The Talent Competency within the Grand Challenges Scholars Program is designed to provide students with sustained, mentored research or creative project experience directly aligned with their chosen Grand Challenge theme. The goal of this competency is to move beyond classroom learning and immerse students in hands-on, real-world problem solving that deepens technical expertise and subject-matter knowledge.

To fulfill this requirement, students must complete at least two semesters of mentored research or creative work (75–150 hours per semester) under the guidance of a faculty or industry mentor. These experiences must:

• Align with the student’s selected Grand Challenge theme

• Apply technical knowledge and research methods to a real-world problem

• Contribute to the creation of new findings, designs, technologies, or products

• Provide meaningful depth and sustained engagement in the focus area

To fulfill the Talent competency within Health, I completed a two-semester Senior Capstone project in partnership with Mayo Clinic, where I contributed to the development of E-Lumenate, a novel internal phototherapy device for treating Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE). The device delivers targeted UV light via a flexible catheter to reduce inflammation and improve patient outcomes. The research poster can be seen below.

As Research & Development Lead, I translated clinical needs into engineering specifications, developed CAD models, and conducted safety and feasibility analyses, balancing clinical effectiveness, manufacturability, and cost.

Research Poster (Semester 1)

Research Poster (Semester 2)