to make sure you have everything so you don’t end up forgetting something.
Do you do smaller-scale projects?
I have printed some models from one of my favorite videogames Horizon Zero Dawn and am planning to sand and paint it after wrapping up my current project. I also like to 3D print useful household stuff and make gifts for people.
What’s a mistake you’ve made that taught you an important lesson?
Giving yourself time to make mistakes. 3D printing takes a long time and if the print fails or I got the scale wrong, you’ll have to reprint. It’s just how it goes. Different projects will have different challenges. When I made my Mandalorian suit it was pretty easy to sand. My next project was an Imperil Death Trooper which was about twice the number of armor pieces and the amount of detail in each piece was much higher. I was not prepared for how long the Death Trooper was going to take and I missed my original deadline by a year. This was a great project because now I am more confident in my time frames for projects.
What do you think the future of making looks like? Are there any trends or technologies you’re excited about?
I think household 3D printers have changed the game for makers. 3D printing is only going to get faster and the prints are only going to get smoother.
What’s the first thing you ever made, and how does it compare to your work now?
When I was in high school I wanted to make a Boba Fett costume, I used cardboard, EVA foam, paper mache, and my grandpa helped make my gauntlets out of PVC pipe and wood. It felt fantastic to create something from nothing. In college, I learned how to 3D print and I thought making a Star Wars suit would be a fun way to practice my new skill. Now it’s a hobby that brings me great joy!
How do you balance creativity and practicality in your projects?
Practicality usually evolves around the cost of materials, but that is where the creativity comes in. How can I make this helmet look like it does in the movie without spending a ton of money? I think finding creative solutions to problems is one of the most rewarding parts of my projects.
What do you hope people feel or experience when they interact with your work?
I hope I can inspire people to create the thing they want and that it doesn’t have to cost a fortune if you’re willing to put in the time and work.
To learn more about Jason and the amazing creators local to Des Moines, check out the Des Moines Mini Maker Faire at the Science Center of Iowa on April 26th!
Meet a Maker: Lindy Trout Turnis
As we gear up for Des Moines’ 2025 Mini Maker Faire, we’ll begin our Meet a Maker series with one of our own, Lindy Trout Turnis. Lindy is a published board game designer and the Innovation Manager at the Science Center of Iowa! In 2024, she published her family tabletop game, The Best Medicine, which is now available in ten stores across Iowa.
What makes a “maker”?
A maker is someone who gets satisfaction from bringing an idea into the real world and tinkering with it until it works. It’s someone who reflects on their work, develops new skills, and takes risks to make their creation better than it was.
What got you interested in board game design?
I started designing board games with my brother and dad in 2019. We got started by doing Game Jams – they’re timed, multi-day events that challenge designers to prototype an original game based on a surprise theme. Once we won our first jam, we were hooked!
We fell in love with the process of building, testing, and refining our ideas until we had something awesome. Our partnership works because we strive to impress each other but never judge an idea that doesn’t pan out. Opening a safe space to share, critique, and celebrate ideas has made our end-product better than we could have imagined.
What is your game about?
The Best Medicine is a push-your-luck game where you are a scientist combining chemicals to cure wacky diseases—like The Common Warm and Gritty Discs—while trying to avoid contaminating your labs. It’s a fast-paced game for 2–5 players and takes about 20 minutes to play.
What did the design process look like?
We created the core game in just 36 hours, but spent over two years refining it. That included playtesting extensively, reworking the graphic design and artwork, and fine-tuning the mechanics. Once we were happy with it, we connected with a manufacturer in China and started teaching ourselves about marketing and distribution. Doing everything in-house created more friction than if we would have worked with a publisher, but we developed a host of new skills and created a product that is exactly and uniquely ours.
What do you hope people feel or experience when they interact with your work?
I want players to think it’s exciting and funny. We put a lot of our humor into the names of grants, awards, and diseases. Part of the reason we decided against working with a publisher was so those jokes would make it into the final version of the game. I’m really proud of them and I think they’re hilarious.
What’s one thing you wish you would have known when you were starting out?
Although “making” is a process of continual improvement, it’s rarely a straight path. A good trait for a maker to have is an openness to failure — Version 1 will not and should not be your masterpiece, so don’t force perfection. Our game went through 36 versions of the rulebook—but you can’t improve until you start. So try new things, do them badly and then try again.
Oh, and take pictures! You’ll love looking back at how far you’ve come.
What do you think the future of making looks like? Are there any trends or technologies you’re excited about?
I love AI art! I have aphantasia, meaning I think only in words and have a hard time seeing pictures in my head. Being able to describe my vision and have it visualized for me is a dream come true! AI art generation is an amazing tool that makes the joy and functionality of art accessible to a whole new sector of artists.
For now, there’s still a lot of digital art and editing work to do after the AI image is generated. My favorite softwares are Midjourney for AI art and Procreate for digital art.
What do you do at SCI?
I work in the Innovation Lab alongside Marissa Herzberg and Jolie Pelds. Our lab is a learning space filled with high- and low-tech resources that encourage innovative thinking. Some days I teach, but almost every day I’m learning. The lab’s tools range from virtual reality experiences and AI robots to hot glue and googly eyes. We use a variety of resources to teach “makerly” methods and skills that support creative problem-solving.
Des Moines Mini Maker Faire Call for Makers Application Open
The Des Moines Mini Maker Faire is now accepting exhibitor applications!
This years theme is “Making The Future”.
Whether you’re a first-time tinkerer or an experienced inventor, Maker Faire welcomes a variety of creative projects, including:
- Crafts
- Fine Arts
- Robotics
- Technology
- Gaming
- Fashion design
- Woodworking
- 3D printing
- LEGO construction
- And more!
Exhibitor applications are due Monday, March 31 for the 2025 Des Moines Mini Maker Faire which is being held Saturday, April 26.
Des Moines Mini Maker Faire: 10 Years of Imagination
Des Moines Mini Maker Faire: Celebrating 10 Years of Creativity and Innovation
The Science Center of Iowa is thrilled to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Des Moines Mini Maker Faire! This milestone honors not only the event itself but also the vibrant Maker Movement in Iowa. The global Maker Faire phenomenon began in San Francisco in 2006 and has since expanded to include flagship events in New York City and beyond. In smaller communities like Des Moines, Mini Maker Faires offer the perfect platform to showcase local creativity and ingenuity.
The Science Center of Iowa hosted the inaugural Des Moines Mini Maker Faire in 2014, and over the past decade, it has become a cornerstone of the region’s maker culture. This year, we’re excited to blend favorite traditions with fresh experiences—including a brand-new date!
Save the Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
Join us at the Science Center of Iowa for a day of hands-on exploration and innovation. This new springtime date allows us to connect with new partners, including schools. As a leader in maker education across Iowa, SCI has worked with hundreds of schools through our “Making STEM Connections” program. This year, we’re excited to invite these schools to participate as vendors, showcasing their creativity and ingenuity at the Mini Maker Faire.
This Year’s Theme: “Make the Future”
We encourage makers, businesses, organizations, and schools to envision what the future might hold. What needs, opportunities, and innovations will shape the next 5–10 years and beyond? Let’s explore these possibilities together.
Stay tuned to this website for updates on the event, featured makers, at-home activities, and more. We can’t wait to see you at the 10th Des Moines Mini Maker Faire on Saturday, April 26, 2025!
Meet a Maker: Lee Adams
As we are approaching the 2023 Des Moines Mini Maker Faire, we wanted to learn more about Lee Adams and her passion for making as well as her interest in Dungeons and Dragons. We are excited for her to provide our participants with opportunities to explore the world of D&D and even participate in a mini campaign known as a One Shot.
Us: How would you define/ describe “making”?
Lee: I would say that “making” is the intentional act of creating something tangible. I think that making happens after inspiration and ideation, when someone has an idea that they can’t get out of their heads and has a plan to bring it to life. It’s the most active and hands-on part of the creative process.
Us: What were / are your areas of study?
Lee: I attended The University of Iowa and studied Studio Art, Psychology, and Writing because I was interested in so many things and couldn’t make up my mind. I’m glad that I learned and continue to learn about a variety of things– it helps you see the connections between everything. Those connections are what get me really excited!
Us: What got you interested in these fields?
Lee: I have always been a creative and a daydreamer, making up worlds and stories in my head when I didn’t have anything else to do (and sometimes when I did have other things to do– oops!) As a kid growing up with undiagnosed ADHD, I was forced to improvise when I missed something or wasn’t entirely sure what was going on. Strangely, I think that this actually increased my creative confidence and helped me utilize ingenuity as a secret weapon of sorts. I really relied on it academically, so it was only natural to go into something like art or writing. I think that my interest in psychology stemmed from my love of writing; I was constantly making characters and figuring out their motives, and I enjoy learning about how people’s brains work.
Us: What is your connection to The Science Center of Iowa?
Lee: I am a full-time employee and my position title is “Innovation Coordinator” which is exactly as fun as it sounds! I help with both the creation and the facilitation of our outreach events, working mainly with kids and teens to help them see how creativity can be useful in everything.
Us: What are some of your favorite maker activities?
Lee: I love it all. I love photography and painting and poetry and prose and gardening and journaling and cooking and– I think you get the point. My favorite activities are ones that weave together multiple disciplines. I think one of the best examples of this has to be Dungeons and Dragons (or D&D for short.) It may seem like just a silly little game, but it can overlap with almost any hobby or area of interest because, essentially, you are creating your own reality and there are no limitations to how far it can go.
For anyone who isn’t familiar with the game, I would describe it as co-creating a story with your friends who can either be a character (player) or the narrator (dungeon master or DM.) The DM’s job is to create a plot– typically fantasy or sci-fi related– that will be engaging and fun for their players. It’s also their job to know the lore and mechanics of the game, which involves a
lot of storytelling and math calculations. They make a setting and a plot that will entice their players to interact with it, and set up fun role-play and combat encounters with non-player characters (NPCs) and monsters to fight or befriend. Players talk as their characters a
nd inhabit the world that the DM has crafted, driving the story forward by rolling dice to see how successful their character is in their actions, sort of like an RPG video game, but in real life. The actions of the players can completely change the outcome of the story, which is why it’s so fun.
You can contribute to this game with nearly any hobby: drawing characters with your artistic skills, creating cosplays using fashion design, making stat blocks for a new monster using math, or even turning your campaign into the next best-selling novel by documenting it in writing. It’s a bottomless pit of fun and creativity and I would recommend it to anyone!
Us: Why do you think “making” is important?
Lee: As I implied above, I have a hard time with linear thinking. I used to see this as a bad thing because it caused me to struggle in areas like math and chemistry which were deemed “more important” than creative pursuits by society when I was growing up. As I got older and acquired more experience, however, I realized that nothing is mutually exclusive and that you can draw connections between anything. Creativity is not only present in every discipline– it’s necessary. When you allow your thoughts to meander about through the scenic route of your brain, you see lots of cool new things and discover solutions that you wouldn’t have found if you had floored it and sped down the highway to the quickest answer. Innovative thinking takes time and effort and intentionality. “Making” is not only a way to tangibly express this style of thought as an exercise for your brain’s creativity muscles, but it’s also a way to help those around you. Whether your creation is something as simple as a D&D oneshot that helps your friends unwind and have fun, or as life-changing as a cure for a terminal disease, everything you make is impactful to someone– even if it’s only yourself.
Meet A Maker: Mena Ramm
As the 2023 Des Moines Mini Maker Faire is approaching , we took some time to sit down and talk with SCI’s Mena Ramm who is an incredible maker. She shared with us about the things she loves to make and what inspires her creativity.
Us: What do you do at the Science Center?
Mena: I am the Camps Manager here at the Science Center of Iowa. I love working with young people and there is so much making that happens at camp! It is important to remember that whatever you try to make, it is a journey that takes a lifetime to master. Often we think of kids as being creative, and they definitely are, but it can be incredibly challenging for young people to be asked to be creative on the spot and they often have trouble finishing what they start. When we as makers feel a gap between our taste and our skills we can often become very frustrated, and this can lead to giving up. Being a maker is like working out a muscle, we have to practice all the time, which is why the process is so important. Practice finishing what you start, practice learning new skills, and practice your maker mindset and in time progress always follows.
Us: Wow. It sounds sounds like practice is a really important part of making. How would you define/describe “making”?
Mena: I define making as being engaged with a process that allows me to create something new. For me, making is inextricable from the process that goes into it. The process for me is the most rewarding part. When I am engaged in making something, my mind is quiet and the world drifts away. The time when I am engaged with my making process is often the best time off my day. Making does have it’s challenges, but training my mind and hands to confront these challenges is so rewarding!
Us: I think it is so good to think of making as a process and not just about the final product. What are some of your favorite maker activities?
Mena: I have always been an artist who loved drawing, painting, printmaking, and digital art. I still create drawings in my free time. In the past few years I also been obsessed with fiber arts. My grandmother taught me to crochet when I was young and I have now learned to knit. Knitting has taken over my imagination! I love that meditative process of it and I love having a useful end product! I have knitted many sweaters and it feels like there is always something new learn. I have also started quilting and sewing this year. I do not find it as meditative as other maker activities but that challenge has been really rewarding. When I am engaged in these hobbies I feel very connected to a long line of makers in my family and the world who have passed down so much knowledge.
Making is important because it teaches us! We learn to finish what we start and to confront challenges. We learn how to close the gap between our taste and our skills, and we learn to pass on what we have learned to others!
Us: It so important to recognize how making things and working through the process helps us to grow. Thank you for sharing with us about your passions and your process.
Come see Mena and her incredible knitting skills at the Des Moines Mini Maker Faire on Monday, September 4 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door. Tickets purchased online receive a $2 discount. https://112291.blackbaudhosting.com/112291/page.aspx?pid=213&tab=2&txobjid=32818b7a-b396-4061-b330-12a4682d0f39
Des Moines Mini Maker Faire Call for Makers Application Open
The Des Moines Mini Maker Faire is now accepting exhibitor applications!
This years theme is “Let’s Get Making”.
Whether you’re a first-time tinkerer or an experienced inventor, Maker Faire welcomes a variety of creative projects, including:
- Crafts
- Fine Arts
- Robotics
- Technology
- Gaming
- Fashion design
- Woodworking
- 3D printing
- LEGO construction
- And more!
Exhibitor applications are due Friday, September 1 for the 2023 Des Moines Mini Maker Faire which is being held Monday, September 4
.
Light Up Your Halloween!
This Monday, September 5th, the Science Center of Iowa will be hosting the Des Moines Mini Maker Faire. Celeste Moreno, one of our Makers, will be welcoming creatives of all ages to a Mask Making Workshop, where they’ll have the chance to create a mask they can wear all day at the Maker Faire. There will be no additional cost for this workshop.
If you’d like to take your mask making skill to the next level, you can join our Advanced Mask Making Workshop. This activity, also hosted by Moreno, incorporates the use of LED lights and paper circuits.
“We’ll ‘level up’ and add some LED lights to our costume masks to create interesting visual effects,” said Moreno.
The Maker Faire is a great place for participants to design and manufacture their own inventive Halloween masks.
“Another possible outcome…is that they will make something that they can save and use for their Halloween costumes or develop the confidence to try making their own costume elements at home,” said Moreno about the possible take-aways from this event.
The advanced workshop charges an additional fee of $5 per person, a bargain compared to what you might pay for a Halloween costume this fall!
This activity is open to all ages. If you can easily use tools like scissors and tape, or have someone who can support you in the use of these tools, then you are a perfect fit for this activity. Children should be accompanied by an adult that can help facilitate their experience.
Mask Making Workshop:
Cost: $0
Open: 9:00 – 10:30 am
1:00 – 2:30 pm
Advanced Mask Making Workshop
Cost: $5
Open:
11:00 am – 12:00 pm Register here
3:00 – 4:00 pm Register here
Meet Our Maker: Celeste Moreno
We took some time to sit down with Celeste Moreno, a resident of Boulder, Colorado, to learn about how she got started as a Maker and the roll the Science Center of Iowa played in her journey. Here are her responses:
How would you define/describe “making”?
To me, “making” is a celebration of the skills and practices that shape our lives; mending a ripped pair of pants, building a house, baking cookies, customizing a skateboard. People are creative and inventive and “making” is one way that we express this. It’s a way of solving problems, caretaking, innovating, and creating beauty.
What are you studying at the University of Colorado in Boulder?
I’m studying the intersection of education, design, and technology at the ATLAS Institute at CU Boulder as a Ph.D. student. My studies and research are focused on how to design creative learning experiences for learners of all ages, particularly in places like museums and libraries.
What got you interested in this field?
I got interested in designing learning experiences during my undergraduate program at Iowa State University. I was enrolled in a program called Biological and Pre-Medical Illustration and in this program we learned a lot about how to effectively and accurately communicate science using creative methods like animation and illustration. One of my favorite projects that I made was a life-size replica of a wooly mammoth’s foot that was designed to be an educational tool. During this project I realized that I wanted to know more about how people learn, and how creative approaches to education like “making” can support learning. This program, along with my volunteer experience at the Science Center, opened my eyes to how much learning takes place outside of the classroom in spaces like museums, libraries, online, at home, etc. I became interested in understanding what’s special or different about the learning that happens there and I wanted to understand how best to design for learning in these spaces.
What are some of your favorite maker activities?
One of my favorite maker activities is wind-up toy dissections and remixes. It’s fun and fascinating to take apart wind-up toys and reveal the mechanisms that make the toys work. You’ll find gears, springs, screws, and more hidden inside the plastic shell. When I do this activity, I usually ask people to predict what they think is inside the toy first, then we use small screwdrivers and tools to take apart the toy. After we compare what we thought was inside the toy to what’s really inside of it we make “Frankenstein” wind-up toys. Learners repurpose the mechanisms they dissected and borrow bits and pieces from other toys to create wind-up toys that look funny or move in interesting ways. I love how this activity encourages learners to develop a curiosity about the mechanisms inside of familiar objects, gives them a little bit of experience with small tools, and creates an opportunity to not only take something apart– but to make something new. This activity is a great creativity kick-starter and it’s always a lot of fun.
Why do you think “making” is important?
“Making” is important for many reasons but here are a couple big ones: I think “making”, at its best, builds on the expertise that all people and communities possess. It lifts up and celebrates existing knowledge and skills as valuable ways of learning about and making sense of the world. Making expands the vocabulary that we have to express our ideas and investigate our questions. It gives us a wider variety of materials and tools to explore and bring our ideas to life with.
What is your connection to the Science Center of Iowa?
The Science Center of Iowa has always been a part of my life in big and small ways. My mom partially credits her visits to the old Science Center with her grandpa as part of what sparked her interest in science (which was eventually passed on to me). I have lots of memories of visiting both the old and new Science Center with my school classmates and family. During college, I started to volunteer at the Science Center and I loved it so much that I applied to be a “maker-in-residence” and began working at the Science Center in that position after I graduated. I moved on to another job, but eventually made my way back to the science center and worked with the education and exhibits teams for a bit before I moved to Colorado. Now, I’m continuing to collaborate with the Science Center from Colorado and I get to come back from time to time for special occasions like Maker Faire!
Celeste will be facilitating workshops in the Innovation Lab during the Des Moines Mini Maker Faire on September 5 at the Science Center of Iowa. You can purchase advanced tickets on the SCI Website.
Des Moines Mini Maker Faire Applications Open
The Des Moines Mini Maker Faire is now accepting exhibitor applications!
Whether you’re a first-time tinkerer or an experienced inventor, Maker Faire welcomes a variety of creative projects, including:
- Crafts
- Fine Arts
- Robotics
- Technology
- Gaming
- Fashion design
- Woodworking
- 3D printing
- LEGO construction
- And more!
Exhibitor applications are due Wednesday, August 31 for the 2022 Des Moines Mini Maker Faire which is being held Monday, September 5.