Summary

A little bit about me!

Hello everyone!  

 

To whoever is reading this—welcome to my blog! 

This is just the beginning, and so much is in store for y’all, but first let’s start with some introductions—Hello! My name is Valerie Valentin, and I’m a rising sophomore from Lovett College majoring in Bioengineering with a minor in Global Health Technologies. My love for medicine started at a young age, and over time, it grew into a passion for innovative medical technology. This curiosity is what led me to take the introductory Global Health course at Rice, as I wanted to explore how medicine and technology intersect in a global context and the impact they have.

After exploring global health disparities and the process of needs assessment in underserved settings, I enrolled in Global Health Technologies 360, and, hands down, it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Through that course, I had the most amazing opportunity to create an additional attachment for the LUCIA, Rice360’s Low-cost Universal Cervical Instructional Apparatus. This training model is used to teach healthcare trainees how to screen for cervical cancer, one of the most prevalent yet preventable cancers, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

Together with my amazing team (huge shoutout to Lauren Walcott, Saumya Chauhan, Grace Haddad, and Jewel Moore-Young) and under the guidance of Dr. Jenny Karns-Plante and clinical mentors Dr. Mila Salcedo and Dr. Parisa Fallah, we formed Team Uterus Universal. Our goal? To tackle the rising burden of uterine cancer by designing a functional uterus and cervix attachment for LUCIA that would train users to perform endometrial biopsies, which is the current standard for uterine cancer screening.

Over one semester, I honed my CAD design skills, learned how to collaborate and communicate effectively in a team, and applied a global health lens to the engineering design process. The experience was truly meaningful, especially because of my deep-rooted passion for gynecology. It reminded me why I love the intersection of engineering and medicine so much, as well as for innovation. 

Now, I’m incredibly excited to take this passion abroad as a Rice360 Summer Intern in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic!

This summer, I’ll be working with Dylan Yoon alongside UNAPEC and the Dominican Foundation for Mothers & Infants (DOFMI). One of our main projects will involve designing a sensor for the Kangaroo Mother Care system, which is a method used with premature infants where skin-to-skin contact between the baby and mother helps regulate the baby’s temperature, breathing, and overall health. Our role is to help develop a sensor that monitors vital signs and physiological responses during skin-to-skin contact, so clinicians can better understand and evaluate its benefits.

We’ll also be conducting needs assessments in local hospitals under the mentorship of Dr. George Suazo, identifying challenges mothers and newborns face during hospital stays. I’m really looking forward to contributing to solutions that can improve care experiences for both moms and babies!

I’m also very excited to have the chance to present my partner’s and my previous projects, receive direct feedback, and observe physicians interacting with our LUCIA uterus model! I’m especially thrilled to see how our prototype performs in a real-world context and to support Dylan as he evaluates his own project—a device that quantifies breastfeeding metrics by measuring pressure data.

My goal for this internship is to truly make the most of every opportunity that comes my way—whether it’s learning new skills in electronics, gaining crucial context for solutions designed for LMICs, helping others through needs finding, or observing how physicians stay calm and collected during critical and high-stress moments.

Beyond my interest in more technical aspects, I’m also very passionate about exploring different cultures and trying all sorts of new cuisines (I’m especially excited for the tostones!). I also want to fully immerse myself in Dominican culture—from practicing my Spanish to trying new foods and visiting local landmarks and cultural sites (suggestions always welcome!). I’m also an avid birder, so get ready for some wonderful bird photos in the upcoming blogs!

I know I’ll be stepping out of my comfort zone on this trip, as I’ve never been in a foreign country where I didn’t know anyone, but I’m genuinely excited to learn, grow, and embrace everything this summer has in store.

Here’s to designing for impact, learning from others, and making health more equitable one prototype at a time!

Thanks for following along! See you in the next blog 😀

– Valerie 💙