Students S.E.R.V.E. those who have served

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George Mason University students take third in competition to help veterans maintain their quality of life.

Team 7 shows their prosthetic liner solution after winning third place at the Project S.E.R.V.E. National Design Competition. From left, Kunaal Jindal (student), Steve McMillian (Project S.E.R.V.E. Northeast Program Manager), Cassidy Worzalla (student), Dibyashree Basu (student), Shani Ross (senior design instructor), and Gabriel Gibson (student). Photo provided

Miami-based nonprofit Project S.E.R.V.E. (Student Engineering for Resilience of Veterans and Emergency Responders) helps wounded responders get back on their feet and givesbioengineering students valuable hands-on experience in the prosthetics field at the same time. It has sponsored prosthetic limbs for more than 1,300 veterans and first responders from more than 2,000 students since its founding in 2009.

In May, the nonprofit (formerly known as Quality of Life Plus) brought eight teams together for a national competition in Blacksburg, Virginia. Universities from Ohio, Florida, New Jersey, and Virginia gathered to see who could design a prosthetic socket and liner that would mitigate heat and moisture for lower limb amputees.

George Mason's team comprised Gabriel Gibson, Cassidy Worzalla, DibyashreeBasu, and Kunaal Jindal, all bioengineering majors. Over the course of two semesters, they developed, tested, and evaluated multiple prototypes. They also had to present their progress and proposed solutions twice in fall and once in spring to a group of stakeholders, including prosthetic wearers, for feedback. 

On May 3, the day of competition, Team 7 presented their solution: a silicone liner made with a thermal conductive polymer andcontaining moisture-absorbent strips. They were judged on two different real-time tests: how much the design lowered the temperature, and how the design helped control temperature and humidity levels when a test subject performed a physical activity.

"The judges liked the innovative design and thought their idea was creative and promising," said Shani Ross, the senior design instructor and bioengineering associate professor. "We are very proud of the work that the team did. They showed ingenuity, tenacity, and teamwork and represented George Mason University well." 

Their product helped them take third place-and contributed to the science of prosthetics, and a better quality of life for affected heroes.  

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