Written by: D. Da Costa Spark Specialist UNT Senior Mechanical and Energy Engineering
Hello there! My name is Danielle Da Costa and I am a senior at the UNT majoring in Mechanical and Energy Engineering and minoring in Electrical Engineering. Although I have just started working at the Spark, I truly feel welcomed by all the staff and it has been a joy being here. Working with all the equipment at the Spark, especially the textiles, is something I am passionate about.
When I was young, my abuelita (grandma) had a side job as a seamstress, and growing up I would love seeing and wearing her creations. Although she did not teach me how to sew, I picked it up quickly at the age of 13, and through much trial-and-error, I was able to develop the skills I have today. When I have free time, I dedicate it to creating things like this Easter dress I made for my niece and a hammock I made for guinea pigs.
Outside of school, I create my own designs with my 3D printer, sewing machines, and silhouette cameo, with the ultimate goal of having my own fabrication lab after college with a larger variety of machines. I also enjoy metalworking with welders, lathes, and mills. And luckily, in my manufacturing processes lab, I was able to properly fabricate parts given their dimensions.
I am passionate about making, and I hope to inspire others to join the maker movement and challenge themselves to learn something new. The Spark is a great resource for students at UNT who are interested in making or wanting to develop a new skill, so I highly encourage students and faculty to utilize this space.