T.E.A.M – “Together Everyone Achieves More”

Just as Jim Whitehurst, former president of IBM and Red Hat, said at the Rice Engineering Leader Speaker Series on September 12, 2023:

“Great innovation typically is NOT from a single individual. It’s getting people together to build off of each other’s ideas.”

Nothing beats working alongside others, especially those from diverse backgrounds. Each person brings unique experiences, ideas, and perspectives, all contributing towards the same goal. What one person has, another might lack, and vice versa.

Teamwork is the heartbeat of my journey at the OEDK. It goes beyond mere collaboration; it is the driving force behind innovation, creativity, and success.

 

I work in a team of four: Alinafe Lipenga, a Biomedical Engineering student from Malawi; Rohan Palavali, an Indian pre-med (Biosciences) student from Rice University; Brooke Barksdale, an American Mechanical Engineering student from Rice University; and me, a Petroleum Engineering student from Nigeria.

Such a diverse team, right?!

Notable engineering innovations such as the Internet, space travel, advancements in renewable energy and medical devices among many others testify to what can be accomplished when people from different fields or disciplines come together to achieve a common goal. Teamwork is evidently at the core of achieving these remarkable feats.

This diversity fuels our creativity and allows us to approach our project from multiple angles.

Over the past few weeks, we’ve tackled several challenging aspects of our project. One notable achievement was when we successfully iterated our prototype to enhance its functionality based on feedback. Each team member’s unique perspective was crucial in refining our approach and overcoming technical hurdles.

Working in this team has taught me the power of effective communication and the importance of being open to different viewpoints. I have learned to pay attention, leverage each other’s strengths, and remain resilient in the face of setbacks.

I can’t agree any less with Helen Keller that: “Alone we can do so little, but together we can achieve so much.”

Indeed,
“Team work makes the dream work!” – John Maxwell

It’s been a blissful ride and I’m super excited about the potential impact of our findings and prototype in revolutionizing healthcare in the world!