Bambu Lab has launched its 2026 School Ambassador program in North America.
The program put out a call for applicants for the program back in March, and now some 50 individuals are ready for action during the upcoming school season.
What is that action? The idea here is that Bambu Lab is looking for students from the eighth grade up to PhD candidates that want to “teach, not just make”. Making is of course a very typical activity on Bambu Lab 3D printers, but this program wants to get the message out to others directly from the students themselves.
Apparently, there were almost 400 applicants for the program, and 50 were selected. These folks will now be set up with Bambu Lab equipment, materials, and a local support contact to assist. They will then put on events highlighting various aspects of making, all using the equipment.
Bambu Lab reports that the group put on 41 events over the summer months, which apparently involved more than 30,000 participants (averaging 731 people per event?). That’s quite significant, and shows there is still considerable interest in the technology from the public and in particular STEM students.
The program currently runs only in North America, and has ambassadors in eight US states and three Canadian cities.
What exactly are these projects? Here’s one example, described by Bambu Lab:
”In Vancouver, eighth grader Neo Chan has used the technology to help children understand medical care. Through a project called Medi Pals, Chan and his family design miniature 3D-printed medical device models that attach to stuffed animals, helping kids process treatments through play. The project has delivered more than 9,000 kits to hospitals and clinics across Canada.”
The program concludes in May 2027. I expect Bambu Lab to repeat the program again, should it prove successful. It seems that it may already be so.
What’s in this for Bambu Lab? The company has always shown an interest in promoting the idea of making, and this follows that trend. Many students will be exposed to the notion of having an idea, and then making it become real.
It also promotes Bambu Lab’s equipment, which will be used in these activities. Those numerous participants will be slightly more likely to purchase Bambu Lab machines after seeing them in use in these program activities.
Nevertheless, this is a good program for the 3D printing industry. It will absolutely open up many more students’ eyes to the concepts of digital manufacturing, and some of those students will grow up into the designers and engineers we need.
Via Bambu Lab
