Students step up to meet SAFR Challenge

The Center for Entrepreneurship + Innovation (E+I) and the Department of Physics at Grove City College announced the winners of the third annual SAFR Challenge, which tests students’ skills in physics innovation.

The SAFR (Strain and Force Reduction) Challenge tasked teams of students with developing and creating stylish but functional concussion-prevention headgear for wheeled recreation. The challenge began as a lab exercise in Physics Professor Dr. Shane Brower’s Fundamentals of the Universe class at Grove City College and is now in its third year as an on-stage pitch competition, allowing students to use their classroom learning to solve real world problems.

This year’s initial phase of the challenge took place in a lab overseen by Brower and fellow Physics Professor Dr. Glenn Marsch. The second phase was the collaboration with E+I, which elevates the impact of the lab by providing students with an opportunity to present their final product in a public forum to qualified experts in science and innovation. E+I exists to provide students of all majors with practical skills and hands-on experiences that prepare them to innovate and succeed in their chosen field.

Fifty-four students in the initial phase of the competition were split into nineteen teams. Their headgear was judged on a combination of criteria including appearance, level of comfort, practicality, and the quality of the group’s presentation. The top eight teams qualified for the final round.

The finalists faced off on October 24 and were judged by Dr. Timothy Homan, Interim Dean of the Hopeman School and Professor Chemistry, Dr. Mark Fair, Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Physics, and Professor Tim Sweet, Chair of the Department of Entrepreneurship and Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship.

“Every year, this project brings together students from a broad array of academic disciplines in a collaborative effort to address a real-world problem. This not only helps them better comprehend the physics of preventing head injuries, but also gives them a window into how their specific discipline factors into the solution. And the collaboration with E+I gives students access to the resources and expertise necessary to take their ideas from concept to reality." Brower said.

The winning teams were:

• First Place ($100 each) – ForceField:  Audrey Karwowski ’26 (Entrepreneurship), Jax Welsh ’25 (Design and Innovation), Ellie Kaynor ’25 (Elementary Education)
• Second Place ($75 each) – Helmet Haven:  Iris Kiehl ’28 (Accounting), Alexa Puckett ’25 (Special Education with Elementary Education)
• Third Place ($50 each) – Critter Caps:  Jenna Knepper ’25 (Design and Innovation), John Hake ’26 (Communication Arts), Chance Rains ’26 (English)

“Watching students step outside their comfort zone and presenting in a low-pressure environment is always fun," said Logan Hammerschmitt ‘16, campus director for E+I. "The added element of potentially winning prize money makes for an exciting and positive experience for participating students."

For more about E+I and to watch a recording of the SAFR Challenge, visit gccentrepreneurship.com. For more about Physics at Grove City College, visit gcc.edu/phys.

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