Iowa
ISU graduate’s engineering expertise helps patients recover from brain injuries
For Cassandra Swacker, engineering is a way to help people.
Majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in biomedical engineering at Iowa State University equipped Swacker with the skills to design and manufacture personalized utensils and devices for people with traumatic brain injuries.
Her quest to help others through engineering began while she was in high school, when she saw how a prosthetic leg changed her father’s life. She’ll graduate at the end of this semester, which concluded this week, and her engineering quest will continue as she begins her career developing innovative solutions in technology and manufacturing.
“Biomedical engineers need to be involved in all those things to understand the biology and anatomy components of how machines interact with people,” Swacker said. “They also need to understand the design and manufacturing processes of those machines.”
Improving lives through engineering
Swacker, an Urbandale native, witnessed the power of biomedical engineering when her father was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis that can affect the spine, knees, ankles and hips. The condition caused severe wear on her father’s ankle bones. He had metal plates implanted but eventually elected to have his leg amputated below the knee and replaced with a prosthetic.
The prosthetic improved her father’s mobility dramatically. Around the same time, Swacker took an engineering design course in high school, and she started thinking about how engineering affects people, including her father, in countless ways.
“My brain had that little lightbulb moment of, ‘oh, the people who are making prosthetics are engineers,” she said.
She discovered biomedical engineering, a fast-growing field that utilizes innovations in materials and technology to develop devices and equipment to enhance human and animal health.
“When he finally got his prosthetic and I was able to see just how big of an improvement it made for him, it was really inspiring and I wanted to be able to have that direct of an impact on peoples’ quality of life, which got me interested in the biomedical field,” Swacker said.
She enrolled at Iowa State because of the university’s strong engineering programs and proximity to family. She decided to major in mechanical engineering and pick up a minor in biomedical engineering.
Made-to-order medical devices
Swacker began her first year at Iowa State during in the fall of 2020, at a time when the pandemic forced most classes to be held remotely. The challenges of the pandemic taught her to work independently on her courses. They also helped her appreciate the classroom experience when in-person instruction resumed.
She landed an internship with Iowa State’s Center for Industrial Research and Service, which partners with business and communities across Iowa to develop tailored strategies to grow and prosper. In just the last five years, CIRAS and its partners have helped more than 4,600 businesses in every Iowa county, creating an economic impact of more than $3.1 billion.
Among the organizations helped by CIRAS is On With Life, an Ankeny-based rehabilitation clinic that helps patients recover from traumatic brain injuries and other neurological conditions. Swacker saw an opportunity with On With Life to apply what she was learning in her biomedical engineering courses.
Because brain injuries manifest a wide range of symptoms, On With Life’s patients often require personalized equipment and devices. 3D printing technology offers a way to create unique devices to precise specifications, so Swacker got to work familiarizing herself with the technology.
She custom-built eating utensils, such as plate covers and silverware handles, for patients whose injuries affected their fine motor skills. The adaptive plate cover she developed clips onto the top of a plate with strategically placed gaps that expose only a portion of the food. This helped a patient whose brain injury caused a compulsion to eat too fast to slow down to a healthier pace.
On With Life CEO Jean Shelton praised Swacker’s work.
“Brain injury rehabilitation calls for an individualized approach to services,” Shelton said. “No one brain injury is like another due to the many functional areas of the brain. We are grateful for Cassie’s work as she was able to address a very specific need through technology that aids an individual and their family to manage impulse control related to food. The plate she created allowed for a balanced meal approach without the visual distraction of the other foods on the plate. The plate is still in use!”
Swacker even developed an eye for aesthetics in her 3D printing designs. She learned one particular patient, who was a fan of Harley Davidson motorcycles, didn’t like the way some of the specialized eating utensils looked. So she designed one to resemble the handlebar of a motorcycle, complete with a flame finish. Many of her designs got rave reviews from the end users, she said.
Her work with CIRAS and On With Life taught her numerous lessons about engineering design, utilizing cutting edge technology and problem solving.
In the months ahead, Swacker said she plans to move to the Iowa City area to pursue a career in manufacturing engineering. She said she’ll apply all the lessons she learned studying at Iowa State and working for On With Life as she begins her career, lessons like never hesitating to ask questions and forging relationships with the people she’s working with.
Perhaps most importantly, she’ll launch her career with firsthand knowledge that good engineering can help people and change lives.
How much rain does Des Moines get? See the 5 wettest days on record
Wondering how the rainfall total compares? Here are the five wettest days on record for Des Moines, Iowa.
Drought conditions in Iowa improved for a second consecutive week, though areas of moderate drought expanded in parts of the state.
The U.S. Drought Monitor offers a state-by-state tracking of drought conditions nationwide. New maps and forecasts are released each Thursday. What are the current drought conditions in Iowa?
U.S. Drought Monitor map: How much of Iowa is in a drought?
The latest Drought Monitor report, released on Thursday, June 18, showed about 46% of Iowa experiencing some form of drought. This continues the streak of conditions improving week to week in Iowa. The previous report, released on June 11, showed that 63% of the state was experiencing some form of drought.
The most recent report reflects conditions as of 8 a.m. June 16, right as storms were sweeping through Iowa, with parts of eastern Iowa seeing more than 2 inches of rainfall. Light rainfall on June 17 led to areas like Iowa City and Burlington reporting around an inch of rain.
Here is the breakdown of current drought conditions in Iowa:
- 61% of the state of Iowa is experiencing no drought conditions
- 39% of Iowa is experiencing abnormally dry conditions
- 7% of Iowa is experiencing moderate drought conditions
- 0% of Iowa is experiencing severe drought conditions
Even though drought conditions have improved overall in Iowa, the area experiencing moderate drought increased from the week of June 11, particularly in northern Iowa. Much of Cerro Gordo, Hancock and Kossuth counties are under D1 conditions, with nearby Palo Alto, Winnebago, Floyd and Mitchell also in moderate drought.
Pockets of moderate drought also persist along the northwest edge of Iowa in Lyon, Sioux and Plymouth counties. In eastern Iowa, Jackson, Clinton and Scott counties saw their moderate drought status ease week to week.
Most of the U.S. is facing drought conditions
About 73% of the U.S. is experiencing some level of drought, a 2-percentage-point improvement from the prior week. Some of the most intense drought conditions are in the southeast and the mountain west.
Iowa Drought Monitor tracks conditions weekly
The U.S. Drought Monitor offers a state-by-state tracking of drought conditions nationwide. New maps and forecasts are released each Thursday.
The intensity levels range from abnormally dry, or D0, to exceptional drought, or D4.
Typically with D0 conditions, corn can show drought stress. Pond levels start to decline under moderate drought conditions and soybeans abort pods, according to the Drought Monitor. The Drought Monitor also has a look-back chart that compares drought conditions from 3 months ago up to 1 year ago.
Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.
Confirmed tornadoes were reported in Illinois and Iowa Wednesday night as severe weather descended on a large swath of the Midwest.
According to the National Weather Service, a confirmed tornado was reported near the small northeast Iowa community of Harpers Ferry at 5:10 p.m., while a second confirmed tornado rolled through Charleston in central Illinois at about 6:40 p.m. local time.
Both tornadoes were flagged by the weather service as a “particularly dangerous situation,” a rare designation used by the weather service for environments in which “strong and violent tornadoes” are possible.
Photos and videos obtained by CBS News showed extensive damage in Charleston, with downed trees and power lines. Hail that measured 2.75 inches was also reported in the Charleston area, according to the weather service.
“There are a large number of trees blocking roadways throughout Charleston at this time,” Charleston police said in a Facebook post. “Unless it is an absolute emergency, do not drive or attempt to go anywhere.”
The city of Charleston later declared a local state of emergency.
One cell phone video captured the terrifying moments what appeared to be a large tornado tore through Effingham, Illinois, located about 40 miles southwest of Charleston.
Larry Thies, coordinator for the Effingham Emergency Management Agency, told CBS News that initial information indicated damaged buildings, trailers, and downed power lines and trees. He said officials were working to set up an emergency operations center, but were facing challenges because internet was down in the area.
The extent of the damage to region was still unclear. There was no immediate word of injuries or fatalities. CBS News senior meteorologist Rob Marciano said there were at least seven reported tornadoes during the weather event.
According to utility tracker PowerOutage.us, at least 55,000 customers were without power in Illinois.
Earlier Wednesday, Marciano reported that more than 125 million Americans were facing severe weather advisories, including the Gulf Coast states, which were under flood alerts due to Tropical Storm Arthur. Speaking on “CBS Evening News,” Marciano said such ripe tornado conditions were rare for June.
“This is unique for June, this is unusual to have such a strong jet stream just screaming across the country, then you’ve got the summertime tropical moisture coming in…and then some cold air coming in,” Marciano said. “And winds coming at different direction, at different levels, creating that spin. So what that equates to is really the high probability of seeing, not just tornadoes, but intense tornadoes of EF2 strength or higher on the ground for a long time. And also damaging winds at 75 mph or higher, and of course big time hail.”
When is Juneteenth and how is the holiday celebrated
Juneteenth is coming up. Here is what the holiday is about and how it’s celebrated.
It is a busy weekend in Iowa City as summer officially begins on Sunday. From Iowa City Pride and Juneteenth celebrations, there is no shortage of activity happening around town.
Here are four events to check out.
Enter the whimsical world of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at Lower City Park
Thursday to Sunday: Riverside Theatre’s summer tradition, Shakespeare in the Park, has returned to Lower City Park. Catch a free performance of William Shakespeare’s iconic comedy, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” that follows the chaotic events of four entangled lovers and a troupe of actors wandering into a mystical forest. All of the free shows through the weekend start at 7:30 p.m.
Celebrate Juneteenth with live entertainment and community
Friday: The Black Voices Project and Dream City are teaming up to host the community-wide Juneteenth Celebration. At 1 p.m. Friday, June 19, at the South District Market Parking lot, enjoy live music from Kevin Burt, along with community presentations, activities for all ages, and a fashion showcase.
Show your pride at Iowa City Pride events
Saturday: Iowa City Pride is back for the 56th year. Principal events, the Pride Parade and Pride Festival, will start at noon on Saturday, June 20. The festival will be on the Ped Mall, and the parade will begin at College Green Park, working its way downtown along Iowa Avenue and East Washington Street. The festival runs from 12 to 9 p.m.
Catch a romantic comedy under the stars at FilmScene in the Park
Saturday: FilmScene in the Park returns at 9:15 p.m., Saturday, June 20, with a screening of the cult classic “13 Going on 30″ at Chauncey Swan Park. Seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. Concessions, including beer and wine, will be available 30 minutes before the film begins.
Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and education reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @rishjessica_
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