Well. Today marks our last day as a group in Bilbao. I’m sad to see it go, but I know the memories I have made and the things I have learned will last a lifetime. Before I get too sentimental, let’s jump into what activities we did today.

We started by going back to the university in Bilbao; the aftermath of the Euros final yesterday was evident as trash littered the streets around the stadium (which, if I haven’t mentioned, is right next to the engineering buildings). We were slated to watch a couple of presentations as a last hurrah. The first was presented by Mikel, another professor at the university and a colleague of Saioa’s who is also working on the Oreka-Balance project. In his presentation, he ran through the design process and how important it was to have a plan before jumping headfirst into a project. The basic steps that he described included: define the function, create a model, build the prototype, ensure the criteria/objectives are met, and the final product. In this process, it is important to recognize the objective, requirements that need to be met, the restrictions that may be in place, and any regulations that must be followed. Much of his presentation reminded me of our ENGR 0011 class first semester; there was a lot of very valuable information in his discussion of the design process. One thing he mentioned for medical devices specifically was how the first step was to find a doctor to talk to; this way, you could tailor a product to the users’ needs and discover the issues that real people are currently facing. It was really interesting to get such a detailed explanation of how devices like the Oreka and Balance machines were originally started and how all the tasks that followed them connect back to their original purpose. Mikel also talked about advanced prosthetics and how some of them were different and more complex based on the user’s needs, and I was instantly reminded of all the research I did for the FYEC paper this past semester. I knew exactly what he was talking about, and it was a great feeling to see my research connect back to something that will apply to my future career.

Then, we were given a presentation on a startup of a graduate from the Bilbao School of Engineering; his company was called Ventijet, and they were working on designing an alternative to traditional ventilators. The company was first developed during the height of the COVID pandemic, where all the issues of the current ventilator options were revealed. The company aims to promote better patient well-being through their technology, which largely prevents the collapsing of the lungs often seen with our current devices. The presenter provided answers to our many questions about their design process and the journey they’ve had as a startup. One thing that stood out to me was how to spread their device outside of Spain, they would have to undergo additional clinical testing, taking even more time to complete. The presentation was interesting and provided a real-life example of how startups can form to help people in the medical field.

After our final lunch at the school’s cafeteria, we had a final wrap-up activity with Saioa. We talked about all the things we enjoyed about the trip, of which there were many. We all listened closely as Saioa read us a childhood story about the importance of sharing ideas with the world. She expressed her gratitude for this program and wished us well on all our journeys in life from here on out. It was a very uplifting time, even if I was getting a bit sad that the program was already ending. Then, we played a Kahoot on all the things we’ve learned from this global experience; I started out on the podium, then dropped to 10th place, then, in an epic comeback, got third at the end. Saioa gifted the top three winners with a little bandana-type cloth with the tiles of Bilbao on it and a magnet, and I felt very proud of myself. It was really bittersweet to feel like the program was at long last coming to an end after all the incredible activities we had done together.

Some free time in the hotel, and a very long siesta, later, we had our farewell dinner, where we ate lots of amazing food and sang Dr. Borovetz Happy Birthday from yesterday. We all also signed a card for him, and it was such a great moment because one of the other tables in the restaurant was also celebrating a birthday, and they joined in to sing! We sang for them, too, because it was also one of their birthdays! It was such a special moment as a whole group for the last time, and I’m so sad to see all of my friends go on with their summers, but I can’t fully express how grateful I am for this program.

Plus3 has provided me not only with the opportunity to expand my travel expertise but also to connect with people of another culture and learn more about how differences between nations can lead to incredible collaboration. The intersection between engineering and nursing has never been more clear to me, as we bioengineers must design products that nurses can use in their daily lives with the utmost efficiency and patient satisfaction. The academic and cultural learning experiences are memories that will last me a lifetime; I’ll never forget our epic hiking adventure, or our visit to the Guggenheim, or visiting all the different car, guitar, rocket, and other labs, or touring the Gorliz Hospital. I am so incredibly thankful for everything Nora, Dr. Borovetz, and Saioa have done to make this experience the best two weeks I’ve had in a while, as well as everyone who has accompanied me in this journey abroad.

Thank you for reading along with me on this adventure of a lifetime; here’s to the incredible people who made it possible, to Spain, and to many more study abroad experiences to come! This is Sophie Lopez, signing off. I can’t wait to see what comes next!