CSE undergraduates help at the Medical Devices Center

Over 150 Engineering Undergraduates Volunteer on COVID-19 Projects

It's not just faculty who are working tirelessly on coronavirus-related research — students are also volunteering their time to help move projects along. According to Steve Thomalla, ME PhD candidate and lab supervisor at the Earl E. Bakken Medical Devices Center, over 150 CSE undergraduate students have volunteered to help with "any and all" projects related to COVID-19. Many of these students are mechanical engineering majors.

"I just set my availability for literally all day every day," said Vail Baumer, a senior in mechanical engineering. "There's nothing really more important I could be working on."

Thomalla said the students' willingness to work on the Coventor project has allowed the Medical Devices Center to move at an unprecedented speed, assembling 40 ventilators in just under two days. The power, skill, and dedication of our undergraduates is shining through in this crisis. #UMNProud

Table showing assembly components of Coventor ventilators

Share