The past two weeks have been busy, eventful, and honestly, really rewarding. We’ve settled into a daily routine that I’ve come to enjoy, but now that I’m fully adjusted to life in Dar, I’ve started to make a few tweaks here and there. My host project, as I briefly mentioned in my last post, is primarily computational. So rather than climbing the seven flights of stairs to the DIT Design Studio every day, I’ve started working from local coffee shops on some mornings. It’s been a fun way to explore the city, enjoy a good breakfast, and take advantage of strong WiFi while still getting my work done. It’s also helped me stay motivated, which can sometimes be tricky with screen-heavy, data-intensive work.

As for the project itself, these last two weeks have been full of learning. I’ve deepened my understanding of hypothermia trends in newborns across four countries: Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, and Nigeria. I’ve been working closely with my mentors, Dr. Bohne and John, and even got to collaborate with a NEST360 team member affectionately nicknamed Hypothermia Hannah, who has helped me translate findings into clear, impactful visualizations. The goal is to give facility partners meaningful context around their progress and needs.

One visualization I created tracks transitions in newborn thermal states—for example, showing how many babies are admitted normothermic and become hypothermic, or the reverse. While I’ve removed the facility name for data safety reasons, I hope to share more formally with Rice360 later on since this work is part of a larger publication!

Another big focus has been analyzing ambient temperature data collected via the HADLI monitor—a NEST360-qualified technology used to track ward temperatures (among other environmental conditions) in low-resource settings. I’ve been visualizing temperature trends across facilities in all four countries, and one big question we’re exploring is: What counts as an ideal ward temperature? WHO recommends temperatures between 25–28°C, but some literature suggests slightly higher temps may be even better, depending on the circumstances of birth. I’ve been experimenting with a broader range, like 25–35°C, to help facilities understand when they’re falling outside of safe parameters, especially when it comes to preventing newborn hypothermia.

Next, I’ll be diving into research to explore the relationship between ward temperature and newborn thermal states. Now that I know both datasets well, I’m excited (and slightly intimidated) to dig into past literature and methodology. This is where the advanced statistics come in: testing approaches, refining models, and going through cycles of trial, error, and revision. It’s a challenge I’m genuinely looking forward to, and one that will push me to think critically about how to best capture and communicate these associations, but I know I am greatly supported. John, my mentor and a data analyst for NEST, is so, so brilliant, and I’m confident he’ll have some valuable direction for me.

Outside of work, we’ve had some amazing moments too. A few weekends ago, we visited Bongoyo Island, just off the coast of Dar. It was serene and absolutely magical. Last weekend, we spent time in the south of Dar at a beach in Kigamboni near our DIT mentor Joel’s home, alongside many DIT students and staff we see every day. It was refreshing to see everyone outside of the workshop, playing beach games and swimming.

We also celebrated Shreya’s birthday this week! Andy and I worked with a few DIT students to surprise her with a cake at dinner. I didn’t expect so many of them to come, but it was genuinely heartwarming to see them all show up. We celebrated at one of our favorite restaurants (yes, we have favorites now!), an Indian spot called Chowpatty. I still can’t believe we’ve been here long enough to say that! Living in the city center and working closely with local mentors has taught me so much about Dar and Tanzania’s history. One fascinating piece has been learning about the large Indian immigrant population here, especially concentrated in parts of the city like Kisutu. 

On the language front, I’m trying to keep learning Swahili, though I’ll admit my memory isn’t the best. I’ve mastered basic greetings and food terms (priorities!), and my mentor recommended a book that I plan to pick up next week to deepen my learning.

But first… Zanzibar!!! We’re heading there this weekend for a little escape, and it just so happens that the trip begins tomorrow… on my 22nd birthday! I can’t wait to write all about it in the next blog post.

Asante kwa kusoma!

My first week in Tanzania has been a mix of adjusting, learning, and enjoying little everyday moments. I’m starting to get used to how things work here, especially when it comes to our daily routine. Most mornings start with a short walk over to the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology (DIT), where we’re working this summer. The real challenge, though, comes after we get to the building–climbing seven flights of stairs to reach the design studio. It’s definitely a workout, but the view of the city from the top makes it worth it.

Outside of work, one of the best parts has been getting to know students at DIT. They’ve introduced us to all kinds of traditional Tanzanian food during lunch breaks. My first taste was chipsi mayai (a mix of fries and eggs), which was really good. But my favorite so far has been wali na maharage–rice and beans. It’s simple but so comforting, and it honestly reminds me a little of home.

 

I’ve been surprised by how many different foods I’ve gotten to try in just one week, both traditional dishes and unique versions of things I already knew. I’m really looking forward to the weekend and whatever adventures come next.

My name is Melissa Mar, and I recently graduated from Rice, where I majored in Statistics and minored in Data Science. Most of my academic and professional experience has been computational, so my path to this experience was a little unexpected. I was introduced to members of the Rice360 leadership team while I was looking for international fellowship opportunities that aligned with my interests in global health and education. I wasn’t sure at first if my skill set would be a fit, but I quickly realized that data plays a huge role in solving global health challenges and that my background could be an asset in this space.

I’m also looking forward to the hands-on parts of this internship. I don’t have as much experience with prototyping as some of the other interns, but I’m eager to learn and contribute to our feedback efforts on devices like the tourniquet trainer and gastroschisis bag. It’s exciting (and a little nerve-wracking!) to step outside my comfort zone, but I know it will make me a better teammate and learner in the long run.

Being in Tanzania has already been such an eye-opening experience. The pace of life here is different. For example, dinner often turns into a three-hour event. The slower pace feels unfamiliar, maybe even a little uncomfortable. But I can already tell that by the end of my time here, I won’t want it any other way.

It’s also been so incredible to meet our mentors here. Joel, who cares deeply about our experience, has already been such a supportive presence. And Cleria’s kindness and energy have made us feel right at home. I’m so grateful for both of them, and I’m really looking forward to learning even more from them throughout this journey.

Hi everyone!

My name is Shreya, and I am a rising junior from Baker majoring in Bioengineering with a minor in Neuroscience. Growing up in India, I’ve seen firsthand the health disparities in developing countries and the need for low-cost yet high-quality medical devices (it’s part of what inspired me to major in bioengineering), so I’m really excited for this chance to make a meaningful contribution to global health technologies.

The 2 projects that we brought over from Rice are the gastroschisis bag and the tourniquet trainer. The gastroschisis bag (pictured below) was developed by the interns in Tanzania last summer as a low-cost and easily manufacturable solution to gastroschisis – a congenital birth defect where the baby’s intestines protrude outside of the body through a hole in the abdominal wall. Our main goal for this summer is to get feedback on how we can further improve the device and make sure that all the materials are easily available in Tanzania. The tourniquet trainer was developed by a team at Rice this year, which included my fellow intern Andy, to help with first aid training for the life-saving skill.

Aside from those, I’m excited to learn more about our host projects that we’ll be working on at DIT (Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology). We’ve already met some people there, like the director general of DIT – Dr. Msumba, the head of the design studio – Joel, the assistant manager – Cleria, and some of their friends who have been the sweetest and have already shown us around Dar es Salaam. Below are pictures of us at lunch and the ocean (which is just a short walk away!)

I’m grateful for this opportunity to not only contribute to the healthcare system, in whatever way I can, but also to explore this beautiful country, immerse myself in the culture, eat some delicious food, and hopefully pick up some Swahili. I can’t wait to see what the next 2 months have in store for us and I hope you’ll follow along through these blogs!

Until next time (or in Swahili – hadi wakati mwingine),
Shreya ♡