Ben Hoggan
Recently I had the opportunity to sit down with ESTEEM student Ben Hoggan, a 2013 physics graduate of Utah Valley University. A Silicon Valley native, he moved to Utah in 2007 and traded in his water polo cap for hockey skates, growing a deep love for the rink. He comes to ESTEEM following an internship studying high energy physics at CERN to take his longtime passion for sports to design safer equipment for those who play them.
- What are the problems surrounding your thesis project and how does your team plan on solving them?
My project uses a technique called biomimicry to copy the protective structures of the brain for use in crash helmets. By doing this we can reduce the risk of concussions by reducing the impact in both sub-concussive hits, as well as rotational concussions. There are about 3.8 million concussions in the US annually, and these concussions can cause numerous problems in the long term (dementia, depression, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Currently there is one sports helmet manufacturer that even claims to address the topic of rotational concussions (Xenith), but it is more of a by product than a design of their tech.
- How and why did you get involved in your particular project?
- What part do you play in your project outside of your academic work?
- What has been your favorite part about your work?