Summary

A fast Week 2 at SEED: built a Kangaroo Mother Care prototype, upgraded a water sampling system, cooked Tanzanian food, celebrated Juneteenth, and lost at ping-pong to laser-focused teammates. (The bold squirrels still own Rice.)

Last week at SEED was slightly shorter thanks to the Juneteenth celebrations, but what we lacked in days, we more than made up for in progress, creativity, and memorable experiences.

Agile in Action — Real-Time Innovation

We continued to push forward with our projects, and I still can’t believe how much we accomplished in just a few days. We embraced the agile approach—failing fast, iterating quickly, and getting early feedback. It was exciting, a bit chaotic, and wildly productive.

Project 1: Cable Management for Immediate Kangaroo Mother Care (iKMC)

After an in-depth conversation with our supervisor, we agreed to shift our focus toward creating a low-fidelity prototype. We wanted something physical we could test and get feedback on—fast.

We spent hours working through CAD designs, 3D printing, and even a little sewing (shout-out to my dad, who taught me how to use a sewing machine when I was younger!). It felt like everything came together as we assembled our first prototype.

On Tuesday morning, we marched to the BioScience Research Collaborative (BRC) to meet our client. The feedback session was insightful—the client was impressed and provided suggestions that sharpened and focused our problem statement (as our supervisor likes to say, “make it succinct!”). We left with more clarity and energy to move forward.

Project 2: Water Sampling Project – Engineering Vs Hydrology

We also continued work on our automated water sampling system. After testing the previous team’s prototype, we identified several mechanical issues, particularly with the stepper motor, which lacked sufficient torque to properly move and hold the vials.

Our solution? Upgrade the motor and redesign the housing to fit it. I spent some focused hours in SolidWorks, 3D printed the new part, and honestly, seeing it fit perfectly was one of the highlights of my week! We also spent some time making the code, which was initially in one single file, more modular, which included separating the code into different files.

Tools & Tech

This week, I also got to use Onshape. Also, they have dedicated machines for anything here at OEDK. I got to use a tools to push in screw studs, No more using a hot soldering iron to push in thread inserts—this machine does it with precision.

Cooking Together – Taste of East Africa

On Friday evening, as part of our team building, we cooked a Tanzanian recipe together at the Martel Kitchen, a cozy space with great vibes and great music. The night was filled with laughter, cultural exchange, and a delicious meal. Who knew team bonding could taste so good?

Celebrating Juneteenth – A Moment of Reflection

As part of the Juneteenth celebration, we visited the Buffalo Soldiers National Museum. The exhibitions were powerful, highlighting the history and contributions of Black American soldiers in the fight for freedom, and also American History as a whole. The most thrilling part? The firearm showcase, where we saw the weapons used during the war, and how they were prepared for battle. We also went shopping at Ross, a fantastic shopping space with a unique and genius business model. An unforgettable history lesson.

Cultural Exchange – Lock in & Ping pong

One of the most valuable parts of SEED has been learning from my fellow interns. The international students from Asia, in particular, have truly impressed me with their focus and work ethic. Their ability to lock in and stay in the zone is inspiring. Oh—and they’re incredible at ping pong.

Rice Wildlife – Bold Squirrels & Bunnies

No blog would be complete without a mention of Rice University’s famously fearless squirrels. They’ll join you for lunch… invited or not. And don’t get me started on the bunnies—adorable, chill, and absolutely photogenic.

Conclusion

This past week was short, intense, and incredibly rewarding. I can’t wait to share what we build next! Special thanks to Rice360 Global Health Technologies and Mrs.Judy Koehl for making this happen.