Lasers Bring Halloween Designs to Life in SHU’s IDEA Lab

Engineering students engrave pumpkins using laser technology, while building hands-on skills in design and fabrication

Key Highlights

• Sacred Heart University engineering students used an Epilog CO2 laser in the IDEA Lab to engrave Halloween designs onto pumpkins
• The laser etched designs onto the pumpkins’ surfaces using only its engraving function
• The lab houses two 80-watt Epilog lasers and other laser equipment for academic and personal projects, helping students build skills for coursework and future careers

Sacred Heart University engineering students put a high-tech twist on a Halloween tradition, using an Epilog CO2 laser to engrave pumpkins in the IDEA Lab.

Students used Halloween-themed stock images to develop their designs, some of which also featured AI-generated elements and the IDEA Lab logo. They prepared the designs as digital files in a computer application program, then used those files to guide the laser as it engraved the images onto the pumpkins’ surfaces. Each engraving took about four to eight minutes.

While the lab’s 80-watt Epilog lasers can engrave materials or cut through them, the pumpkin project used only the engraving function, said Mike Altis, the lab’s manager. The University’s IDEA Lab houses two Epilog machines, along with other lasers. Precise, fast, and fun to watch in action, the tools are popular for academic and personal projects, Altis added.

For students, the seasonal activity offered another opportunity to explore the equipment and build skills for future coursework and careers. “I like learning about and getting experience with all of the machines and tools used in the lab,” said Sava Miocinovic, a first-year student studying mechanical engineering.

For Miocinovic, laser engraving a pumpkin was a first. “The final results were very successful.”

“Until this, I'd never thought of laser cutting a pumpkin,” said Owen Pavao, a first-year electrical engineering student. “The round bumps and ridges definitely made it difficult at first, but I'm happy with how our final product came out.”

Grace Gilchrist, a first-year neuroscience major echoed her peers’ statements. “I enjoy getting to push myself with the side of STEM I've never really touched on before; it gives me experience,” she said. “This was the first time I engraved pumpkins and it was very interesting. There is still more for us to figure out in respect to the shading, so that will be very exciting to figure out.”

Mechanical engineering student Tommy Cedrone also participated in the engraving.

Pictured, from left, are Sava Miocinovic, Thomas Cedrone, Owen Pavao, and Grace Gilchrist.