Mentor Spotlight: Where Engineering, Creativity, and Community Intersect

A conversation about shaping the next generation through mentorship, curiosity, and intentional innovation.

Every creative has a network of people along their journey who opened a door, shared a lesson, or sparked a new possibility. At Dipped, we’re highlighting creative leaders who are actively pouring back into the next generation through mentorship, education, and community-building.

In our first Mentor Spotlight of the year, we reconnected with Iddrisu Seidu, founder and board president of Makerspace Central whose background in aerospace engineering offers a refreshing lens on creativity, systems-thinking, and the role of the arts in innovation. He reminds us that creativity isn’t confined to one discipline, and that listening, curiosity, and authenticity are foundational to building anything to last.

What’s something your engineering background has taught you about creativity that most creatives don’t realize at first?

Something from my engineering background that taught me about creativity was the need to always think through a multi-disciplinary framework. Take an airplane for example: a plane is composed of subsystems that include the plane structure, its engines (propulsion units), and its electrical and computer components. If you make changes to one of these systems, there are likely impacts to the others. Being creative and thinking outside of the box on how to balance these changes is something that exists in the technical world and in the world of creating something. Songwriters, artists, instrumentalists all have to consider variables and how a change in one area may impact the piece, song, or system in others.

Can you share a moment where creativity, not just technical skill, was the key to solving a complex problem or unlocking momentum?

Continuing with the logic of the first question, I ran into this issue (and still do!)  all of the time. Some previous work of mine was focused on developing safety triggers to shut down hardware in the event of a test going poorly. The application, when built, worked but was not the best fit for the original application. After talking with teams working other programs, we were able to identify a place where the tool would have some success.

How has mentorship—either as a mentor or a mentee—shaped the way you think about growth, leadership, or possibility?

Mentorship has been critical in my life, both personally and professionally. As a mentee, I frequently find myself listening for the wisdom of someone who has done this before me, regardless of their age. Wisdom comes from the most experienced professional to the youngest toddler you see at the playground. Listening to someone’s story is the closest we get to the wonder of being a child and learning about the world. Take every opportunity to listen to someone’s story.

You’ve built platforms and communities (really well, I might add). What do you think most people misunderstand or can learn about building an audience with intention?

The most important piece of building an audience is to be genuine. Don’t be something or someone you’re not. People gravitate towards communities because of the authenticity of the individuals that are a part of it. While being something or someone you’re not may work for short-term buzz, it may not be sustainable since it is not who you are at your core.

Why does the “A” in STEAM matter to you, especially when thinking about access, innovation, and the next generation of builders?

Great question! I frequently tell the students we work with through Makerspace Central that A stands for “Arts” in STEAM. I then go on to explain that art is the universal language of creativity - it allows us to take those wild, crazy, abstract ideas we have in our heads and to distill them into something tangible, whether it’s a paper design, virtual design, physical object, or a concept conveyed through language. The “Arts” are what allow us to communicate and be creative with those just like us, and those different from us.

What’s a question you’re asking yourself as you move through 2026?

The question I ask myself through 2026 is “what piece of the puzzle do you contribute?” I ask myself this question because in a world of 8 billion people, we each have a unique piece of the puzzle. It’s up to us to find pieces that fit perfectly or almost juuust right that allows us to create flourishing communities and culture.

What’s currently keeping you curious or inspired outside of work?

What’s keeping me inspired and curious outside of work is watching my kids grow and learn - it’s so cool to be a child again through their eyes.

Finish this sentence: Innovation works best when _______.

…we evaluate all ideas and truly listen to one another.

mentor spotlight engineering creativity community intersect