The technology at Fort Valley State University’s Fab Lab helps guide ideas into reality. Laser cutters, printers, 3D scanners, robots and AI-enabled tools create an environment for makers and problem-solvers.

But Fab Lab Director Heaven Whitby is pushing further. It’s one thing to use technology to spark ideas or build prototypes; it’s quite another to create an ecosystem of learning that helps ideas come to fruition.

That’s why Whitby developed a new, any-age curriculum that raises the bar for everyone at the FVSU Fab Lab. At its core: quantum physics.

“Last year, I did it with Girl Scouts and it worked,” said Whitby, who developed the lessons with international scientists in the Fab Lab network. “What I built was a model that teaches individuals how to take real-world problems and create solutions. But in order to create the solutions, you have to go through my theoretical way of doing it — and this requires you to learn concepts of quantum theory.”

The curriculum, taught to first-graders, grew out of a personal challenge Whitby set after seeing how other countries approach innovation. Empowering children to problem-solve, Whitby said, builds a foundation that puts Middle Georgia students on the same playing field as students internationally.

As she enters a new year of teaching and learning at the Fab Lab, Whitby says she’s looking forward to expanding her quantum-focused lessons to give residents of all ages additional skills for their innovation toolboxes. The Fab Lab, launched by Chevron, FVSU and MIT’s Fab Foundation, also operates two mobile labs made possible through Georgia AIM.

By taking technology on the road and offering workshops to Middle Georgia residents, Whitby helps expand Georgia AIM’s mission: connecting AI and smart technologies to manufacturing.

And that starts with giving people space to explore, feel safe failing and grow in their learning.

Community Connections

Part of a global network of more than 2,500 labs, FVSU’s Fab Lab is unique in how it engages its community. Typically, Fab Labs emerge from a local need for STEM education and grow with community funding. In this case, the lab launched from Chevron’s mission to expand STEM education in K–12 schools and universities.

Selecting Whitby to run the lab was unusual, too. Most labs are led by engineers or other technology specialists. Whitby’s background is in maternal health education and, more recently, running Startup Macon. She might not have had experience operating a CNC machine, but she understood the community, its needs and how to help people feel safe while learning something new.

Sierra Martin, director of membership and programming at SparkMacon, the parent organization for Startup Macon, said Whitby’s penchant for creating connections is a powerful asset.

“During my time working with her, I always found her very good at creating partnerships and connections,” she said. “And I think that’s essential for entrepreneurs, and in connecting entrepreneurs with resources, education, and helping them launch their business. She always took care to find community partners and find resources that would help our entrepreneurs.”

Experts at MIT and the Fab Foundation trained her on the technology. Since launch, she has focused on building strong relationships with local school districts and community organizations.

Her goal: create a safe place to learn new skills, regardless of age.

“The basis is always cheering you on and encouraging you to shoot for the stars,” said Whitby. That applies equally to local farmers she introduces to new technologies and to second-graders holding a circuit for the first time. “I also teach individuals who are 50-plus that are interested in being a part of the world. My dad is about to turn 80 and he’s still a computer engineer. He still builds computers with my daughter and me.”

Everyone has a version of these ages inside them, she said — even an 80-year-old can be as excited as a second-grader with a new circuit. Whitby pays attention to which version shows up in the lab each day.

This type of engagement has set the Fab Lab apart since opening in 2024. Last year, it was selected as the host site for a Fab Lab fellowship from among the more than 2,500 labs worldwide. It’s also the first Chevron-funded lab to reach the three-year mark without additional support — a testament to Whitby’s community connections and the resources she provides.

A set of tools

When Chevron’s foundation approached Whitby about directing the new lab, it opened the door to a new way of thinking about programming, education and community engagement. As director of Startup Macon, Whitby had learned the regional ecosystem — local development authorities, city resources and educational networks. She combined that experience with her training in maternal health and wellness and shifted into STEM learning.

As a small business owner and, later, through Startup Macon, Whitby saw firsthand that having an innovative idea is only part of the journey. Without support systems, teachers or mentors, momentum can fade.

The Fab Lab, she said, can be a toolbox innovators and entrepreneurs turn to when they need help.

“Confidence is one of the biggest killers of long-term sustainability and entrepreneurship.” At Startup Macon, she said, “One of the things I noticed was that a lot of the people I talked with felt a lot more confident just in the conversations that we were having. However, that confidence and those conversations are fleeting — how do we make that confidence last longer?”

That philosophy continues at the Fab Lab, where programs — like the quantum-based curriculum — help reduce past learning trauma and build confidence.

Growing up, Whitby’s parents, an architect and a computer scientist, encouraged her to explore and learn. Now, she is creating that same environment for Middle Georgia residents.

“So, it’s not about making people feel, ‘I am a quantum engineer’ by the end of six weeks, for example,” she says. “It’s about, by the time this comes up again, you are so confident and ready for this because you have already played around with this — you remember these concepts and that applies for everybody, from first-graders on up to anybody that wants to use these theories in the future. They just need to have a familiarity with it, and that’s what this model is all about.”