Bioengineering students won first-place in a national design competition for Project S.E.R.V.E. (Student Engineering for Resilience of Veterans). The annual event included engineering students from 11 universities across the country to design custom adaptive devices for injured veterans on Team USA’s para bobsled and para skeleton teams.
“Team 4ward” developed an innovative residual limb warming sleeve for Team USA para bobsled athlete Dan Rizzieri. The student team consisted of seniors Jacob Lockey, Leah Werme, Aidan Zentner, and Subhi Mekki.
During winter sliding sports such as para bobsled and para skeleton, athletes often remove prosthetics during training and competition, leaving residual limbs vulnerable to cold, stiffness and potential injury. The winning device has a multilayered design with reusable chemical heat packs to provide safe, consistent warmth without relying on batteries or electronics. It has a water-resistant outer layer, insulating inside, and soft skin-safe liner. A key feature is the easy-access pockets for holding heat packs, which can be easily used one-handed.
Rizzieri, a double below-knee amputee born with fibular hemimelia, has competed internationally in para sports for more than a decade.
“For years, competing in the cold meant simply toughing it out," said Rizzieri. “When my legs got cold, there wasn’t much I could do except wait until practice or competition ended and then deal with the pain of warming back up. This project means so much because it gives para-athletes like me a chance to perform at our full potential with equipment designed for our real needs.
Working with the George Mason students exceeded everything I expected — they included me in every step of the process and truly cared about helping me and others. I was incredibly proud to see them win, and this device will absolutely be part of my gear for future practices and competitions."
Two veteran mentors involved in the competition shared similar experiences working alongside student teams and testing these devices in real-world conditions. Chris Tarte, U.S. Army (Ret.), who partnered with the third place Virginia Commonwealth University team, also highlighted the physical demands of competing in extreme cold and the importance of solutions designed with direct athlete input.
Student teams were challenged to develop a lightweight, comfortable warming system that would help athletes stay warm between and during runs without interfering with movement or equipment. More than a classroom exercise, the competition paired teams directly with para-athlete mentors recruited by Kim Seevers, Chair of the USA Para Sliding Development Committee. Designs were evaluated not only for innovation, but also for practicality, safety, and the ability to serve a range of limb types, including arm, above-the-knee, and below-the-knee amputations.
Each athlete mentor is eligible to receive the device created for them, and the winning design may be considered for use during official Team USA training and competition, including international events. Members of the winning team said the project demanded both technical rigor and personal commitment.
“The work on this project was difficult and definitely came with many sleepless nights, but I am honored to have been surrounded and supported by so many brilliant people,” said Lockey, a member of the winning George Mason team.
“Everyone seemed to love our heat pack application, and the data was there to back up our design approach,” said Zentner, also on Team 4ward.
“We’re excited to give Dan his device so he can actually use it while he’s bobsledding,” added Werme.
The 2026 competition featured 11 teams from 10 universities nationwide, with students presenting prototypes, conducting live demonstrations and undergoing evaluation by a panel of judges from engineering, adaptive sports, and industry backgrounds.
About Project S.E.R.V.E.
Project S.E.R.V.E. (Student Engineering for Resilience of Veterans and Emergency Responders), formerly known as QL Plus, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of veterans and emergency responders with injuries or disabling conditions through innovative, custom-engineered solutions. By partnering with leading student engineering programs, Project S.E.R.V.E. empowers the next generation of engineers to create life-changing assistive technology for those who have served.
A version of this article appeared in the Project S.E.R.V.E. newsroom on the site projectserve.org