Grand Challenges Impact Lab


February 28, 2023

Final Thoughts

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Pondicherry

This blog marks the last blog for myself, which means the end of GCIL23 is near. While many of us have plans to continue exploring India, Mexico, and other parts of Asia, I will be going back home to Seattle, something I am very much excited for, yet internally struggling with accepting. Like many of…


February 27, 2023

Bird Set Free

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Interactive

As of today, we have 11 days left of the program before we are released from the class and free to travel wherever we please, including home. Today is also my last blog reading, making this the final words that I will contribute to the GCIL archives. As I’m reflecting on my experiences of the…


February 26, 2023

Puducherry or Bust!

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Railway

We sat at the table enjoying our sushi and delicious soups, anticipating our relaxing vacay to the famed Puducherry. We chatted, used the restroom, and started rounding up the troops to stroll to the train station several minutes away. As we picked up our bags from the restaurant tables, our mentor mentioned that we were…


February 24, 2023

Bringing Children Together

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Parikrma kids

Today I acted as a mentor for the Parikrma Festival of Science. During this festival, over 300 students from more than 20 schools all came together to learn about the topic of food science. The students would receive lectures from different food industry professionals and researchers and then get tasked with competing in a Hackathon…


February 23, 2023

Interviewing Potential Customers

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Team Biome started out this week with one goal on the mind: talk to homeowners. And I happily report, it was a mission success. Thanks to Kaylea’s message to her runners group and the support of the Biome staff, we’ve completed 8 interviews and have the contacts for 12 more Bangalore residents. It has felt…


February 22, 2023

Penultimate

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It’s my second last blog as long as my math is right (it’s often not). I am conflicted about what that means. GCIL, so far, has offered much. We’ve seen and learned a tremendous amount. We’ve been exposed to a dizzying array of grand challenges. We’ve been offered a wide variety of tools to come…


February 21, 2023

Feedback

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Selling

The beautiful countryside north of Bangalore I’m sitting here trying to decide what to write this blog about. I could write about so many amazing things here in India: the delicious food, the beautiful parks, the calm countryside when I get outside the city, or the friendly people. Maybe I could describe another fascinating well-rejuvenation…


February 20, 2023

Food for Thought

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Copper and Cloves

It’s Sunday morning, the end of week seven. I tested positive for COVID on Friday, yet here I am, drenched in sweat from a workout I just completed. Unfortunately, COVID has been spreading through our little GCIL community these past couple of weeks, and so far, I seem to be the only one that has…


February 17, 2023

Water Matters

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Coracle

Until living in Bangalore, I had never thought about water so much. Daily, I am introduced to new information about different types of wells, rainwater harvesting systems, municipal tap, and water being piped from the Cauvery River. While interning for Biome, I have learned so much about the complex issues that different communities face with…


February 16, 2023

Today Ain’t It

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I started my day in Bangalore strong, waking up at 7am sharp and doing a workout on the balcony. I love feeling the fresh morning breeze while stretching and just casually watching hawks soar through the sky. It’s one of my cherished daily rituals. The rest of my morning was also quite pleasant. I walked…



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