Michigan Biomedical Engineering Students Benefit from DISHER’s Whiteboard Wednesday™ Process

Take a look at a few real-word biomedical problem statements University of Michigan students are currently wrestling with in their Biomedical Engineering Design class:

• Design a portable, disposable, sterile-water, heating-cooling device to facilitate heat transfer into blood during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation which provides cardiac and respiratory support for patients.
• Develop a portable, wearable scalp cooling device for patients with brain disorders, like Parkinson’s disease, who have higher than normal brain temperature causing neuro-fatigue.
• Improve the device technology used in the egg retrieval procedure during in vitro fertilization (IVF) to increase retrieval success and better protect the unfertilized egg.

In this upper level engineering class, Michigan students are exposed to the entire design process including: designing, building, and testing. After students complete their initial research, how do they go about summarizing, organizing, and vetting ideas? Who facilitates the process? How are ideas explored and measured in an objective way? How is a unified plan developed going forward?

In October, a group from DISHER’s Ann Arbor office had the privilege to assist these bright engineering students with their design projects by conducting a Whiteboard Wednesday™ (WBW) Seminar to demonstrate DISHER’s unique approach to innovation and brainstorming. Still in the early phase of their designs, it was the perfect time to connect DISHER engineers with these future engineers and guide them through a proven problem-solving process.

Students came to the WBW seminar prepared with their problem statements. Some of their challenges focused on an entire device while others concentrated on a particularly difficult aspect of their design. After an explanation and tutorial from DJ Kellogg, a certified DISHER WBW Facilitator, students broke into small groups and attacked their problems. After an hour of intense creativity and teamwork guided by DISHER consultants, students ranked their best ideas, took photos of their packed whiteboards, and left the seminar armed with a new method to unleash their brain power and innovation. The folks from DISHER loved the opportunity to be back on a college campus, engage with imaginative scholars, and feel like students again.

Written By: Cynthia VanRenterghem – Marketing Project Manager |
Cynthia holds a B.A. in English and Political Science from Hope College and a MA from Johns Hopkins University in International Economics.  She also is a Certified PMP (Project Manager Professional). As a recent owner of a garden products company, Cynthia has extensive experience with product development and marketing from conception to launch. Cynthia enjoys traveling, downhill skiing, and cheering on her kids at any of their sporting or musical events.