Des Moines University Medicine and Health Sciences recently hosted its inaugural Innovation Tank, a new competition designed to spark creative thinking and cross-disciplinary collaboration in tackling real-world health care challenges. Organized by DMU’s Office of Research, the team-based event brought together six interdisciplinary groups of students, faculty and staff across DMU’s colleges, a news release said. Each team pitched a “best idea” to a panel of DMU judges and an audience of more than 100 attendees. Teams were evaluated on creativity, collaboration and communication. While the innovations remain confidential as teams explore patent protections and next steps, winning participants earned funding, services and support to continue developing their ideas into marketable solutions. DMU plans to host the Innovation Tank annually, the release said.
The winning teams are:
First Place: Co-led by students Collier Maruska and Isaac Lambert, the team received a package valued at more than $10,000 in software, services and funding. Other team members include Josh Clawson, Payton Fleming, Jake Mathews and Sarah Parrott, a physician at DMU Clinic – Family Medicine and chair and associate professor of osteopathic clinical medicine.
Second Place: Co-led by Kay Rudnitsky, assistant professor of occupational therapy, and Diana Feldhacker, chair of the occupational therapy program, the team received $5,000 to pursue their project. Other team members are Dennis Culver, instructional design and education assessment specialist in the College of Health Sciences; Joshua Devine, assistant professor for the Master of Public Health program; and Nicole Kuhl, capstone coordinator and assistant professor of occupational therapy.
Audience Favorite: The team earning the highest number of audience votes included Maria Barnes, associate professor of biochemistry and nutrition, Philip Blumberg, executive director of DMU Clinic and Heather Garvin-Elling, professor of anatomy.
