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The Bucks County Intermediate Unit (Bucks IU) marked another significant milestone in its STEAM education efforts with a ribbon-cutting ceremony to launch a third Mobile Fab Lab on January 20, 2026. Funded through a 2025 PAsmart grant, the new, fully equipped and staffed mobile lab allows the Bucks IU Fab Lab program to impact more schools in Bucks County and expand its reach beyond Bucks County into Carbon and Lehigh counties.
The 2025 PAsmart award marks the third PAsmart grant to directly Lab program. The initiative began with a PAsmart Innovation Grant that launched the first Mobile Fab Lab in 2019, followed by a smaller 2021 grant that supported community outreach at libraries and professional learning opportunities for educators. The 2025 grant, totaling $450,000, funded the creation of an additional, fully equipped new Mobile Fab Lab.
The PAsmart Innovation Grant Program is a statewide investment in education, workforce development, and innovation. Through PAsmart, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania supports hands-on, career-connected learning experiences that prepare students for the future workforce. This funding enables Bucks IU to bring advanced STEAM opportunities like 3D printing, robotics, laser cutting, and design thinking directly to students and communities.
The program reflects the core goals of PAsmart: sparking innovation, building essential skills, and ensuring Pennsylvania students are prepared for the careers of tomorrow.
Dr. Mark Hoffman, Bucks IU Executive Director, stated, “The Bucks IU’s commitment to STEAM programs is reflected in the exceptional growth of our Fab Lab programs.”
The continued growth of the Fab Lab program responds to the increasing demand for a skilled workforce in STEAM-related fields. Across Bucks County and Pennsylvania, STEAM businesses—particularly in advanced manufacturing—are seeking workers who are prepared for a technology-driven, global economy. In 2026, nearly every industry requires some level of familiarity with computer science or digital fabrication, making early exposure to these skills more critical than ever.
The Mobile Fab Lab program provides one-week school residencies scheduled throughout the academic year. Each Mobile Fab Lab is housed in a transit van outfitted with specialized carts containing a laser engraver, 3D printers, desktop fabrication machines, computers, iPads, and robotics equipment. Together, this equipment supports hands-on learning in digital fabrication and computer science. Each week, three fully equipped Mobile Fab Lab vans travel to schools with trained coordinators to deliver these experiences.
Each Mobile Fab Lab visits approximately thirty-two schools per year and engages more than 10,000 students annually. With three Mobile Fab Labs in operation, more than 30,000 students are reached through the mobile program alone. When combined with Bucks IU’s center-based STEAM programs and additional engagement with Act 89 nonpublic schools, the Bucks IU STEAM team is on track to reach approximately 45,000 students this year.
“The vast numbers of students we are now reaching with our Mobile Fab Labs and programs at the Fab Lab Center, like our nine weeks of summer camp, are both humbling and exciting,” stated Dr. Lindsey Rutherford, Bucks IU Supervisor of STEAM Education.
This achievement reflects a deep commitment to expanding access to STEAM education and creating a strong sense of pride in the impact of the program. The Bucks IU remains IU remains grateful to the PAsmart program for its continued support in helping engage elementary-aged students in Bucks County and beyond in meaningful, future-focused learning experiences.
ABOUT THE BUCKS COUNTY INTERMEDIATE UNIT (Bucks IU):
Celebrating 55 years of service! The Bucks IU supports improvements and advancements in student learning by providing exceptional educational programs, innovative professional development, and advanced business/technology services. We serve people from ages birth through adults, students in public and private schools along with their staff and administrators, and the community of Bucks County. The Bucks IU is also the liaison between local schools and the Pennsylvania Department of Education. For more information, go to www.BucksIU.org or call 215-348-2940.