In wrapping things up, we had our final presentations yesterday on Wednesday and everything went well. We demonstrated how our device will be used and the audience had a chance to ask questions and give feedback on what they thought about the device. Every team did the same and it was amazing to see the different devices we have all built during the summer. For team Gotta Cast’Em All, this is what we made!

During strength testing of the device, a combined weight of me, Tori and Alex totaling 365 lbs was exerted on the device to test if it could hold more than 350 lbs and it successfully supported us

It has been an exciting summer here at Rice University but every good thing has to come to an end and this marks the end of the internship. we have finalized everything we were supposed to and documented all necessary information that might be useful if the project is to be worked on again in the future by a different team.

Today was dedicated to final touches on the prototype making it ready for delivery to Hanger Clinic for clinical testing and cleaning. The crucial final touch we haven’t yet done is painting but we will probably finish that tomorrow. We cleaned almost every part of the OEDK that looked messy to the best of our ability and i have to say the design kitchen looked good after we finished cleaning.

I have definitely learnt a lot in the seven weeks i have been here. I have learnt how to work in a culturally diverse team in which communication and background differences are prevalent. I have learnt a new approach to engineering design which is a little different to the approach i was taught at the Polytechnic and having two different approaches aiming at achieving the same thing is an advantage that gives me flexibility and fluency in designing devices. I have learnt how to use several tools that i never thought i would have the chance to work with including but not limited to plasma cutter, CNC machine. And even though i have worked with lathes, milling machines before here i learnt new accessories which go them making the machining process more accurate and easy. Most importantly i have learnt a lot about America and Brazilian cultures.

Having reached this far its now time to start preparing for departure back to Malawi. I will always remember the experience i have had here in Houston. I am grateful to all the people who helped me during the internship and who made my life easier and interesting. Its a lot of names to mention so i wont try to but each and everyone of them should receive my heart felt thanks. Maybe just a few names: Dr Wettergreen, Dr Hunter, Dr Leateaud, Daphne Flowers, Jeremy Palmer, Alex Acosta, Kelvin Boateng, all other fellow interns who am now proud to call friends and everyone else who helped God bless y’all.

Special thanks to all team members of team Gotta Cast’em all: Alex Acosta, Liz Kacpura and Tori Joshi you guys have been amazing and fun. i enjoyed working with you