Repeat Winner in College of Engineering Innovation Days Competition

Tom Gerold with the MicroMag Stent Deployment System.

Mechanical engineering senior Tom Gerold created the MicroMag Stent Deployment System after watching his grandfather struggle with arterial disease. He learned more about the medical device industry at a summer internship and combined that experience with his engineering coursework to develop a system that could make a significant difference for cardiovascular patients. His design won the $10,000 Innovation Days Schoofs Prize.

For the first time in the 17-year history of the College of Engineering’s Innovation Days competition, the winning inventor has claimed the first place Schoofs Prize two years in a row. Mechanical Engineering senior Tom Gerold created the MicroMag Stent Deployment System, a device that could make a significant difference for cardiovascular patients. Gerold also won the $1,000 Sorenson Best Design Notebook Award. Electrical and computer engineering student Ray Uhen won the $2,500 Tong Prototype Prize for his flight training tool. Engineering mechanics and astronautics student Steve Wisser received the Younkle Best Presentation Award of $1,000.

Thanks to four College of Engineering alumni, students were able to compete for more than $28,000 in prize money for their inventions. Richard Schoofs (’53 BS EGR) sponsors the Schoofs Prize for Creativity. The Tong Prize is made possible by a gift from the Tong Family Foundation established by Peter (’65 MS EGR) and Grace (’65 MS HEC) Tong. Chad Sorenson (’99 BS, ’01 MS EGR, ’02 MBA BUS) sponsors the Best Design Notebook Award. Matt Younkle (’97 BS EGR) sponsor the Best Presentation Award. For more information on the winners and their inventions, visit Innovation Days.