The Beta Lab at UC Davis studies how young people learn and develop through participation in making and the Maker Movement. We investigate the nature of learning that occurs during extended, youth-driven maker projects, and we design learning environments and tools to support learning through making.

Beta Lab is part of the University-Community Links (UC Links) network. 

Learn about our making and mentoring during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Beta Lab

Check out our growing library of how-to videos on Youtube: BetaLab YouTube Channel.

Spring 2026

We have wrapped up our mentoring for the 2025-2026 school year. Check in next year for mentoring opportunities.

About the Name

Beta stands for Build, Engineer, Tinker, Adapt. Our lab encourages a beta-testing approach to youth projects, where the work is naturally seen as in process – substantive but imperfect, where mistakes and setbacks are an expected part of the process of learning and making.

Project Personnel

Principle Investigator: Lee Martin, Associate Professor of Education
Graduate Student Researcher: J C Leapman

Project Alumni

Lead Mentors: Ann Rainey, Dorothy Hung, Joshua Lopez, Abby Uayan,
Graduate student researchers: Colin Dixon, Sagit Betser, Jade Lee