Meet the Team

We are a group of students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and Indian Institute of Technology Mandi (IIT Mandi). See below to learn more about us and our project experience!

Rebecca Markowitz

Hello! My name is Rebecca Markowitz and I am originally from San Diego, California. I am a current sophomore at WPI and am studying Robotics Engineering and Computer Science. The experiences I’ve had while working on this project have been eye opening. I’ve enjoyed being able to meet complex individuals that have shared their stories and welcomed us with warm cups of chai. I also had a lovely time working with IIT students and learning about their culture. This project gave me the opportunity to make memories and grow on a professional and personal level.

Erika Miyajima

Hi there. My name is Erika Miyajima. I am a Mechanical Engineering student from Nagano, Japan. It has been an amazing experience to be able to complete my IQP at IIT Mandi where I was surrounded by beautiful mountains with many wild animals. I have also loved interacting with cute dogs on campus while enjoying tea time everyday. Through our fieldwork, we were able to conduct interviews with villagers in Kamand Valley and hear fascinating stories of their daily lives. I believe the experiences I have gained throughout this project will help me thrive in my future.

Amit Ranjan

Hola Amigos! My name is Amit Ranjan, and I am from Bihar, India. I am currently pursuing a major in Mechanical Engineering and a minor in Management at IIT Mandi. I have enjoyed working on this joint project with my WPI teammates. I have learned a lot from this social-technical practicum, specifically the culture and diversity of my very own country, that I was unaware of. Not to mention the welcome greetings received from the community in the villages and the joy of trekking on mountains. It was also a delightful experience working with WPI students for the first time. This helped in getting a cross-cultural experience and was a very enriching experience. I am grateful for the great memories we’ve created.

Michael Savrin

Wassup my dudes, My name is Michael Savrin and I’m an Electrical and Computer Engineering student from Needham, Massachusetts. I have had an amazing cultural and educational experience with my work on this project. I have appreciated being able to meet and interview so many villagers in order to truly experience this part of India. Interacting with a variety of people and being able to experience the hospitality of our interviewees has contributed greatly to my positive IQP experience.

Bhanu Singh

Greetings! My name is Bhanu Singh. I am originally from Bharatpur, Rajasthan. Currently, I am an undergraduate student at IIT Mandi in Himachal Pradesh, pursuing a major in Civil Engineering. I really enjoyed this project. I had a wonderful experience working with WPI students. I enjoyed getting to know the ground reality of the villagers and learning about their problems. I would like to thank our project sponsor, EWOK. I also appreciated getting to meet so many interesting people: in the villages, in the schools, in the hospitals and in the NGOs. From everywhere I received greetings and hospitality. I am really grateful for these memories.

Brandon Waugh

Howdy y’all! My name is Brandon Waugh and I am from Austin, Texas. I am currently studying Robotics and Electrical Engineering at WPI. During my time in India, I really enjoyed learning about the culture and experiencing all Himachal Pradesh had to offer. I am so happy I have gotten to work on this project because I know that it’ll lead to something bigger. This project has not only brought me many great memories, but also many new friends. Having a joint program with IIT Mandi has allowed us to experience life here on a whole new level. I really feel like I’ve grown a lot and the lessons I’ve learned will help me later in life.

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