Tower-Fall-2020

FALL 2020 | TOWER 15 KU Alumnus Prints Face Shields Like many of us, Kent Eisenhuth ’06, a Wynnewood, Pa., resident and a senior product designer for Google, saw life change when the pandemic took hold inMarch. Gone were the days of commuting four hours back-and-forth to New York City. Instead, he transitioned to working from home, utilizing video and phone conferencing, and relishing the additional time he could spend with his two toddlers and his wife, Beverly (pictured below). But Beverly was busy as an OB/GYN for Main Line Health, and things weren’t easy. From a place of love, and with a strong desire to help, a face shield operation was born. Says Eisenhuth, “Hearing about the pandemic from her perspective made me want to do something for her, her colleagues and others. So, I decided to buy a 3D printer and had it shipped it to my home.” With no previous 3D printing experience, Eisenhuth used social media to find an open source plan and connect with professionals who could help. He made sure all his “I’s were dotted and T’s were crossed” and fired up the printer in the garage. He had a viable prototype in two weeks. The first shipment of face shields went to Beverly’s practice, and the personal protective gear was modified with feedback from those who received first- editions, so to speak. At the time of this writing, Eisenhuth produced about 40 face shields, at one time seeing the 3D printer run a constant 24 hours straight. While the number may not seem impressive, Eisenhuth asserts, “It’s respectable for a one-man operation. And it’s still going.” Eisenhuth and the Google crew have also helped during the pandemic by developing a system to track different strains of the COVID-19 virus and how social distancing and lockdowns were working. Their efforts can be viewed under the “Data & Insights” tab at google.com/covid-19 . The “in-person” feel and connection that the class created was essential during stay-at-home orders, a time when much of America – and the world – felt forced into deep isolation. Making a Shift Beyond students being able to see each other through the virtual reality setting, Ehrl was dedicated to supporting each of his students as they progressed through his classes from their homes. “I abandoned all schedules,” he said. “I made myself available around the clock and was in constant contact with them. It was important for them to understand that I was just as confused as they were, but that I was there. I wanted them to get everything out of the course that they would have otherwise. I tried my best to account for all of their needs and gave them individual attention where needed. With some students, through Zoom, I walked through assignments step-by-step.” Ehrl feels that staying closely connected with the students was a positive experience for both him, as their teacher, and for them. “It was nice to have the student meetings – to have human contact,” he said. “They were eager to learn. It would have been a disservice not to have been there for them.” Developing a Routine As a form of self-care, Ehrl developed a routine and maintained regular exercise. He and his wife, Paige, who share an apartment in Allentown, Pa., made time for early morning walks. Having no family in the U.S., let alone the immediate vicinity, he also made time to connect often with his relatives and loved ones in Germany. Despite what many see as a dark time during the pandemic, Ehrl remains optimistic and said there is a lot we can learn from our experiences during COVID-19. “We have to try our best to maintain a sense of community,” he said. “It cannot be lost. College is – at its heart – a communal experience.”