Jacobs Institute Student Newsletter: September 23rd, 2026
Jacobs Institute Student Newsletter
UPCOMING@JACOBS
Jacobs Institute-organized events, news, and announcements—straight from the source.
WORK-STUDY OPENING: Jacobs Institute Student Engagement Assistant
Work-Study #: 7456341453
Apply here
Applications close October 2nd
The Student Engagement Assistant supports the Student Engagement Manager with day-to-day administrative and operational needs to foster a vibrant maker community at the Jacobs Institute in Jacobs Hall. They serve as a primary point of contact for students, holding front-desk hours, managing Jacobs material cart inventory, and conducting facility tours of Jacobs Hall for campus visitors and students. In this role, you will drive community engagement by curating the weekly student newsletter, executing campus-wide promotional efforts, and assisting with key programs such as Golden Bear Orientation and Design Showcases.
For more information about this role, please review the full job description here.
Applications close October 2nd.
If you have any questions about the application process or role, please email janrey...@berkeley.edu.
EXPAND YOUR SKILLS WITH WORKSHOPS in the Jacobs Makerspace
Become acquainted with a new skill, learn more about the resources and materials available at Jacobs, and connect with our community! FREE but Maker Pass required. Next week’s offerings:
9/24: Intro to Grasshopper / Understand the fundamentals of parametric design with Cody Glen
9/29: AI Ethics for STEM / Navigating AI, thoughtfully and critically with Nicole Panditi (NO MAKERPASS REQUIRED!)
10/1: RoboDraw / Turn your sketch into robot art with Cody Glen
10/15: Advanced RoboDraw / Go deeper with multiaxis robotics with Cody Glen
Learn more and reserve your spot today!
DESIGN OPPORTUNITIES DIGEST
non-Jacobs Institute-affiliated events, opportunities, and programs—at your fingertips.
UC BERKELEY ENTREPRENEURSHIP MIXER
Wednesday, September 23 ⋅ 6:00 – 8:00pm ⋅ RSVP is required as space is limited.
Hosted by UC Berkeley SCET, Big Ideas Contest, and Berkeley Changemaker(R), this mixer is the perfect opportunity to connect with fellow students, explore entrepreneurship opportunities at Berkeley, and meet potential collaborators—or even your future co-founder.
Location: Jarvis Auditorium @ Grimes Engineering Center
1-Minute Startup Pitches: Students can sign up to pitch on the main stage in Jarvis Auditorium. Pitch sign-ups close September 11.
Food: Pizza and light refreshments will be provided.
Open to all UC Berkeley students, alumni, and friends. We can't wait to see you there!
Join us at Maker Faire Bay Area to assemble Toddler Mobility Trainers (TMTs)!
One of our Jacobs Institute Design Fellows, Dana Yichye Shwachman, is hosting a fun inclusive design build party at Maker Faire!
Maker Faire is a gathering of fascinating, curious people who enjoy learning and who love sharing what they can do. It’s a venue for makers to show examples of their work and interact with others about it. Many makers say they have no other place to share what they do. DIY (Do-It-Yourself) is often invisible in our communities, taking place in shops, garages and on kitchen tables. It’s typically out of the spotlight of traditional art or science or craft events. Maker Faire makes visible these projects and ideas that we don’t encounter every day.
Get 30% off your Maker Faire ticket
Register for the MakeGood TMT Making Party
We are searching for individuals to participate in a research study focused on collaborative design tasks. In this study, you will work with another participant and an AI assistant to solve a design task. The AI will present information using different personas, and your participation will help us understand the impact AI assistants have on group collaboration. Participation will require 1 hour of your time. Participants will be compensated with a $20 gift card, distributed via Tango. Tango gift cards can be redeemed for a wide variety of popular retailers. Study will be conducted virtually via Zoom.
Eligibility criteria
Must be 18 years of age or older
Fluent in English
Must live in the United States
Prior coursework experience in product design/mechanical design/human-centered design/industrial design/UI design
Participation in this research is completely voluntary. You have the right to decline to participate or to withdraw at any point in this study without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. Your decision to participate in the study or not will have no effect on your grades, position, or status at UC Berkeley or elsewhere.
If you are interested in participating, have any questions, or would like more information, please email kevin...@berkeley.edu or call Kevin Ma at (713) 858-8993. Kevin Ma is a PhD student affiliated with the Department of Mechanical Engineering at UC Berkeley.
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To add your event to the Jacobs Student Newsletter, please contact Janrey Javier at janrey...@berkeley.edu.
Get your Jacobs Maker Pass and get access to a world-class prototyping and fabrication facility — training and mentorship by professional staff included.
If you require accommodation for a disability for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact Jacobs Institute staff at jacobsi...@berkeley.edu with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days in advance of the event.
The Jacobs Institute for Design Innovation strives to be a welcoming home for all members of the Berkeley community. We value your ideas, suggestions and concerns. Complete our Jacobs Institute Anonymous Feedback Form.