For the 6th time in Hill City Combat Robot history Vector Space brought robot makers from far and wide to our little Lynchburg hamlet to cheer, to clash, to laugh and to cry but most importantly to leave with absolute resolve to rebuild stronger, better and more bots for next year.

Peter Simmons, a jolly fellow with a warm accent, spends days transforming wood at Vector Space. A relatively new member at two and a half years, Peter’s roots take him back to Watford, England. Now, at home in cozy little Lynchburg, Vector Space is proud to say that Simmons regularly visits to kick up a little dust, reshape some wood, and walk through the door with material that has a story tucked under his arm.

Des Black, native to Australia and regular keeper of the coals at Vector Space specializes in woodturning. Spending at least three hours in the shop every day since the age of 12, Des regularly produces signature bowls. Des also spends time enhancing the Bedford community by volunteering and sharing pieces with the Bower Center for the Arts.

Vector Space is moving! We need all the help we can get.

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In the collaboration room at Vector Space I was lucky to have an audience with entrepreneur and creator Clover Charles. With makers clicking, clacking, and creating in rooms all around. Clover- an entrepreneur, licensed cosmetologist, certified hair loss specialist and fellow at Vector Space - took time to weave me into her thoughts on working with Vector Space, running a business in Lynchburg, and co-creating with her daughter.

This week a new group of students from Lynchburg City Schools Empowerment Academy begins their semester at Vector Space. As they embark on a new community project, we wanted to share the work of last semester's students.

On a welcome sunny day after Virginia’s recent cold snap I had the pleasure of hearing the heart warming story of downtown Lynchburg’s Vector Space member Stability X. With sunshine streaming in the window of her bus, soon to be home, she told the story of how she came to use Vector Space as a way out… Stability joined Vector Space in Sept 2021 after moving here from Georgia, where she became familiar with shared workspaces. As a mother and a disabled veteran, Stability found herself bumping into housing barriers.

When I decided to study engineering, I knew that I liked science and I liked to build things, and that engineering probably included these things. I wasn't completely wrong, but certainly misguided, and it's an experience I've heard from many of my fellow engineers. If there isn't an engineer in your life, you likely have little understanding of what engineers do in general, and even less about specific subdomains. Part of the solution to this problem must surely be for engineers to engage with the public and serve as the source of this knowledge.