Hello, everyone!
This semester I am studying abroad in Ireland at University College Dublin. This has been an incredibly rewarding experience so far, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to explore Europe with new and old friends. I kicked off this trip abroad backpacking through Northern Spain for two weeks on el Camino de Santiago. I walked a little over 300 km and got to explore some incredibly beautiful, remote towns along the way. I made friends from Germany, Italy, Slovenia, Israel, Canada, etc. that I hope to keep in contact with for the rest of my life. Walking with different people for several hours a day and making the same stops for food and lodging gave me a lot of time to hear more about the culture and way of life in different countries. It also allowed me to share what it was like to grow up in the United States and what I love about being a student Tulane.
Since then I have made weekend trips to Paris, Edinburgh, Lisbon, Madrid, and Amsterdam as well as different parts of Ireland. Ireland’s landscape is full of lush greenery, views of the sea, and some of the cutest sheep I have ever seen. My mom, dad, and two older brothers came to visit me for a week and a half in October! I loved being able to share this experience with them, and my brothers enjoyed making the most of the Irish pub scene. Each trip I’ve taken has allowed me to learn more about that country’s culture and history through the food, architecture, and museums I’ve visited. This semester abroad completes my Multicultural Competency requirement for the Grand Challenges Scholarship Program at a High level. My favorite class this semester has been my Medical Device Design course, which completes my Medium activities requirements for the Entrepreneurship/ Viable Business Competency. My team consists of six other students with all different engineering backgrounds. We were posed with the challenge of exploring problems related to the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea. Specifically, the use of oral devices. We have spent the past few months defining the problem area, researching the market landscape, designing our prototype, and developing regulatory and IP strategies. Our final design is a smart oral device that monitors treatment compliance and efficacy similar to the way a CPAP machine would. This would allow for doctors to monitor patient progress over time and make adjustments as needed. My group is preparing for our final presentation next week where we will pitch our design to a panel of judges from the medical device startup world. The final step in the class is to complete an Enterprise Ireland Commercialization Fund Program application to potentially get funding for further research and development in the coming year. This class has not only given me more hands-on experience in the product design process but has shown me what it takes from an entrepreneurial standpoint to get a product to market. Although I will be sad to leave Ireland, I am excited to come back to Tulane for the spring semester! This semester will mark the beginning of my thesis research for RPE and my third time celebrating Mardi Gras in the great city of New Orleans. A lot to look forward to as I continue working towards my degree and completing my GCSP competencies!
Looking forward to seeing you all soon,
Lydia Trautmann
