Education & Outreach

Orthopaedic Resources

Manufacturers

The landscape of orthopaedic manufactures was at one time very vast. While there still remain a significant number of companies operating in the orthopaedic space (Orthopaedic Design and Technology OEM Company Listing), the last several decades have resulted in significant consolidation. This includes major mergers between several high revenue generating orthopaedic manufacturers including the acquisitio of Synthes by DePuy in 2012 ($21.3B purchase price), Zimmer purchasing Biomet to form Zimmer Biomet in 2015 ($14B purchase price), and the most recent merger this year (2019, not shown below) when Stryker agreed to purchase Wright Medical ($4B purchase price). Despite the consolidation of power in our industry, our job detecting failure mechanisms, assessing biomechanics, and developing the most innovative orthopaedic solutions remains.

Source: Orthopaedic Design and Technology Top 10 Orthopaedic Companies

Professional Societies and Research Organizations

There are a number of professional societies and research organizations that DBEC actively participates in including clinically oriented groups (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons), materials focused entities (Society for Biomaterials), and biomechanics targeted organizations (American Society of Biomechanics). See below for a complete list of the organizations in which we participate.

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

American Orthopaedic Association

Orthopaedic Research Society

International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty

American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons

American Society of Biomechanics

International Shoulder Group

International Society of Biomechanics

American Society for Testing and Materials

American Society of Mechanical Engineers

Society for Biomaterials

Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers

Joint Implant Surgery & Research Foundation

HMWPE Lexicon

Dartmouth Resources

We are fortunate to be situated in Hanover, NH on the picturesque Ivy League campus of Dartmouth College. Although we are rural, being located here affords us many resources, without which our work would be impossible. See below for all of the local resources we draw from for success in orthopaedics.

Laboratory Outreach

After School Science

Graduate students in the DBEC laboratory are encouraged to participate in After School Science and Engineering. This program is an inventive STEM enrichment program run by Dartmouth students (undergraduate and graduate) who enjoy sharing their passion for science and engineering with children in elementary school and junior high. Weekly during each academic term, Dartmouth students lead hand-on activities that exemplify fundamental concepts in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. In the past, students have built everything from boats and rockets to mouse trap dragsters and gumdrop towers under the guidance of experienced student mentors. Projects and lessons are tailored to the ages of the students.

Junior Solar Sprint

Each year our lab works with Tau Beta Pi honor society to host the Upper Valley’s Junior Solar Sprint competition. Our competition is the longest-running Solar Sprint competition in the nation, having reached thousands of local middle-school students over the last several decades.

The Junior Solar Sprint aims to teach middle school students the importance of recycling, sustainable energy, and mechanical engineering fundamentals. Each year, we anticipate that over 100 students will have the opportunity to team up and build their own solar powered car. Each team is allowed a common motor and solar cell; the remainder of the car, however, will be uniquely designed. By allowing the students to experiment with their design, each team can create a car that they are proud of. The event allows true project-based learning in the STEM disciplines.

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Engineering Open House

Each Spring, Thayer School welcomes the public into its laboratories and work areas to see how engineering prepares students to innovate in medicine, public policy, law, architecture, design, technology, entrepreneurship, and more. Visitors enjoy tours, exhibits, and demonstrations by engineering faculty, staff and students as well as engineers from local industry. Our laboratory is a popular stop, with demonstrations ranging from device analysis, to biomechanics, to high speed video analysis.