B Arriaga was hired as the Library’s first Makerspace Student Assistant in spring of 2022 and transitioned to a limited-term Makerspace Assistant position after graduating in fall of 2022. As a queer and neurodivergent person, B was looking for a role that suited their talents and provided a welcoming and creative learning experience, both of which the position offered.
As a member of the Makerspace Working Group, B made many valuable contributions during the planning and development of the Library’s future Makerspace. They helped establish the program needs, equipment and design by conducting extensive research on makerspaces, connecting with campus and community arts groups, and administering student surveys to identify key components of a dynamic and accessible space. They have also integrated the use of ChatGPT in their design research and utilized their unique skills and creative mindset to create the program’s sewing activities. Ensuring the UCSB Makerspace is accessible to all is of the utmost importance to B. “Meeting the expectations of physical accessibility is the bare minimum, I envision a Makerspace that goes above and beyond, striving for true equity,” they said.
B is currently exploring graduate school options related to clinical psychology and/or the arts.
