Summary
Recap of Week 1 of Summer Experience in Engineering Design (SEED) at Rice University, Houston Texas.
I’m Abraham Mwaura, a soon-to-be graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biomedical Engineering from Kenyatta University, set to graduate this August.
Wednesday, June 4th, will forever be one of the most unforgettable days of my life. After months of anticipation, I was finally boarding a plane—not just for the first time internationally, but for the first time ever!
My family and friends were so excited for me, and honestly, I was floating somewhere between disbelief and pure joy. The journey itself? Well, let’s just say it was no short hop: 8+ hours from Nairobi to London, and then another 10+ hours to Houston.
Arrival : (Houston has landed😅)
After a smooth landing at George Bush Intercontinental Airport on a sunny Thursday afternoon, we were picked up and driven to Martel College at Rice University. The 40-minute drive was my first taste of Houston—a blur of highways, trees, and very large pickup trucks.
After stepping outside, I was greeted by a wave of intense heat. I had a mini panic moment—“Is this how hot it gets out here? Will I survive this?” Spoiler alert: I not only survived, I kinda love it now.
We met Michelle in person—she’s the amazing human who has been helping us with travel plans and documentation. Jet lag was hitting hard, but the excitement of being in the U.S. for the first time totally overpowered it. She showed us to our rooms, gave us a mini campus tour, and introduced us to the Rice dining area—aka “The Servery.” Let me just say, the variety of food there is next level.
Orientation, Sunscreen & the Zoo
The next day, we visited the Bioscience Research Collaborative (BRC) and had a super informative orientation with the Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS). They helped us get familiar with life at Rice and what to expect during our stay.
That weekend, we headed to the Houston Zoo. The sun was not playing games, but thankfully, our local host, Helena, saved the day with sunscreen. Apart from sweating through my T-shirt, I was blown away by the architecture and animal exhibits.
First Day at the OEDK: The design playground💖
Monday, June 9th, finally came, and I was buzzing with excitement. We stepped into the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK)—our innovation playground for the next seven weeks. I’ve seen this place in videos and presentations, but walking through it in person? Goosebumps.
Dr. Kelvin Holmes, our mentor and supervisor, gave us an engaging introduction to the SEED program, Houston life, and the dos and don’ts around campus. One of the coolest activities was a two-slide challenge:
Let’s just say, the creativity levels were off the charts. These are the kind of people you want to build with.
Projects, Personality Tests & Pizza
We also had an activity where each team came up with:
- A team name
- Core values
- Team rituals (yes, rituals!)
Then came project introductions. We each completed a survey to express our preferences and took a DISC personality test. I had never taken one before, but wow—it described me with scary accuracy. Dr. Holmes used our results to form balanced teams.
My Two Projects: Real Impact, Real Stories.
I was thrilled to be placed on two meaningful projects:
- Kangaroo Mother Care – This project focuses on better managing the tangle of cords and cables used during Immediate Kangaroo Mother Care in low-resource settings. Having spent time in Pumwani Maternity Hospital back in Kenya, I’ve seen firsthand how overwhelming that environment can be for new mothers, especially those with underweight babies. This project hit home.
- Water Sampling System – Our second project builds on previous work to design an automated system that can collect water samples from a body of water over time, eliminating the need for physical presence. Simple? Not quite. Useful? Incredibly.
Teamwork & Laser Cutting? Yes, Please.
With our teams formed, we kicked off brainstorming sessions, developed our project objectives, and mapped out problem statements. We even started establishing team culture—and let me tell you, team dynamics in a cross-cultural, interdisciplinary environment are something else.
Midweek, we were introduced to stand-up meetings—quick daily check-ins on project progress. Between brainstorming, prototyping, and discussions, the week flew by.
We wrapped things up with a laser cutting workshop, where we learned how to use Adobe Illustrator and laser cutters to bring ideas to life.
The Galleria Experience: Skating, Window Shopping & Bonding
To top off the week, we visited The Galleria Mall—a massive shopping and entertainment hub. We tried our feet at ice skating, did some top-tier window shopping (hello, luxury brands), and just enjoyed bonding as a team.
Final Thoughts on Week 1
This has been one of the most incredible, intense, and inspiring weeks of my life. From adjusting to a new country, tackling real-world problems, meeting brilliant minds, and discovering new aspects of myself, this journey has already left a mark, and we’re just getting started. Special thanks to my sponsor Mrs. Koehl, for allowing me to experience which will mean a lot to an ambitious African kid.
Gratitude to Mrs. Koehl 🙏
Special thanks to my sponsor, Mrs. Koehl, for giving me this life-changing opportunity—an experience that means the world to an ambitious kid from Africa chasing big dreams.