Learn About
macLAB Funding
What is macLAB?
In response to an increasing need to renew and update McMaster Engineering’s undergraduate lab facilities, the McMaster Laboratory Advancement Benefaction Endowment Fund, or macLAB Endowment Fund, was initiated by Engineering students and faculty in 1997. The constant renewal and upgrading of undergraduate laboratory facilities ensures that McMaster undergraduate Engineering students are exposed to the most recent developments in their fields of study, and that graduates of McMaster Engineering possess the skills needed in the Engineering workforce. macLAB is a student-funded program. Each year, engineering students contribute $50 of their tuition to the fund; however, the donation to the fund is entirely voluntary. If a student feels that it isn’t in their best interests to contribute to this program, they can have the value of their donation credited to their student account (i.e. there is no money transaction). Any member or student of a department within the Faculty of Engineering can apply for financial aid to upgrade their undergraduate laboratory facilities, or to fund special projects benefiting their undergraduate student body. macLAB represents the hard work and foresight of a student body committed to ensuring a high quality of education both for themselves, and all future McMaster Engineering students.

In the 2022-2023 school year, macLAB disbursed $168,246.14, allocated to 12 different projects across several engineering departments. The amount of requested project funding for 2022-2023 totalled $357,798.47. The full list of last year's project funding can be seen below.
Opting Out
In light of this, we ask you for your continued support of this program. If you feel that contributing to the macLAB fund is not in your best interest, you can have the value of the donation credited to your student account by filling out the opt-out form.

To opt-out please follow the instructions on the form and note that the opt-out period closes December 15th at 12:00 pm. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the macLAB Chair, Shar Cai, at [email protected].
Board of Directors and macLAB Chair
The macLAB Board of Directors (BoD) consists of all engineering department student representatives (voting members) and faculty administrative staff (non-voting members). These department representatives are responsible for presenting applications for macLAB funding and voting as a collective on the distribution of funds across the requested projects. The macLAB Chair position is an Appointed Coordinator position in the MES and is responsible for presiding over the BoD and administering the opt-out period. To apply for this position, please refer to the information provided by the MES regarding Appointed Coordinator positions and applications. For any further questions contact the MacLab Chair at [email protected] or the MES VP Academic at [email protected] .
Past Funding Breakdown
DepartmentDescriptionAmountYear
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