Maker Faire Bay Area 2024
E-PISTEME Space
Home: Salamanca, Spain
Our E-PISTEME Space series offers immersive experiences in astronomy and all things space. Build a solar system, set up a telescope, program a scale model of a rover, and much more. Embark on a journey of learning and discovery with inquiry-based activities that spark curiosity, nurture creativity, and foster analytical thinking. Engage in practical DIY activities using cutting-edge technologies that bring STEM concepts to life, from electronics and programming to robotics, design, and scientific experiments. Expand your understanding with our educational app, featuring expert-designed content, AR/VR experiences, and smart connected devices for immersive learning.
https://e-pisteme.com/en/kickstarter/
Maker
E-PISTEME
E-PISTEME is a startup in the EdTech sector, dedicated to transforming STEM education through the integration of advanced technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and the Internet of Things (IoT). We offer innovative educational kits that combine immersive experiences with hands-on learning. With a robust digital platform and strategic collaborations with educational institutions, E-PISTEME is committed to excellence and accessibility.
https://e-pisteme.com/What Inspired You to Make This?
At 31, I am a scientist and entrepreneur from Mérida, Venezuela, currently based in Spain. I studied physics and music in my hometown. In 2014, I took on a PhD position at the University of Geneva and CERN, exploring the chaotic properties of black holes. I combined this with a side gig as a STEM tutor to support my family amid the economic turmoil back home. In the winter of 2019, toward the end of my PhD, I went to MIT as a long-term visitor and dedicated my spare time to delve into FabLabs— fabrication laboratories. This movement, initiated by MIT faculty Neil Gershenfeld (with whom I fortuitously crossed paths) through his course ‘How to build (almost) anything,’ involves maker spaces equipped with tools and machines for affordable and rapid computer-aided prototyping. The concept of FabLabs captivated me, especially considering their potential implications in crises akin to that of Venezuela: How can a distributed network of rapid prototyping facilities address the challenges of an undersupplied, ailing economy? What transformative power does it hold when fueled by accessible designs from thousands of individuals worldwide? Faced with a shortened MIT stay due to COVID-19, I returned to Geneva and discovered the existence of a Spanish entrepreneur visa. Concurrently, I devoted my time to writing my PhD thesis and a business plan inspired by FabLabs. Rejecting postdoc offers in theoretical physics, I enrolled in a master's in interactive and digital fabrication technologies and moved to Spain to establish an Edtech project. I named the company E-PISTEME.TECH, a reference to e-learning, episteme (knowledge, or that which is acquired through reason) and techne (craft, or knowledge acquired through practice). Since its inception in 2021, E-pisteme's mission has been to build tools for learning. I fervently advocate for hands-on learning as an indispensable tool for STEM education and high-quality STEM education as a critical root of progress. Practical, experiential learning reinforces theoretical concepts and cultivates problem-solving skills, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of scientific practice. For STEM subjects, where real-world applications are paramount, hands-on experiences bridge the gap between theory and practice, between episteme and techne. Despite the widespread acknowledgement of the value and effectiveness of hands-on learning in educational settings, the practical implementation of hands-on activities in the classroom encounters various challenges, ranging from logistical issues to limited resources. What exactly are these challenges, and how can they be solved? Addressing these points is the inspiration behind E-PISTEME Space, hopefully our first of many STEM lines to come.
