Castle Kim is the BETA Center Makerspace manager with the Center for Biomedical Engineering Technology Acceleration (BETA Center) in NIBIB. Castle manages the BETA Center Makerspace, a unique resource to the NIH, which serves as a fabrication hub to support and advance research, open to all NIH members.
Previously, Castle managed a couple of makerspaces at different Universities, such as Florida State University and Princeton University, where we worked, collaborated, and consulted with undergraduate and graduate students, university staff members, and faculty on various fabrication projects. Castle received his double degree from the University of Washington, Seattle, in Honors B.S. in Evolution, Ecology, and Conservation Biology and a B.A. in Drama with a focus on Performance. At the University of California, Irvine, Castle received his M.S. in Biological Sciences and Educational Media Design. Then, at Florida State University's School of Information, Castle studied in the doctoral program in information (ABD). Outside of work, Castle's hobbies include kendo, playing MTG Commander, and brewing coffee.
The exponential growth of makerspaces from the early 2000s and the continued expansion into the higher education environment have made various fabrication technologies more accessible to users from diverse backgrounds. Some of the fabrication technologies include FDM 3D printers, SLA 3D printers, and laser cutters. Castle's interest in makerspaces and the intersection of research is to guide, support, and explore ways to utilize these fabrication technologies independently and together in novel and innovative ways, thereby advancing research and addressing daily lab challenges.