Advancing National STEM Education

Investing in the Future of STEM Education Across the United States

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In a continued commitment to strengthening K–12 STEM education in the United States, Aramco has partnered with us to expand access to hands-on digital fabrication learning across the Washington, D.C. region. Through this collaboration Aramco has supported the deployment of five Fab-in-a-Box units to a diverse set of learning environments, including high schools, a youth center, a museum, and the public library system, extending STEM opportunities well beyond traditional classroom walls. The Fab-in-a-Box kits were deployed at Columbia Heights Education Campus, McKinley Technology High School, the Latin American Youth Center, the National Building Museum, and across the District of Columbia Public Library network. Together, these sites represent a broad ecosystem of formal and informal learning spaces, ensuring that students and educators throughout the city can engage with advanced manufacturing tools in accessible, community-centered settings.

Fab Lab training gets educators ready to use the new technologies to engage students with STEM topics.

In addition to the equipment deployment, Aramco supported a personalized professional development program delivered by our education outreach team. This immersive training equipped educators with the skills, confidence, and curricular strategies needed to integrate digital fabrication technologies directly into their teaching practice, empowering them to bring project-based, student-centered learning into their classrooms and programs.

Fab-in-a-Box is our all-in-one, mobile solution for hands-on digital fabrication education. Each unit includes a laser cutter, 3D printer, vinyl cutter, electronics kits, materials, and an integrated computer preloaded with design software, providing the core capabilities of a professional-grade fabrication workshop in a single, portable package. Supported by custom curricular activities, participating educators and students gain a clear pathway toward proficiency in advanced manufacturing and creative problem-solving.

Johnny Hanson, Acting Citizenship Supervisor for Aramco Americas Public Affairs, says the appeal to get involved with Fab Foundation and this specific program was the accessibility these mobile carts bring by making digital fabrication tools readily available to young learners not only in schools but places like libraries and after school programs.

Adding Fab-in-a-Box to these learning environments gives students a rare opportunity to develop critical, technical and creative skills at an early age. Just as importantly, participation connects educators and learners to the global Fab Lab Network: a worldwide community of makers, innovators, and technologists who collaborate openly, share knowledge, and grow together.

As Aramco continues to expand its portfolio of STEM education initiatives throughout the U.S. nationwide, the Fab Lab Network offers a powerful platform for scalable, community-driven impact. Through this partnership, we are advancing shared goals of socioeconomic development, workforce readiness, and equitable access to technology and knowledge.

The Fab-in-a-Box initiative aligns seamlessly with Aramco’s broader commitment to education and community investment. Through collaborations like this one, we are expanding access to advanced tools and hands-on, project-based learning, equipping students with the skills required by the modern workforce and empowering them to thrive in the future. We look forward to seeing how this partnership continues to grow in the years ahead.

Fab-In-A-Box is powered by seed funding from the Center for Bits and Atoms at MIT and Dassault Systèmes SolidWorks.