Black Excellence: Gass Iyacu and Emma Jackson
A More Inclusive Bike Helmet
Gass Iyacu ’24 rode a scooter across Northwestern’s Evanston campus to get to class every day. Emma Jackson ’24 rode her bike. But neither regularly wore a helmet. Why?
“They just don’t fit!” says Iyacu, who wears his hair in various styles, such as an Afro or braids. Jackson has the same problem. Helmets typically frizz her hair and disrupt her natural curls.
Determined to find a solution, the two manufacturing and design engineering majors teamed up with classmates Pratham Bansal ’24, Alicia Cabrera ’24 and Kevin Kaspar ’24 to create the CALYX helmet system, an expandable helmet and accessory that accommodates thick, curly and voluminous hair while prioritizing safety and proper ventilation.