DINALAB Jungle Residency

Photo of Sid Drmay by Lee Wilkins

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Gamboa, Panama – Various Months in 2020

We are happy to announce that applications are open for our new Art/Science/Tech residency program for 2020! Come be a Junglepunk!

The goal of Digital Naturalism Laboratories (DINALAB) is to provide a space with access to incredible natural ecosystems, digital tools, and prototyping equipment to explore new ways of interacting with other creatures. Our new residency program shares the opportunity to explore art, science, technology, and design for an extended period of time in the rainforest. Our lab is situated walking distance from the Panama Canal, the Soberanía Rainforest in Panamá, and the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.

What we provide:

  1. Access to our prototyping tools and facilities including:
    • Laser Cutter
    • 3D Printers
    • Electronics and Sensors
    • Sewing Machines
    • Silicone Mold-Making and degassing
    • Power Tools
    • and more!
  2. Housing (Private Room at DINALAB)
  3. Personal Workspace
  4. Gallery Space at DINALAB
  5. Basic art and construction materials
  6. Small, unique completion gifts!

Your Responsibilities and Costs:
Unfortunately, we are a new, independent, unfunded lab, and cannot offer a stipend or travel support. We do, however, work hard everyday here at freelance jobs to subsidize your housing costs ourselves, and we even offer a couple scholarships. The basic residency’s costs and responsibilities are:

Scholarships
In 2020, we are happy to announce that we can offer :

  • 3 Local Scholarships for Panamanians (no fees, and transportation from Panama city if needed)
  • 1 International Scholarship (no fees, and transportation from the Airport if needed)

Application:

Applications have a priority deadline of January 10, and positions are filled on a rolling basis throughout 2020. Fill out our short form indicating your intentions for the residency and availability, and we will get back to you if you are selected to solidify your residency dates. If you are not selected, applications will reset in the next calendar year, and you will need to apply again.

About DINALAB

Digital Naturalism Laboratories (Dinalab) is a jungle prototyping studio founded in 2019. Our lab is fully equipped with Laser Cutter, 3D printers, hand tools, textile tools, and more! The prototyping facility is located in the Soberanía Rainforest in Panama. Our goals are to:

  • Help field biologists build their own experimental tools
  • Help designers explore new interactions with nature
  • Discover new ways of experiencing the natural world

We are also keen on documentation and open-source dissemination of all knowledge in a variety of media! Whether you are a scientist, artist, designer, hacker, or anyone excited to explore nature and technology you will find something interesting at Dinalab.

Dinalab was established by Andrew Quitmeyer and Kathleen Kelly in 2019. They live and work in Dinalab while doing freelance jobs online to cover the costs of running the laboratory and hosting open workshops for local and visiting communities.