Kaixo lagunok! (Hello my friends- Basque). Today is a bittersweet one—our final day here in Spain. Little things have stuck with me, like confidently saying “Pardón” when passing people on the street and having a surprisingly good eye for spotting quality pintxos.
We headed back into Bilbao for one last visit to the engineering school, where we wrapped up with a few final presentations. First up was Dr. Diez, who walked us through the design process. Then we heard from Bosco Lopez, the CEO of a startup developing a new ventilator.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
In his presentation on the design process, Dr. Diez walked us through what he considers the most essential question in design. Let’s say you’re picking out a car for someone. What do you think matters most—speed? Size? Style? Color? While those might seem important, the real question is: who is using it?
Hypothetically, you wouldn’t buy a tiny green Mini Cooper for your 6’5″ friend, right? Or a Ferrari for your friend who’s a mother of five—poor Ferrari wouldn’t stand a chance against car seats, strollers, and snack explosions.
The design process must always revolve around who the product is for. That’s how you create something not only functional but genuinely practical for the people using—and impacted by—it.
Take a more medical example: a wheelchair. Who’s using it? Patients, of course—but also nurses and doctors. So, the design should prioritize comfort for the patient while ensuring it’s easy for medical staff to maneuver and operate. And while I’m sure some patients would love to pop a wheelie down the hospital hallway, I’m guessing that’s not exactly encouraged in most healthcare settings—so maybe leave that feature off the prototype.
After this, we watched a presentation on ventilators. Here’s a crash course for those unfamiliar (disclaimer: this is not a technical explanation, so please don’t sue me if it sounds like it was written by someone who doesn’t know what lungs are).
Ventilators work kind of like blowing up a balloon. When you blow into it, it expands. When you stop or breathe in, it deflates. Now, if you’ve ever let all the air out of a balloon, you know how the inside walls stick together? That’s pretty similar to what happens in the lungs. Most traditional ventilators force air into the lungs, expanding them, and then pull the air back out, collapsing them again. It’s a high-stress process—on the lungs. If you didn’t somewhat cringe at the idea of forcing air in and out, you should.
This is why most people can’t stay on ventilators for long periods; the constant force of inflation and deflation can damage the lungs over time.
But the startup we learned about has developed a new ventilator design that may solve that problem. Instead of letting the lungs completely collapse, their system maintains a constant pressure—even during exhalation—reducing the wear and tear on delicate tissue. On top of that, they’re also improving how we collect and interpret patient data.
Right now, airflow rates are often based on basic stats like gender and weight. That’s kind of like assuming everyone in Pittsburgh is a Steelers fan. Sure, that might cover a lot of people—but not everyone. And unlike trash-talking someone over football, making incorrect assumptions in healthcare can have deadly consequences. Their tech helps individualize ventilator settings to the actual needs of the patient—not a statistical average—which could be a game-changer.
After that, we had lunch—where I had to say goodbye to one of my favorite dishes of the trip: the chicken. (No, I TOTALLY haven’t had it five times already. That would be ridiculous… right?) We followed lunch with a heartfelt farewell session, sharing our favorite memories from the trip and offering some advice that can make this brand new study abroad program better for future groups. It was one of those sweet, full-circle moments.
And of course… you can’t end a farewell gathering without a competitive round of Kahoot. Naturally. Guys, it was not my day. Last time, I lost my spot over a question about the Puppy sculpture—turns out the flower colors had zero significance. I still managed to place third, though. So this time, I figured the colors of the hanging bridge were also just for aesthetics. I was bamboozled. One wrong answer, and my podium dreams vanished in the blink of an eye. I never recovered after that. Truly a tragic downfall.
To top it off, Saioa gifted Dr. Borovetz and Nora traditional Basque hats, which was such a thoughtful gesture. I told Dr. Borovetz I’d better see him proudly rocking that hat around campus—and that he can’t escape me anyway, since four of my classes are in Benedum (our engineering building). He laughed, but I was only mostly joking.
Here comes the tearful closing speech:
I can’t fully express how much this trip has meant to me. Experiencing the differences and beauty of a new country has been beyond eye-opening—it was the perfect blend of culture, academics, and pure joy.
I found a little more confidence in myself—whether it was ordering pintxos in Spanish, navigating the metro, or simply finding comfort in being somewhere unfamiliar. I met incredible people who, despite me being a guest in their homeland, went out of their way to speak to me in a language I understood.
My heart absolutely melted when sweet older ladies came up to us just to ask where we were from and wish us well on our travels. And I couldn’t help but smile every time a kid playing soccer waved at me as I walked by.
From the cutting-edge labs to the cobblestone streets of old town Bilbao, this trip has filled me with unforgettable memories, lasting friendships, and a deeper appreciation for the world beyond my own. I might joke about leaving Pittsburgh and moving here, but this is definitely a place I will eventually wander back to in my lifetime.
Alright, enough of the heartfelt emotions—sorry you had to witness my sentimental side. (Actually… no, I’m not.)
This, I believe, is my final post to you all. It’s been an absolute blast sharing the best of this journey—and yes, the more humbling moments too. From pintxo cravings to uphill battles (literally), and some questionably timed jokes sprinkled in between, I hope you’ve had at least half as much fun reading as I’ve had living it.
Thanks for following along, laughing with me, and maybe even learning something new. Catch you on the flip side—hopefully not on 738 stairs.
Gero arte! (Catch you later!)
Below are just some highlights of the trip. Some pictures are repeats, but it is all here now.
