Howdy! My name is McKenna Kerns, and I’m from Austin, Texas. I’m a rising sophomore in the Bioengineering department at Pitt, planning to follow the biomechanics track with a minor in Mechanical Engineering. I am passionate about prosthetic devices, especially bionic applications. I interned with Hanger Prosthetics last summer, where I had hands-on experience fitting, creating, adjusting, and customizing artificial limbs in a clinical setting. This summer, I have an internship with Hanger’s Research and Development team, where I’ll be collecting and analyzing data to drive device innovation. Outside of class, clinics, and labs, I also enjoy photography, particularly of nature and urban landscapes. I play soccer and basketball, and enjoy trying new things. I am a member of SWE (Society of Women Engineers) and BMES (Biomedical Engineering Society) as well as the Fredrick Honors College.
Additionally, I serve as a camp activity coordinator for RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards), where we help young adults grow as leaders and problem-solvers in their communities. Lastly, I love exploring new places—especially outdoors—and traveling to diverse, exciting areas. That’s exactly what led me to apply to study abroad in Bilbao, Spain.
I chose Bilbao for its unique blend of culture and medicine. As one of the oldest cultural regions in the world with access to modern healthcare, it offers a rare perspective on how tradition and innovation coexist. I’m also interested in exploring how medicine is approached in other countries and comparing it to the healthcare system in the United States. As a prospective engineer, these experiences broaden my understanding of healthcare through the lens of the design process, helping me become a more dynamic and adaptable engineer in the future.
That blend of culture and medicine also allows me to explore a new culture alongside fellow engineers and nurses. In the Basque region, we’ll be introduced to a different language, cuisine, customs, religions, and more. This exposure will help me grow as a culturally aware and open-minded individual—an essential quality in today’s globally connected healthcare and engineering industries. I look forward to my time in Bilbao and am excited for you to join me digitally as we explore and capture different angles of Bilbao.
