PCEC News
School of Engineering Employees and Students Create Facial Masks for Area Medical Professionals
March 24, 2020
Faculty, staff, and students from the Grand Valley State University (GVSU) Padnos College of Engineering & Computing (PCEC) School of Engineering (SOE) and applied Medical Device Institute (aMDI), along with members of their families, banded together to design and sew approximately 1,000 facial masks in response to the current shortage of supplies for medical professionals responding to the coronavirus outbreak. GVSU leadership approved the project in an urgent meeting as stories about the increasing number of coronavirus cases in Michigan and the need for more medical supplies began dominating the headlines.
The efforts would not have been possible without the leadership of Alison vanMelle, a local seamstress who led the sewing operations and trained over a dozen volunteers. Interestingly, finding the materials to make the masks was somewhat of a challenge. The initial mask design included elastic, which has been difficult to come by due to increased demand and supply chain shortages caused by the coronavirus. When the team was unable to procure the elastic needed for the masks, they retooled and came up with a new design. The final mask design included a metal clamp for tightening the mask around the nose and materials recommended by local fabric stores to ensure high-quality protection for the medical professionals who would be wearing them.
The masks will be donated to American Family Care urgent care in Grand Rapids, Michigan as well as other institutes and individuals in need. The facility had already begun to run out of masks necessary to ensure the safety of their doctors during daily operations.