If you walk into the Delta Innovation Hub on any given afternoon, it’s no surprise to hear the whirr of a 3D printer, hum of a sewing machine, or buzz of a laser cutter echoing from the Makerspace. The sounds of the tools indicate that students are hard at work at the Center for Research, Engineering, and Technological Exploration – better known as CREATE.
The CREATE Lab is a team of engineering students that offers engineering design and early-stage prototyping services to industry and faculty clients. The program was initially piloted in 2024 with a small group of students working on assorted prototyping projects for UGA faculty at the Innovation Factory – an engineering lab directed by Dr. Jaime Camelio, Associate Dean for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship in the College of Engineering. Kevin Wu, Engineering Catalyst, realized the potential value of CREATE’s services for researchers, startups, and industry during his interdepartmental work with the College of Engineering and Innovation Gateway. Wu assumed leadership of CREATE in the spring of 2025, and the program currently has six active members working at the Delta Innovation Hub.
“CREATE is an opportunity for our students to get the industry experience they want without having to go outside the university,” Wu said. “They’re applying engineering concepts and processes to real-world projects with real-world stakes; being beholden to a client and held to deliverables is a different experience than submitting homework to your professor.”
Many UGA students participate in classroom experiential learning opportunities, such as ENGR’s two-semester Capstone Design program. This kind of project-based learning requires special industry partners that are willing to invest substantial time in student work, since these projects are typically semester- or year-long endeavors. CREATE provides another avenue for companies to work with UGA talent, especially if they have more accelerated timelines or specific expectations for deliverables.
CREATE is an opportunity for our students to get the industry experience they want without having to go outside the university.
– Kevin Wu, Engineering Catalyst
The program also gives students an opportunity to get the professional development and industry experience that they want while pursuing their degrees. “A big part of learning how to be a good engineer happens through co-ops and internships: experiential learning that just can’t be cultivated in a classroom,” Wu said. “We want our students to get that valuable experience without having to leave Athens or even the University of Georgia.”
Chris Rhodes, Executive Director of the UGA Innovation District, points out that there is value from CREATE for the startup community as well. “I love the industry experience that the students get with CREATE, but they are filling a real need and creating real value for our startups. Many entrepreneurs have great ideas but don’t know how to actually build what they have envisioned. CREATE can help bring startup ideas to life.”
One of CREATE’s current projects is developing a heated arm sleeve for baseball players undergoing rehabilitation from ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, commonly known as Tommy John surgery. The aim of incorporating heat therapy into an athletic arm sleeve is to promote recovery by enhancing blood flow and reducing stiffness, supporting players as they return to performance.
The CREATE team has worked on projects in a variety of areas, including helping research faculty create devices to further their research and working with small businesses to create and optimize early-stage prototypes. “As the program continues to grow, we hope to be engaging with larger, industry-scale partners on some impactful projects,” noted Wu.
Those interested in working with CREATE, either as a client or as a student member, can learn more about the program by visiting https://create.uga.edu.
