Mollie Walsh -
Vector Space congratulates Margot Marcais, a recent graduate of Amherst County High School, who, in her final semester, represented the region at the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Phoenix, Arizona, earlier this year.
The journey leading up to taking her project on the road has been a long one. Beginning in 9th grade her, Margot had a dream: to recycle plastic directly into the materials she needed to make stuffed animals. What began as a crochet passion project during the COVID-19 pandemic grew into a big idea for unique recycling and a small business! Today, Margot sells her handmade crochet stuffed animals at a local farmers market.
To create the stuffing for those animals, Margot modified an old cotton candy machine to heat and spin recycled plastic bottles into fine polyester fibers. As makers know—and as Margot discovered—projects have a way of growing in complexity. As her design evolved, she needed someone with experience to help her navigate the finer points of applying temperature control to her machine.
We were excited to play a part in Margot's journey of creating and refining her recycled plastic fiber machine by connecting her to Bill Guzek, a Vector Space member, Board Member, and Electronics Shop Captain. Bill volunteered his time to meet with Margot regularly over several months, helping her better understand heat transfer, electronics, soldering, and machine design. Together they explored the capabilities of her modified cotton candy machine, and Bill introduced her to the use of an ESP32 microcontroller to build a programmable temperature-control system. While Margot completed nearly all of the machine modifications herself, Bill's guidance helped her develop the knowledge and confidence needed to solve increasingly complex engineering challenges. It's an exciting moment for Vector Space when we can connect young innovators eager to learn and succeed with mentors seasoned by experience.
Soon Margot was ready to compete, and she earned the Grand Prize in Engineering and Technology at the Central Virginia Regional Science Fair for her innovative project which builds a unique bridge between sustainability, engineering, and entrepreneurship. This qualified Margot for a fair described as “the biggest pre collegiate Science and engineering competition in the world”. Roughly 1,600 students from 65 countries and territories from around the world meet annually to compete at ISEF.
Margot's trip to Phoenix was the culmination of years of work. What started as a small business during the pandemic evolved into four years of research, design, and refinement, demonstrating both entrepreneurial spirit and engineering ingenuity.
Stories like Margot's are a reminder of what makes makerspaces special. When curious people have access to tools, knowledge, and mentors willing to share their expertise, remarkable things can happen. Makerspaces everywhere are places where stories like this are made.
We congratulate Margot on this achievement and wish her continued success as she showcases the innovation, creativity, and determination coming out of Central Virginia. This fall, Margot plans to attend Washington and Lee University to study mechanical engineering and continue developing sustainable manufacturing solutions.
Thanks are also owed to Bill for generously sharing his knowledge and expertise. His commitment to the project has been truly inspiring. Bill continues to work on personal projects and teach at Vector Space, this weekend offering a short workshop for members on battery welding.
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