Columbia Design Challenge: Confronting the Ebola Crisis

October 1, 2014

The Mailman School of Public Health and Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science invite members of the entire Columbia University community to participate in an interdisciplinary challenge to design low-cost, technology-driven solutions, including both software and hardware, to address the Ebola crisis.

In the News

All Hands on Deck, New Yorker, Oct. 27, 2014

Week One

1. Thursday October 2, 5-7 pm; Davis Auditorium CEPSR 412 (Schapiro Building; Center for Engineering and Physical Science Research)

Ebola Crisis Design Challenge Discussion Forum

A summary of the current state of the Ebola crisis and a description of a small number of specific challenges for which low-cost technology solutions could have an immediate impact—ranging from addressing contamination and decontamination, to communications, to transportation and logistics.

2. Thursday October 2, 7pm
Pizza and refreshments provided immediately outside Davis Auditorium

3. Thursday October 2, 7pm – onwards; Mudd 535, Mudd 545, Mudd 520, CEPSR 414

Teaming sessions organized around specific challenge topics, resulting in preliminary design concepts

The discussions and design sessions of this design challenge are considered Columbia only. They do not constitute Public Disclosure: By attending these proceedings, you agree to treat all subject matter related to solutions to the issues discussed or described during the proceedings—whether in the form of conversations, presentations, or otherwise—as confidential.

4. Friday October 3, 8am - 1pm; Costa Engineering Commons (CEPSR 750), Carleton Lounge, CEPSR 414

Breakout design sessions in which teams continue to formulate and refine initial designs, then preparing proposals to address one of the specific challenges. 

5. Friday October 3, 1pm - 4pm; Mudd 520

Pitch sessions (download the pitch template—pdf): two-minute pitches to a panel of Columbia and external experts who will provide feedback on early design concepts

Expert Review Panel

  • Christopher Aston, Senior Biological Safety Officer, Columbia University

  • Mary C. Boyce, Dean, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, Columbia University

  • Aderemi Dosunmu, Biology Safety Officer, Columbia University

  • Wafaa M. El-Sadr, University Professor of Epidemiology, Columbia University

  • E. Yoko Furuya, Medical Director of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

  • Sanat Kumar, Professor of Chemical Engineering, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, Columbia University

  • Stephen Morse, Professor of Epidemiology, Columbia University Medical Center

  • Mark Scovill, Director of Naval ROTC, Columbia University and Captain, U.S. Navy

  • Christopher Tan, Scientific Technician, The Earth Institute, Columbia University

6. Saturday, October 4 through Thursday, October 9
Teams continue to refine initial designs, begin implementation of proposals, order and purchase materials as needed for prototyping of selected pitches; and continue iteration of designs.

Partial support—both resources and advising—will be available to kickstart designs deemed promising during Friday’s expert pitch events.

If you have any interest in help patenting anything you build at this event, or if you have any questions about IP more generally, we encourage you to check out the Columbia IP FAQ for students or email techventures@columbia.edu.

Week Two

7. Sunday, October 9 (afternoon) through Saturday, October 11 Rooms to be announced

Continue implementation of designs including building hardware and software solutions; the goal is to produce a credible demonstration of the design-concept. Labs and makerspaces to be announced.

8. Sunday October 12; Room to be announced
Presentation of minimum viable solutions—hardware and software—to panel of Columbia and external experts. The panel will identify leading design concepts for continued development of deployable solutions.