Tess update

EPFL

My new mentor has been wonderful, both monitoring my work and giving suggestions as to which directions to focus on as I progress. I have completed the first section of the project (creating a 2D model of the knee under load) and will hopefully now move onto working on 3D models. I have just been informed that I am expected to make a lab presentation on my project before leaving, which makes me nervous, but hopefully I will have guidance creating it.

This project has been especially useful for me because the background information that I am learning for it (knee anatomy and mechanics, finite element analysis) will be very useful for a undergraduate thesis project that I am considering: beginning the design of a low-cost prosthetic knee for amputees.

Geneva
The past couple weeks have led to some more exploration of the city. We were on our way to go swimming in the lake and ran into the Lake Parade (photos to come), which was 'fabulous.' It was interesting to talk to the people in a stand distributing information on the risks of drug use (including alcohol) and precautions to take. They said it is a program associated with the city of Geneva and they also work in nightclubs and other large events. I have never seen something like that in the States.