Face Mask Testing

How can we design an accessible way to evaluate the effectiveness of face masks against infectious particles?

The results of this project were published in the Nature Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology, August 2020.

In response to the urgent demand for reliable PPE during the COVID-19 pandemic, I co-founded the Coalition for Health Innovation in Medical Emergencies (CHIME) to address the need for evaluating face masks and face shields. Leading cross-department and cross-organizational collaboration between Yale CEID, Yale-New Haven Hospitals, Unilever, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Colombia, we developed an accessible for testing mask efficiency and simulating air particle dynamics around face shields.

Working closely with research scientists in mechanical, chemical, and environmental engineering, we developed a reproducible method for evaluating mask filtration efficiency and breathability. This method closely replicated the NIOSH N95 certification procedure but with accessible lab equipment, enabling other institutions to replicate the tests. The results and procedural recommendations were published in the Nature Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology.

Over 120 surgical and cloth masks were tested using the CHIME-published system, with quantitative results reported to Yale-New Haven Hospital and Yale Environmental Health & Safety. I played a key role in testing, data analysis, and creating figures and graphs for the published procedures. Additionally, I used data analysis in Python to demonstrate the correlation between our original testing procedure and the 'rapid' mask test developed by CHIME.

Simultaneously, I led a team of undergraduate students in developing a systematic approach to modeling and evaluating the effectiveness of plastic face shields. Through CAD modeling and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), we analyzed the behavior of air particles around the face, identifying shields that redirected particles towards the wearer's face as insufficient protection.

Throughout the project, I also acted as the Yale liaison to the UNDP, authoring a report on our findings and procedures in English and Spanish. All in all, this work forced me to flex my expertise in interdisciplinary collaboration, research publication, and innovative problem-solving within the context of the global health crisis.