In mid-March, Rob Bogdon, director of supply chain operation for IU Health, reached out to some leaders at IU asking about the possibility of obtaining protective goggles from the university.
Jarrold joined forces with Jonathan Karty, senior scientist and assistant chair for administration in the Department of Chemistry, and Greg Demas, Department of Biology chair, to round up some goggles. Word quickly spread and with the help of faculty in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, the group has been able to provide IU Health with some 200 goggles, 600 masks and some 30 packs of gloves.
Clarke DeLisle, a PhD student in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, worked with Professor Brian Yanites to help collect equipment from the department. Yanites' lab focuses on landscape evolution, trying to understand how sediment produced by processes like landslides impacts rivers and natural hazards in mountain landscapes.
Because they handle specific chemicals, the lab has personal protective equipment on hand. Because it is cheaper to buy in bulk, the lab had a small abundance of supplies.
Members of the lab have been keeping in touch online and via Zoom meetings as they, like the rest of the country, anxiously wait for life to return to normal. Having a father in the healthcare field, DeLisle said he understands the severity of the situation and is thankful for all of the people who are working on the frontline of this pandemic.
“My dad works in a hospital back home, and we've been talking a lot about the situation and how things are evolving there,” DeLisle said. “Our healthcare providers are bearing the brunt of this thing, but it feels great to be able to contribute to the effort in my own small way.”
Those interested in donating supplies should contact IU Health Supply Chain Operations at
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