Mid-Grant Technical Review

Before the review we met with Stephanie Couch, the Executuve Director, and Anthony Perry, the Invention Education Coordinator. We discussed our progress, ideas, and plans for the future. We also took them on a tour of our campus after the meeting. 

Here is the team during the Q and A session.

Following the presentation, guests went around to different tables that showed the members' individual progress.

The team visited the Will Rogers World Airport on February 11th to swab security trays, take measurements, question TSA workers, and make connections with the personel. In the orange shirt is Jim Thrash, the operations manager who allowed us to take the visit.

Bioscience swabbing and collecting samples from the security bins.

 

An example of how much space is at the end of a security line. This, however, is the annex. which proved to have more space than the main security line. An idea we had was to place the system at the end of the line, however there is not enough space and we would have to make a system to prevent bags and trays with items from entering, only allowing empty trays. 

Here is an example of how much space is at the end of the main security line. It is significantly less than that of the annex. TSA agents also stated that they have problems with the current space and that the system added on to the end would not be reasonable. 

We got the idea that the system could go under the line, and that the employees could insert the empty trays into it. This would eliminate the problem of having to sort bags and trays with items from empty trays. 

 

According to a supervisor, up to 7 people call in sick per day during peak travel season. Those who don't call in change their gloves frequently to prevent themselves from getting sick. An agent described the difficulties he went through on the job due to his nitrile allergy which inhibited him from using the gloves at all, which included being extra cautious around the security bins. Another agent we spoke to added that he washes his hands numerous times throughout the day and that his colleagues do the same.