KCAI Leads the Way: Hosting Women in STEM Competition
- Make48+Team
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Get ready for an inspiring collaboration as Make48 returns to the iconic Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) campus for its 9th season, featuring a special Women in STEM event from July 11-13th! This competition will bring together eight all-female teams from across the country to innovate and create.
The Kansas City Art Institute provides the perfect backdrop for this event. A cornerstone of artistic and design education, KCAI has nurtured creativity and pushed the boundaries of artistic expression for over a century. Located in the heart of the city, directly between The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art and The Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art, the campus boasts 19 lecture halls, studios, and labs. The halls of KCAI have been graced by countless notable faculty and alumni, including art legends like Thomas Hart Benton and Robert Morris, contemporary artists Nick Cave and Richard Corben, and even a young Walt Disney, who took Saturday morning classes here. Make48 itself has a history with KCAI, having filmed its first two seasons on their beautiful campus at the David T. Beals III Studio.
The Women in STEM teams will have an environment for innovation at the David T. Beals III Studio for Art and Technology on the KCAI campus. This cutting-edge fabrication laboratory provides students, faculty, and staff with access to a diverse array of digital fabrication tools and the expert instruction and mentorship needed to bring ideas to life. The studio is equipped with 8 Ultimaker FDM 3D Printers, 1 Fuse1 SLS Nylon 3D Printer, 2 Form3+ SLA Resin 3D Printers, 3 Epilog Laser Systems, 2 CNC Mills, 1 Wazer Waterjet Cutter, and 1 industrial Formech Vacuum Former.
Beyond the extensive machinery, Beals Studios fosters a collaborative atmosphere with a classroom area featuring 12 powerful computers loaded with modeling and design software, all seamlessly integrated with an 84” SurfaceHub for dynamic projection. This layout encourages a fluid workflow from initial ideation to design, iteration, and re-iteration. Throughout the year, Beals Studios also hosts a variety of engaging workshops, events, and competitions, including their popular Sunday Workshop Series, seasonal events like the 3D Printed Egg Hunt, and prestigious recognitions such as the Beals Studios Award of Excellence and Innovation.
KCAI’s academic offerings are robust, with 13 majors grounded in a strong liberal arts foundation and numerous minors to customize a student's educational journey. The institution is also home to groundbreaking programs such as the Product Design degree, spearheaded by founding Chair, Professor Chapin. This innovative program is designed with a strong entrepreneurial emphasis, preparing future designers to be agents for change through the objects, systems, and businesses they create, fostering collaborations across disciplines, with industry professionals, and community stakeholders.
"We believe this event will not only showcase incredible talent but also inspire the next generation of female leaders in STEM fields," said Tom Gray, CEO.
Stay tuned to see the innovation unfold. For more information and to follow the competition, visit: https://www.make48.com/2025-kcai-women-in-stem
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About Kansas City Art Institute
The Kansas City Art Institute (KCAI) is a leading college of art and design, dedicated to preparing gifted students to transform the world creatively. KCAI's mission is to be an innovative leader in art and design education, providing students with the tools and resources they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving creative landscape. Recognizing the importance of both traditional and digital skills, KCAI offers exceptional resources for handcrafting and digital production. Students learn time-honored techniques alongside cutting-edge technologies, gaining proficiency in everything from woodworking and ceramics (utilizing well-equipped shops and kilns) to digital fabrication and design (using state-of-the-art facilities including 3D printers, a digital loom, and CNC routers). Individual studio spaces further support the creative process. The college empowers students to hone their skills, explore their creative potential, and emerge as influential artists and designers.
About Make48
Make48 is a nationwide invention-competition docuseries that challenges teams to turn their ideas into reality in just 48 hours. During the three-day event, participants must design a prototype, create a promotional video, and prepare a sales sheet to present their concept to a panel of judges. Teams have access to a state-of-the-art makerspace, skilled Tool Techs who can bring almost any vision to life, as well as patent attorneys, marketing experts, and other invaluable resources. This unique format ensures a level playing field, where creativity and teamwork shine, making it accessible to everyone; no prior technical expertise is required.
Make48 Media Contact:
Cassandra Muñoz