Courier: 1819 Innovation Hub aims to make 10,000 face shields for Cincinnati Children's, UC Health

First of several weekly deliveries was made Monday

Personal protective equipment for medical professionals has been tough to come by since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the United States. The University of Cincinnati is doing its part to support local medical facilities.

As first reported by the Cincinnati Business Courier, UC's 1819 Innovation Hub has manufactured and delivered hundreds of face shields to Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and UC Health. Each organization received 600 shields in their first delivery. 

A man in a sport jacket and button down shirt smiles while leaning against the top of a stairwell

UC Chief Innovation Officer David J. Adams

UC Chief Innovation Officer David J. Adams says the 1819 Innovation Hub's Ground Floor makerspace plans to make and deliver a total of 10,000 in the coming weeks. 

"We have the opportunity to leverage our currently unused capabilities here to support those on the front lines during a unprecedented event," Adams told the Courier. "When President [Neville] Pinto charged me with connecting the resources of the university with the community, I could not have imagined this. We are just happy that we can help."

UC Health and Cincinnati Children's are being charged for the cost of materials, with the 1819 Innovation Hub donating the labor. The 1819 Innovation Hub's efforts could be expanded to include the region's other medical facilities depending on capacity and need.

Featured image: A laser cutter is one of the tools being used to shape the components of the face shields being manufactured at the 1819 Innovation Hub. Photo/provided

Impact Lives Here

The University of Cincinnati is leading public urban universities into a new era of innovation and impact. Our faculty, staff and students are saving lives, changing outcomes and bending the future in our city's direction. Next Lives Here.

Stay up on all UC's COVID-19 stories, read more #UCtheGood content, or take a UC virtual visit and begin picturing yourself at an institution that inspires incredible stories. 

Related Stories

1

AI is reshaping how doctors train

June 30, 2026

Doctors have long trained through a cognitive apprenticeship model, learning by doing. But as Forbes recently reported, AI is forcing the medical community to reconsider how it trains physicians, even as many of the technology's effects on learning remain unknown.

2

Can generative AI be an ally in rooting out ransomware threats?

June 29, 2026

Nelly Elsayed, associate professor in the UC School of Information Technology, published an article in the Journal of Information Security and Applications, which suggests that generative AI may be an ally in strengthening ransomware defense. Her work was cited by the online platform Securities.io.

3

A leg up in a challenging job market

June 24, 2026

Spectrum interviewed a panel of University of Cincinnati experts and alum for a look into how to stand out in today’s competitive job market. They highlighted UC's cooperative education (co-op) programs and courses that integrate artificial intelligence (AI) competence as key to being ready for the workplace.