Here we are at the start– A physicist and an educator brainstorming awesome ways we can reach and inspire all ‘STEAMist’; present and future, young and old, through MakerLab spaces and workshops, then queue world pandemic of Covid-19. Businesses and schools are closed, gatherings canceled, extra-curricular classes can no longer meet; you can’t even go to the grocery store without worrying about how to protect yourself and loved ones. So you might be asking, why is STEAMwhiz, an educational hub for experiential science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematical adventures printing reusable mask respirator kits? And if you are…we are elated, as that is one of the first steps in becoming a ‘STEAMwhiz-er’, make keen observations, ask insightful questions, and learn exciting stuff. And that is exactly what we did here at STEAMwhiz (we like to practice what we preach).
Make Keen Observations
A problem was identified. As the world scientific community continues to study the novel coronavirus, COVID-19, we know that a significant portion of individuals with coronavirus are asymptomatic and that even those who are pre-symptomatic can transmit the virus to others before showing symptoms. This means that the virus can spread between people interacting in close proximity—such as, speaking, coughing, or sneezing—without even knowing it! In light of this new evidence, CDC recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (i.e., grocery stores and pharmacies).
Ask Insightful Questions
But are cloth face coverings enough? Are they reliable and comfortable enough to be used all day, everyday? Are our elder parents protected enough? Surgical masks and N-95 respirators must be preserved for healthcare workers and other medical first responders, so how do “we,” the general public help flatten the curve, protect our families and communities, and re-open businesses and educational facilities? And do these questions align with the STEAMwhiz mission “to inspire the next-gen “STEAMist”? That is a resounding YES! We inspire by making and doing! We powered up our 3D printer, designed a mask with a replaceable filter cartridge, bought some elastic (who knew elastic and toilet paper were going to be the hot items of 2020), assembled and shipped them to our family (thanks for being our guinea pigs!). And we are now ready to offer them to you and your loved ones. For every one purchased, we will be donating 3D-printed PPE to an essential worker or first responder in need.
Learn Exciting stuff
Our resident research scientist, Dr. JP, was also ready to take on the challenge of learning exciting stuff. Dr. JP designed an experiment to test the efficiency of different filtering masks. Scientific papers were read, tools were ordered, and measurements were taken. Read his post here on the exciting world of testing mask and filter science. Learning new stuff is awesome…but you know what’s even more awesome? Using that knowledge to help solve a problem. And that is what we did here at STEAMwhiz…we made keen observations, asked insightful questions, learned exciting stuff, and now we want to share that knowledge with YOU!