Tips for Novice Skiers

Skiing gears image from unsplash.com

A product development specialist for nearly 30 years, Thomas Allen Disselkamp works for the 3M Company in St. Paul, Minnesota, where the quality of his work has earned him several professional awards. Outside of his job, Thomas Allen (Tom) Disselkamp enjoys a number of outdoor hobbies, including skiing.

If you will be skiing for the first time, keep these tips in mind:

1. Don’t look down at the tips of your skis. When you’re just starting, you may be tempted to look down and make sure you’re doing things correctly. But when you do, you’re not paying attention to the terrain around you. Accidents happen when you don’t pay attention.

2. Dress appropriately. Ski clothing is best worn in layers. Try three separate layers, the first base layer to keep you dry and wick away sweat, the second to keep you warm (think fleece or wool), and a third layer that is waterproof and windproof but breathable.

3. Bend your knees. Squatting for long periods may tempt you to straighten your legs, but this will spoil your form. Try to keep your heel in the heel cup of your boots at all times. If that doesn’t help, try bending your knees more.

A Tangy Grilling Sauce Incorporating Fresh Plums

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Thomas Allen “Tom” Disselkamp is a longtime Minnesota product engineer who works with the Infection Prevention Division at 3M. With a passion for grilling meats and vegetables, Thomas Disselkamp enjoys creating rubs and sauces from scratch.

One of the creative ways of adding flavor to a barbecue sauce is through seasonal elements such as apricots, cranberries, and plums. The last is a key ingredient in a grilling sauce that effectively combines a slight sweetness with tartness designed to bring out the flavor of the meat.

In addition to plums, the recipe incorporates catsup, honey, and red wine vinegar. Adding subtle spice touches are smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, and chopped shallots, with the mixture brought to a boil in a saucepan before being cooked at a simmer for about 20 minutes.

Once the sauce is thick, it is put through a blender to give it a consistency perfect for slathering on meat or veggies. The end result is a distinctively, tangy sauce that can be kept refrigerated for up to two weeks without any issues.

3M’s SoluPrep Film-Forming Sterile Surgical Solution Earns ESP Award

Surgery scissors
Photo by Piron Guillaume on Unsplash

A longtime Minnesota electronic hard goods engineer, Thomas Allen “Tom” Disselkamp is focused on product development at 3M’s Infection Prevention Division. One 3M product created in Thomas Disselkamp’s division, the SoluPrep Film-Forming Sterile Surgical Solution, was recognized in 2018 with an ESP Award in the category of Patient Prep.

As described by ECN Magazine, the product stands as the sole surgical prep product with a sterile solution that has earned FDA approval. Released in 2018, the innovative alcohol- and CHG-based patient skin prep solution is designed to provide “quick kill” of a broad spectrum of bacteria while ensuring antimicrobial persistence over 96 hours.

A key innovation involves using a proprietary 3M Prep Protection Film that incorporates advanced adhesive and polymer technologies. This helps ensure that the CHG active ingredient remains on the skin as it forms a durable, water-insoluble film. In addition, the prep’s high viscosity minimizes runniness, with nurses able to clearly recognize the bright green tint on a full range of skin tones.

Understanding RoHS and WEEE Compliance for Electronics

Thomas “Tom” Allen Disselkamp is an electrical engineer working as a product development specialist at 3M Company. In this role, Thomas Disselkamp ensures all new products meet global safety standards such as RoHS and WEEE. 

RoHS (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) is a directive covering the production of electronics and electrical equipment. Developed in the European Union, RoHS limits the use of 10 known hazardous materials, among them cadmium, lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers. Specifically, it prohibits manufacturers from using more than the allowed quantities of those substances in electronics or electrical equipment.

WEEE (waste from electrical and electronic equipment) is related to RoHS. While the latter restricts usage of hazardous materials, the former provides for means of recovery and recycling of electrical equipment and electronics. WEEE encourages manufacturers to create environmentally safe products and educate end users on appropriate and safe means of disposing those products. Specifically, WEEE requires manufacturers to create user guides for dismantling products, give instructions for removing batteries, and make available to users information on disposal methods. This disposal information includes directions to drop-off and collection points.