University of Texas at El Paso Mechanical Engineering Students Benefit from 2nd Year of Watershed Collaboration

What: Orthopedic device design class presentations

When: 2:30-3 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017

Where: W.M. Keck Center for 3D Innovation, Engineering Building, UTEP 821 NE ‘G’ Avenue, Fabens, Texas

EL PASO, Texas – The University of Texas at El Paso and Watershed Idea Foundry will see the second installment of their public-private class in the mechanical engineering department conclude with final student presentations Thursday, Dec. 14.

In the Orthopedic Medical Device Design course, 36 students working in teams designed and developed their own spinal implant. Students were guided throughout the 15-week course by Watershed engineers, surgeons and guest lecturers who offered real-world knowledge on the principles required to successfully design orthopedic medical devices and achieving FDA approvals for their implementation. The students’ final projects focus on orthopedic designs that include general biomedical principles with broad applicability.

“This course is in line with UTEP’s mission of preparing our students to be productive members of the workplace immediately,” said Ahsan Choudhuri, Ph.D., chair of UTEP’s mechanical engineering department. “We are fortunate to have Watershed lend its expertise and innovation to our students’ curriculum for a second year.”

The class incorporated medical device design with proficiencies of working within healthcare requirements and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) compliance. Additionally, students had the opportunity to utilize traditional manufacturing methods, with a basic introduction to quality control as well as more advanced manufacturing methods such as additive manufacturing and 3-D printing.

“We see this class series at UTEP as an opportunity to seed innovation for medical device design,” said Nick Cordaro, CEO of Watershed. “Students bring their imaginations and openness to problem solving, and we provide the structure and understanding of the processes and FDA approvals. It is exciting to experience the transition these talented students make within a semester.”

Students and faculty will be on hand to explain their assembled devices and their ramifications in the healthcare field during their presentations.

About Watershed Idea Foundry

“ Watershed offers services ranging from proof of concept and product development, to manufacturing demonstration and regulatory consulting, to funding readiness.”

Through Fountainhead Investment Partners, the foundry provides an environment where talent and innovation are funded, nurtured, and guided to create a turning point for ideas.