2024

Oh no, I failed!

Posted on by mas53

I once knew a kid. If you have her a pretty marble, she’d bury it somewhere safe so it’s never scratched. If you gave her a seashell, she’d tuck it away neatly so it never breaks. And if you gave her a crystal pen she’d hide it until the ink ran dry.


I don’t know about you, but this story hits a little close to home… Being afraid to take chances, being afraid to make mistakes… In protecting what is so much, we lose out on the wonderful experiences that could be.
It becomes a way of life. Everything that we admire, we tuck away and never actually get to experience the beauty of it.

That’s why these two sentences stuck to me for the last few weeks of this Rice360 internship.

1. Fail fast
2. Have the experience to know when to give up

I heard the first statement from Dr. Holmes and I think there’s a few things embedded in it. Fail fast –

  • Try new things. Mistakes are like a compass to show that you’re voyaging into unfamiliar territories. Because if you knew everything about everything, you’d know what to do and what not to, always, right…?
  • Forgive yourself for your mistakes. It turns out, there’s usually no one harder on us than we are on ourselves. Our mistakes weigh on us the most and taunt us. Oh no, I failed… so what? Only in giving ourselves permission to fail do we fail forward.

 

It’s helped shape my perspective to now seeking mistakes and seeing success as just a pile of accidents and failures that form a heap of experiences. And at the very top of the heap lies the long-sought breakthrough.


Fail fast; this mantra particularly rings true for my team’s (FlowMetrics) Rice360 project. Try, fail, learn, then rinse and repeat. If it goes well, we get the experience, and if it doesn’t… we get the lessons.
Win-win!

 



The second statement was the response Kim Denney; the MD of Newport LLC gave to my question at our first networking lunch. “As someone who sees the potential in things and people and as such, never gives up on them, how do you know what things to actually give up on? Things that are doomed to fail no matter how hard you try. Or things that require more effort than their worth to work out?
How do you get the superpower of discernment?”

My question was in the context of engineering problems. Sometimes things just don’t work and spending more effort is a waste of time. Some other times, things require a lot of effort to eventually work and are very valuable. How do you differentiate between the two?

Her response reflected the 30 long years she’s spent developing her expertise: “First off, it’s not a superpower, it’s experience!”

According to her, when you’ve done something time and time again and it’s almost a second nature, it’s much easier to see when something’s going wrong, and to catch the anomaly before it’s too late.


All leading back to the first point. Making mistakes gives you the experience; the superpower of discernment. The power to see what is worth investing in and what’s better off abandoned.
In other words, mistakes teach you to not make mistakes… It’s almost counterintuitive.

Oh no, I failed… so what? Do it again!
Piles upon piles of errors and you find out many ways of not doing things. And especially why not to. Which leads you to doing things right.


As for that little girl… She never got to appreciate the beauty of the marble nor the seashell and she never got to see the amazing creations that could come of trailing the ink on a canvas…

That’s the real story of failure.


Now… go fail forward and make something awesome!

 


Motunrayo Sanyaolu,
Electrical Electronics Engineering,
Nigeria.

WEEK THREE: HIGHER LEVELS ,NEW CHALLENGES.

Posted on by aml28

Hi everyone, welcome to my third week of my blog post. I would like to share with you the highlights of this week. Honestly its  had been a wonderful week. I learned so much from my teammates as well as from the perspectives of other team members from different groups. I will start with what we have done so far, then the challenges and also I will share with you some of the activities that we had this week

THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR SECOND PROTOYTPES

This week we focused much on working on our prototypes. We developed different types of prototypes, because we wanted to find out which one was better. We developed two prototypes to start with, using negatives of a 3D model and a syringe. We used gelatin in both of them.

                                                           

 

Figure(a).                                                                                                                  figure (b).

The above pictures show the progress of ones of the prototypes using and syringe (figure a) and the negative of a cervix and a vagina figure b.

Challenges we faced on the above prototypes

  • The first prototypes with a syringe did not produce any image on the ultrasound after testing.
  • The second one with the negative of a 3D actually produced some results but the challenge was that to produce an image the probe was not inserted from the hole that was representing vagina but rather from outside

These challenges led us to come up with another solution that will enable us to produce an image by inserting a probe inside the vagina of our prototype.

 

Figure ©.

From the advice we received from Dr. Gei, we thought of coming up with a design as in figure c.in figure c the vagina is perpendicular to the cervix.

 

Figure (d)

This is the negative 3D model that we made for our prototype where the vagina is perpendicular to the cervix. The final prototype of these will be tested in our next meeting with Dr.Gei

GOAL

Our goal this week was to develop a model or prototype that could produce an image on the ultrasound after inserting the probe through the hole.

WORKSHOP

We had a workshop this week led by our team leads, Shifan and Renee. In this workshop, we developed a small system where a motor rotated after receiving a message sent through a transmitter on a breadboard to a receiver on another board. Once we operated the transmitter board, the motor on the other board began to rotate.

 

TEAM LUNCH NETWORKING

Another highlight in this week is that we also had a networking lunch with professionals from Houston community. It was a great time to get know people from different professionals and learn from them. This had been a very wonderful week for me as an individual and also a s a team

TEAM LUNCH WITH PROFESSOR NODSKOV

Another interesting event this week was the celebration of the Juneteenth holiday. Prof. Nodskov took our team out for a delightful lunch at Mendocino Farms. It was a fantastic opportunity for us to unwind, socialize, and strengthen our bonds outside of the usual work environment. Despite the continual rain throughout the day, our inner beings were high, and the weather didn’t lower our excitement.

 

We had a wonderful time chatting and getting to know each other on a more personal level. I enjoyed some delicious food; I opted for a sandwich, the name of which i forgot, but it was made out of pork. The taste was spectacular, and it was easily one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever had. It was my first time trying this particular type of sandwich, and I don’t regret having it. The experience was unforgettable, not just because of the great food, but also due to the good fellowship and enjoyable conversations we shared. Overall, it was a perfect blend of good food, great company, and a festive atmosphere, making the Juneteenth holiday celebration truly special.

 

Conclusion

This week had been a wonderful week, very educative and also memorable.

Thank you

Building Momentum: Insights from the OEDK

Posted on by pem5

Hi everyone … I am back Penina here!

It’s already week two and days are moving so fast… turns out that the busier you get time just seems to fly. There is a lot to be grateful for this week because, for the most important part, me and my teammates have at least managed to get somewhere with our project. Since we are carrying on a project that was done by a former OEDK fellow. Our job is to make an even better version of it and carry where our fellows left off. So, after being able to rebuild our prototype and finally keep it up and running. We are now pacing down the road of modification and refining the design.

Morning Standup Meetings
Every morning, our team gathers for a standup meeting led by Dr. Holmes. These sessions are a great start to the day, as they encourage us to embrace and learn from the failures we encounter in our prototyping journey. This positive approach to challenges fosters a growth mindset to help us know where we stand, plan where we want to be at the end of the day, and motivate us to keep improving each day.

As part of the Summer Experience in Engineering Design, we were able to engage in two workshops this week that I truly enjoyed. First, we got to participate in the Soldering workshop and it proved to be very fruitful even though I have had a couple of soldering experiences, I got to relearn the topic and gained more insight into soldering, and to my surprise, it was a short and sweet lesson I go to enjoy to its fullest and come up with my a successful electrical connection. Secondly, we had a Team Communication Workshop where we learned the importance of team communication to make the working environment friendly and productive.

Networking Lunch with Alumni
I had the privilege of attending a networking lunch with several Rice University alumni. Hearing their stories and advice was inspiring and provided me with insights into various career paths and opportunities in the engineering field. I also enjoyed getting to know them and talking about their life experiences and culture. It was a fun and enjoyable lunch where we grew the network of people who can help us and who potentially have the chance to help them back.

Cultural and Spiritual Exploration
Visiting the Houston Museum of Natural Science for the first time was an extraordinary experience, I underestimated the fact that the museum was the first stop I had to visit outside Rice University but still I was just excited to go out. Trust me I was very impressed with everything about the Museum. From the grand entrance to The Burke Baker Planetarium I saw amazing stuff about astrophysics, the physics of the cosmos, the life cycles of stars, black holes, and the fundamental forces that govern the universe. Onto the Morian Hall of Paleontology featuring a colossal dinosaur skeleton to the Morian Hall of Paleontology with its towering T-rex and Triceratops, the museum captivated me from the start. The Cullen Hall of Gems and Minerals dazzled with its stunning array of gems, minerals, and meteorites, while the Cockrell Butterfly Center offered a serene, magical environment teeming with butterflies. The Hall of Ancient Egypt showcased impressive artifacts, mummies, and interactive elements like virtual mummy unwrapping, adding a sense of mystery and reverence. The Burke Baker Planetarium and Space Exploration exhibit sparked wonder about the universe and humanity’s space missions. Special exhibits and interactive displays throughout the museum catered to all ages, making it both educational and engaging. Overall, the visit left me with a deeper appreciation for the natural world and a desire to return and explore more and more….

I also got the chance to board the Metro bus and Train to and from the Lakewood Church on Sunday. Which was very exciting plus I got to see Pastor Joel Osteen live and enjoy his sermon and of course the church was huge and beautiful in each and every way, and it surely made me wanna go back there again and again😊.

Reflections
This second week has been a blend of hands-on work, skill-building, networking, and cultural immersion. Each experience has contributed to my growth as an engineer and as an individual. I’m excited to continue this journey, tackling challenges and celebrating successes along the way.

Stay tuned for more updates as I navigate through this incredible internship at OEDK!

Week 1 & 2: Starting the 9-5 Life!

Posted on by Madison James

Hello everyone! I am Madison James, one of the Rice interns in the Summer Experience in Engineering Design (SEED) Program. I’m very grateful for this opportunity, and I have enjoyed my work so far. For some more background, I am a rising sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering and minoring in engineering design. I am originally from Florida, so spending my first summer in Houston is interesting (and hot).

For the first week, we were mainly introduced to the program, the other interns, and the projects we would work on. We were presented with project options from the clients, and we ranked the ones we wanted to work on the most. My project is protected by intellectual property, so I can’t reveal too much, but my team is working with a company to help improve their growth of microgreens.

Microgreens the team got to taste

In the beginning, we did a lot of research into our problem, and we met with the client to make sure we understood the scope of the problem. At the end of the week, we were able to order some initial materials for testing. Since a previous team worked on this problem, our process was expedited.

In the second week, we were able to start prototyping solutions and were even able to test growth. Additionally, we had some adjacent problems that needed solutions and worked on solving one of them by using an Arduino setup. Initially, we didn’t think we would need electronics, so this was an interesting turn of events. Overall, we were productive in testing our first iterations and addressing more questions with our clients.

I am looking forward to evaluating our tests next week and seeing if there are any changes we need to make!

WEEK TWO: AS WE RISE HIGHER, THE CHALLENGES BECOMES TOUGHER AND THE ACHIEVEMENTS GREATER

Posted on by aml28

 

INTRODUCTION

The week started really well and has been very fruitful and educational. I have learned so much from my fellow team members. Every morning at 10 a.m., we have our usual stand-up meeting where we discuss what we have been working on the previous day. It is a routine that we observe every day without needing to be reminded. Dr. Holmes and Dr. Fumi have been leading these stand-up meetings. As I mentioned, we accomplished a lot this week, and here are some of the highlights.

Throughout this week, we engaged in different activities and projects that significantly improved our skills and knowledge. We collaborated on different kinds of tasks, which not only nourish our teamwork but also allowed us to learn from each other’s abilities. These communications have been instrumental in our professional growth and have promoted a supportive and dynamic work environment.

BRAINSTORMING CONCEPTS OR IDEAS

One of the highlights was brainstorming ideas to help us to come up with a better prototype. This was a fun activity where we wrote down whatever came to mind without being criticized. Ideas were written on sticky notes, and after 15 minutes, we gathered and posted them on the board for allocation. These allocations were based on the materials we were going to use in our project, the purpose of the model, methods, and so on.

Ideas of the gel(grouped )
Ideas of the gel

Ideas of the model (they are grouped on the board)
Ideas of the model

 

PROTOTYPE DEVELOPMENT

Materials were gathered, and a circular container was chosen. We had to mold the vagina and the cervix. After this, gelatin was made, and we placed the molded prototype into the gelatin, which was then put into the freezer to cool. After many hours, it was removed, but we faced the challenge of part of the cervix falling into the frozen gelatin and it was something that was really hard to sort. This didn’t stop us; we still had to come up with a solution to make our prototype work. In addition to these prototypes we made, we also made a 3D model of a vagina, cervix, and uterus that were in good measurements to show our client Dr. Gei.

moldering our prototype                 the picture shows us Mixing of gelatin with water

                                                                                                 The above pictures shows the molding of our prototype and the mixing of gelatin with water

Final prototype ready to be put in a freezer
Final prototype ready to be put in a freezer

3D model of a vagina, cervix and uterus.
3D model of a vagina, cervix and uterus

 

IMPACTFUL MEETINGS

We had a Zoom meeting with Jackie Foss and Dr. Bond, during this meeting we asked many questions about the materials they use for ultrasound models and not only that they also shared the literature for us to read and use. It was a very helpful meeting, and we learned a lot from it. A meeting with Dr. Gei was conducted to test our prototype. This meeting was also successful, and we learned a lot from him. Even though our prototype was a bit faulty, we are confident that we will reach a stage where the prototype will be very useful for educational purposes.

 A meeting with Dr. Gei where e had to test our prototype

 

WORKSHOP EXPERIENCES

We had a great workshop that involved soldering conducted by our team leads. We had to solder components on a circuit board. This was very fun for me because I enjoy working with electrical stuff. I love fixing electrical things and am always curious to know more about them. This workshop was both educational and inspiring for me.

  This is me soldering a component on a circuit board                              soldered circuit board                                                                                       The above pictures shows me during workshop where we were soldering components on a circuit board and our final product

 

ENHANCING SKILLS IN FUSION 360

My knowledge of Fusion 360 has been improving each day. I stayed for 30 minutes each day after the knocking off from work to improve my skills in Fusion 360, and I have seen a lot of development. I am also really glad for the skills I am learning from my fellow teammates.

TEAM LUNCH AND NETWORKING

Finally, one of the highlights we had was a team lunch where we met different people from various sectors. One of the people I met was Kim Denney. She taught us a lot about how to thrive in a working environment and shared inspiring stories about her own experiences. It was truly wonderful to meet these people and learn from their insights.

The above picture is of us and and Kim Denney the president of the Private Directors Association(PDA)

Overall, this week has been a testament to our collective effort and dedication. We are excited to build on this momentum and continue striving for excellence in our future endeavors.

 

 

 

Life in Houston: My First Week at the OEDK!

Posted on by Precious Faseyosan

Hola! 👋🏽

I am Precious Faseyosan, a final-year student of Petroleum Engineering at the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. I am beyond excited to be in Houston this summer, interning at Rice University’s Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK). To God’s praise and glory, I finally made it here and am super grateful for this incredible opportunity.

I arrived in Houston with two other interns from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. We boarded the same flight. There are also three other interns from Kenya, Malawi, and Tanzania. Together, we make up six African students here on a fully-sponsored program. We are interning with nine other students from various countries and Rice University.

The 3 interns from Lagos, Nigeria on our way from the airport to Rice campus.

 

All six interns from Africa (Of course, I’m the lady on glasses. 😎)

Love at First Sight:

The Rice University campus is so magnificent and beautiful. Gosh! 😍 The campus has such a stunning scenery that different people come from time to time with professional photographers for photoshoot sessions! It’s also charming to see friendly lovely cute squirrels run around in search for food or companionship from humans.

My first visit to the OEDK left me in awe; the tools, machinery, and innovative projects worked on by students and staff were mind-blowing. The realization that I was in for an enriching learning experience filled my heart with gratitude and enthusiasm.

(A little backstory: I didn’t initially have a passion for engineering. My family’s disapproval of my desire to study psychology led me to choose petroleum engineering instead since I loved mathematics and was quite proficient at it. My genuine interest in engineering started during my internship at the University of Ibadan Design Studio and Innovation Hub, an affiliate of OEDK, where we worked on many fascinating engineering design projects in my third year. This passion for engineering is continually growing.)

Meeting the other interns from various countries, our team leads Shifan and Renee, our supervisor Dr. Kevin Holmes, and the visiting mentor Dr. Funmi was equally thrilling. Their warm welcome and support made Rice University feel like home. I mustn’t forget to mention Michelle Nodskov, the Education Programs Coordinator at Rice360, who ensures that all the international interns have a blissful stay. I’m really thankful for the supplies and snackssss (the extra ‘s’s were intentional. 😂) she got us. She’s been so kind and helpful. It’s been a great delight working with every single person, and I’m glad we still have more days to work together.

The Learning Experience:

Okay, enough of the stories. Let’s get to the main purpose of this blog—my first week at the OEDK. The first week was superb, definitely. We were introduced to engineering design as a problem-solving tool and the engineering design process, which involves the steps in problem-solving. What stood out to me during the introductory classes was this statement by Dr. Holmes (paraphrased):

“High-performing teams fail fast and learn faster when they do.”

We learned to approach problems with an open-minded mindset, embrace our mistakes and failures, and learn from them.

Clients pitched their ideas to us, presenting real-world problems they wanted to solve. We were asked to choose a project to work on over the next six weeks and were divided into four teams based on our choices. I chose a project aimed at improving the gel used for transvaginal ultrasound, pitched by Dr. Gei from the Houston Methodist Center. The current gel does not provide clear and accurate imaging of the cervix length, contributing to inaccurate diagnoses and preterm births globally. Our goal is to develop a model that accurately represents the female cervix and improve the current ultrasound gel. I was drawn to this project because of my interest in revolutionizing healthcare. My team spent much of last week researching and defining the problem. More about the project in subsequent blog posts…

Personal Reflections:

This experience has reinforced my belief that engineering is a powerful tool for changing the world and improving lives. Virtually every field benefits from the impact of engineering and design. I have no regrets choosing to study engineering. 🤩

I am excited about the opportunity to learn and work with a diverse team and the professional networking opportunities this internship offers. I also look forward to exploring fun places in Houston. By the end of this internship, I aim to have significantly improved my design thinking and research skills.

Thank you for following my journey. Stay tuned for more updates! 🥂

 

 

 

Exploring New Horizons: My OEDK Internship Experience

Posted on by pem5

Greetings from Houston! 🌟

I’m Penina Macha, a third-year Computer Engineering student from Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology. A week ago, I stepped off a plane into the heart of Texas to start my internship at Rice University’s Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK). Surrounded by cutting-edge technology and innovative projects, my first week has been an exhilarating blend of learning and discovery. Let’s dive into this adventure together!

Martel CollegeInternsInterns

Embarking on my first international journey, I was at the prestigious Rice University in Houston, USA. This opportunity was a significant milestone in my academic and personal life. The first week was very eye-opening, I got to see new things, meet new people, and experience being in a new environment. To my surprise summer isn’t just about the heat but also unexpected rainfall and longer days where the sun just won’t set until it’s 8 pm 😂.

I immediately fell in love with the campus of Rice University, it has amazing scenery and its buildings are simply perfect to fulfill any student’s needs and more. The OEDK, known for fostering creativity and innovation, was everything I had imagined and more. The facility is loaded with small tools to large equipment that can be used in engineering and design, truly the environment is a haven for any aspiring engineer. From 3D printers to advanced prototyping equipment, the resources available here are vast. This is undeniably an engineer’s playground where all the creativity and innovation happens and new technologies are born.

On Monday, we were introduced to various projects, and I was immediately drawn to a health-related topic that caught my interest: the Artemis High Flow Nasal Cannula. This device, essential for respiratory support promised a challenging yet rewarding exploration into the intersection of engineering and healthcare. As I delve deeper into the project on the Artemis High Flow Nasal Cannula, the potential impact of our work becomes increasingly clear. This device, crucial for patients requiring respiratory support, is a testament to how engineering can make a tangible difference in healthcare. The prospect of contributing to such a meaningful project is both humbling and exhilarating.

Collaboration and Mentorship
One of the standout aspects of my first week was the collaborative spirit and the mentorship available. The OEDK fosters a culture of teamwork, and I had the privilege of working alongside talented peers and mentors who are experts in their fields. I am happy to work alongside Dr. Kevin Holmes, our Research Supervising Professor, and Michelle Nodskov, our Education Programs Coordinator not forgetting our Team Leads Shifan Liu and Renee Wrysinski who together make our Internship experience incredibly enriching.

Reflections and Aspirations
Reflecting on my first week, I am filled with gratitude for this incredible opportunity. The exposure to advanced engineering practices, the collaborative environment of students from 4 different countries in Africa together with Rice University students, and the cultural experiences have already begun to shape my aspirations and broaden my horizons. I am eager to continue this journey, delve deeper into the project, and embrace the learning and growth that lie ahead.

Conclusion
The first week at Rice University’s Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen has been a whirlwind of new experiences, learning, and inspiration. From the initial introduction to the Artemis High Flow Nasal Cannula project to exploring the vibrant city of Houston, every moment has been enriching. As I move forward, I am excited about the possibilities and the knowledge that this unique opportunity will bring.

Stay tuned for more updates as I continue to navigate this incredible journey of innovation and discovery!

Starting Strong: My First Week at Rice’s Seed Internship

Posted on by aml28

Introduction

Embark on a week-long journey of innovation and collaboration at the Oshman Engineering Design Kitchen (OEDK). Follow along as we recount our experiences, insights, and discoveries from a transformative week filled with hands-on projects and inspiring presentations.

Day 1: Getting Acquainted and Setting the Stage

On the first day, we gathered in a classroom at the OEDK. The session began with introductions to various individuals who shared highlights of their ongoing and upcoming projects. These projects covered a range of fields, including health, agriculture, and river chemistry. We were also tasked with creating a slide that included five pictures of things we love.

Day 2: Delving into Innovation with Rice 360

Representatives from Rice 360 presented their impressive projects on the second day. Notable projects included a video-based respiratory camera designed to monitor a baby’s breathing rate and a device for measuring bilirubin levels in babies. Additionally, a project focused on reusable colostomy bags was introduced.

Day 3: Diving into Project Work

Later, we were assigned to our teams and given specific projects to work on. Our project was a TV ultrasound test model. We conducted preliminary research, formulated the problem statement, and developed research and interview questions.

Day 4: Research, Collaboration, and Planning

On the third day, we began working on our project. We had a Zoom interview with our client, followed by a stand-up meeting with Dr. Holmes, who guided us on how to formulate effective questions. We also met with Dr. Fumi, who advised us to split tasks: some team members focused more on the model, while others concentrated on the gel. After dividing the tasks, we gathered our findings to establish objectives and constraints for our project.

Day 5: Fusion 360 and Client Collaboration

The last day of the week was dedicated to learning how to use Fusion 360, a crucial software tool for designing our model. Later in the afternoon, we had a significant meeting with Dr. Gei, our client. During this meeting, we sought clarification on several aspects, including the type of gel used in the hospital and its characteristics regarding contrast and spatial resolution. We also collected gel samples from Dr. Gei, which were vital for our project’s progress and analysis. Additionally, we engaged in a discussion with Dr. Gei regarding whether our focus should be on enhancing the contrast of the image or improving the spatial resolution. Understanding these aspects was pivotal for ensuring the success of our project.