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By Bill London, University Relations , WSU Today

Get a grip

The traditional paper handling aid is that tan rubbery gizmo that accountants or postal workers place on their fingertips to easily shuffle pages. But, with help from WSU researchers, the Washington entrepreneurs selling Tippi Fingertip Grip (ONLINE @ www.tippibrand.com) hope paper-shufflers will replace those gizmos with their brightly-colored "grippier" grips.

The Tippi Grip was created by a new company, VWP, Inc., that recognized the need for documentation of its claims of product durability and effectiveness.

Philip Lorenzo, VWP's owner, turned to WSU for assistance and was linked to Kip Findley. Findley, undergraduate research professor in the School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, is experienced in studying the mechanical properties of materials.

To fund the project, Findley and Lorenzo turned to the Washington Technology Center. A statewide economic development agency, it channels state, federal and private resources to help Washington companies develop and commercialize products.

To complete the research, Findley turned to Cory Overman, a senior in mechanical engineering. Bringing students into the lab is the focus of Findley's position; he was hired in May 2005 to involve undergraduate students in meaningful research.

The Tippi Grip project, testing primarily for durability, began in November 2006 and is expected to end in March or April.

"Cory will really benefit from this project," Findley said. "This experience will help him understand the research process, which will help him decide about his own career options of graduate school or industry.

"He'll have an opportunity for hands-on research to build his ability to think critically. And, of course, he will earn money."

Findley noted that if the product is proven superior, the company will more effectively enter the market and ultimately hire more employees and boost the economy.

Projects like this provide training and skills for students, Findley said. They also can lead to further funding support for similar research efforts, and they continue to build productive research collaborations with industry that can result in publication and presentation of the results.

"The most important result of projects like this is the personal and professional satisfaction," Findley said. "For me, it is very satisfying to work with students and get results."

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