Age: 30
Company: Doctors 3D Printing Masks
Title: Executive Director
No. of years with current company: 1
Town where I live: Farmington
Town where I work: Hartford
College: St. Lawrence University
Medical School: NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine
Highest degree: Doctor of osteopathic medicine
Dr. Chris Wiles is an anesthesiology resident at UConn, Hartford Hospital, and St. Francis Hospital. To fight the COVID-19 pandemic, he released YouTube tutorials and open-source designs for creating n95 style 3D-printed masks.
While his typical day is in the operating room, he is growing his organization and the impact it has through collaborating with others all over the world. He makes masks, face frames, face shields, and more with support from colleagues.
What’s been your biggest professional accomplishment so far in your career?
Completing medical school and matching into residency at UConn has been my biggest accomplishment so far. It has led me to meet so many compassionate professionals in both the medicine and anesthesia departments over the past year. Their support during difficult times has been phenomenal.
How are you involved in the community?
I have made connections to medical device manufacturers, colleges, high schools, libraries, politicians, military members, researchers, and other healthcare professionals interested in making a positive local impact. Our community is generous and strong, getting involved in heartwarming ways to get us through COVID. My impact has been through PPE production.
What do you like to do outside of work?
Running, sailing, scuba diving, mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, mechanical and electrical design, working on cars, 3D printing, drone video production, carpentry, playing piano, spending time with family and friends.
How did dealing with the coronavirus pandemic help you grow as a leader?
I have a formal background in medicine and interests in engineering and 3D design. As a leader during a pandemic, I learned to ask others for assistance, organized volunteers and learned the value of collaboration with other organizations when a product or idea needs to be developed quickly.
Four reasons why you deserve to be a 40 Under Forty:
We produced over 2,000 PPE items for hospitals, nursing homes, dentist offices, and more.
We collaborated with the Coast Guard Academy, Yale and UConn to test masks and share information to improve general homemade PPE production.
Our efforts were in local, national and international news, providing hope during quarantine.
The concept of decentralized mask production was exemplified and publicized by these projects, having a positive impact on future pandemics, as well.
Fun Fact
Favorite summer job: Bartending on the Cross Sound Ferry between Connecticut and Long Island.