Safa Khan, a chemistry lecturer at California State University-Channel Islands, was deeply worried. Her husband, a physician, and his fellow medical workers were having to take desperate measures to protect themselves, even resorting to wearing garbage bags in some cases. Personal protective equipment like gloves and face masks were practically impossible to find. “I was having nightmares,” Khan told The Chronicle. “He was out there intubating people with no protection.”
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Safa Khan, a chemistry lecturer at California State University-Channel Islands, was deeply worried. Her husband, a physician, and his fellow medical workers were having to take desperate measures to protect themselves, even resorting to wearing garbage bags in some cases. Personal protective equipment like gloves and face masks were practically impossible to find. “I was having nightmares,” Khan told The Chronicle. “He was out there intubating people with no protection.”
Face shields made by California State U.-Channel Islands.Ricky Medrano, California State U.-Channel Islands
Then Khan had an idea: When her university had gone online, dozens of 3-D printers went home with faculty and staff members. She sent out an email to her colleagues asking them to start printing plastic face shields from an open-source design. Dozens of them, and staff members and students as well, answered the call. More than 3,000 face shields have been delivered to local front-line providers.
A local company has since started producing its own face shields, so Khan and her team are shifting gears and starting to produce replacement filters for respirators.
Many other colleges across the country have mobilized their 3-D printers. Florida International University partnered with Baptist Health South Florida — which operates 11 hospitals and dozens of outpatient centers — to design and print face shields for essential workers. Southeast Missouri State University made its first donation of 3-D-printed face shields to a local health organization in early April.
Eric Bubar, an associate professor of biology and physical sciences at Marymount University in Arlington, Va., brought a few of his printers home and turned his house into a “3-D-printing farm.” Like Khan, Bubar reached out to colleagues and acquaintances with 3-D printers to help. He estimates they are churning out 500 face shields a week in total.
“People are locked up inside,” Bubar said. “And they want to do something to help.”
How is your institution contributing to the “war effort” against the coronavirus? Tell us here.
