When entering the Swanson School of Engineering in my freshman year of college, I already knew that I wanted to major in bioengineering. After all, growing up, I had steadily developed an acute interest in genetic engineering and medicine through my own recreational internet research, so it was only natural. However, as I’ve studied abroad, I find that my engineering and sustainability in the Renaissance course has sparked an interest in environmental sustainability for me, leading me to investigate connections between the two. In my ENGR 0034 course, we’ve discussed digital twin modeling and were even assigned a group project on the subject. My group chose the topic of the Ponte Vecchio, a famous bridge that stretches over the Arno River, the main river running through the city of Florence. In this project, we proposed the creation of a digital twin model of the Ponte Vecchio to effectively track the water level of the Arno River and mitigate flooding threats. These kinds of digital twin models are becoming more and more vital as climate change worsens and could very possibly have a future in the bioengineering field and, more specifically, the environmental bioengineering field; I would like to be a part of that future in my career. Meanwhile, with my newly gained extracurricular experiences in Florence in tow, I have found that my personal goals for myself have shifted toward the prospect of traveling more often. Of course, while a good enough reason to want to travel more is how fun new experiences and being on “vacation” can be, I now possess an additional justification: embracing confusion. Without realizing, I have become complacent on my study abroad experience because I’ve been too scared to make mistakes due to confusion. A lot of Florence’s streets look similar to me, so I’ve avoided navigating the city without the assistance of Google Maps. In addition, I’ve been afraid to utilize the Italian language knowledge I prepared in advance of this trip. I’ve ordered from most cafes I’ve visited in English apart from a strategically placed “ciao” or “grazie” here and there. I’ve opted for the English menu in restaurants instead of sifting through the nomenclature of various pizzas and pastas. As a result, I am now making a vow to let myself make mistakes in the interest of pursuing my autonomy abroad. Granted, this vow is being made quite late in my experience since I’m writing this with only one week left in my experience, but it is better late than never.
Swanson School of Engineering 