In Dr. Francesca Serra’s Liquid Crystal lab, I was responsible for mammalian cell culture work as well as building a machine designed to add boundary conditions to our liquid crystal growing medium. I fabricated this machine using subtractive manufacturing via a machine shop where I lathed and milled various pieces to fit the specifications I designed. I used additive manufacturing via 3D printing to create the smaller, more sensitive components such as a slide bed. I ordered certain mechanical parts from Thorlabs. Once completed, the machine uses microfiber clothes and a rotatable microscope slide bay to impart patterns, textures, and grooves on the slide medium as to direct liquid crystal growth.