TWP: Science Museum

Emily went back to the Science Museum after our tour and here is her TWP write up:

After attending the Science Museum for a scheduled tour, I knew that I would be going back as soon as possible to see the Health and Medical exhibits. My major is biomedical engineering; therefore, I enjoyed looking around at the inventions displayed throughout this exhibit. I learned more about the origins of my major as well as inspired about all scientists have accomplished over the years.

When I got to the Medicine and Heath section of the Science Museum, there was a piece of equipment that immediately caught my attention. It was a table with a mask for a face and then a drill going down towards the mask. This machine was used to first treat patients for head cancer. Patients had to wear Perspex face moulds fixed to the table in order to keep their head completely still. From the looks of the machine, I can only imagine how claustrophobic the patients felt when undergoing surgery. I personally cannot even imagine having to sit with a mask strapping down my face while they drilled into my head. Today they have significantly improved the process for treating head cancer. The process is much more comfortable and accurate.

Another machine that really stood out to me was an old MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging. This machine was used in 1989 to take pictures of people’s brains. Today doctors frequently use MRIs when diagnosing patients. The clarity of the images have greatly improved since 1989. I thought it was fascinating seeing how far technology has come. I hope to one day use my biomedical engineering degree to further improve machines such as the MRI.

Finally, two of the last machines to stand out to me were the automated DNA sequencer and chromatography machines. Both of these pieces of medical equipment have a lot of significance to me because I worked with different versions of these labs in my classes at North Carolina State University. The first machine, the automated DNA sequencer, has been around since the 1970s; however, the specific machine I saw was from 1987. I used an automated DNA sequencer in Biology lab. The model I worked with in biology was much smaller than the one I saw in the museum. Similarly, the chromatography machine I used in college, but I worked with this piece of equipment during my bioinstrumentations class. Chromatography has been around since 1930, but the machine I saw was made in 1993.

By looking at the head cancer table, MRI, automated DNA sequencer, and chromatography machine, I learned more about the history of my major and the significance of biomedical engineering for improving the medical world. I really love how London has free museums like the science museum so I can gain knowledge on what interests me most.

TWP: Bath

Emily's Tourist with a Purpose write up:

For my second adventure for Tourist with a Purpose, I traveled to Bath, a city in England. I selected this location in order to see how much medicine and biomedical engineering has advanced over the last thousands of years. This location relates to my major, biomedical engineering, and inspires me to want to accomplish more once I enter the work force.

I first began my adventure to Bath excited to see the beautiful town and travel to a location outside of London. The city did not fail to disappoint on its striking landscapes. The breathtaking views of the countryside, extravagant columns lining the buildings, and lively city streets made this town a quick favorite of mine. My favorite part of the trip was walking around the streets of the town. Every front of the buildings was required to have the same gold color as well as to be styled similarly, while the backs of the buildings were not uniform at all. Driving around the city it was interesting to see the consistency; however, as soon as you turn a corner and catch a glimpse of the backs of the houses you notice not everything is as harmonious as you would think. Nevertheless, this ancient city was beautiful.

Despite its gorgeous views, I realized Bath had even more to offer me: more knowledge on my major. The ancient Roman baths, established in 43 AD, were thought to heal the Romans for life. They believed in this healing power because they had never seen anything like the hot springs that bubbled from the ground. Drinking six glasses of water a day in 43 AD was seen as a method to cure a person for life. This example for curing signifies how much the world has advanced in medicine and biomedical engineering fields over the past thousands of years. Clearly, we have come a long way since then.

Today we know the scientific reasoning behind the great healing powers of the bath water. This spring water is full of minerals that are good for the body. Since 43 AD, we have significantly advanced in medical fields. We now can transfer kidneys, engineering fake limbs, or reconstruct parts of the heart. Back then, the closest thing to biomedical engineering was discovering magical powers in water for no known cause.

By comparing the ideas of medicine treatments in 43 AD to today’s biomedical engineering advancements, I am inspired. We have come such a long way since the beginning of our calendar. I do not doubt that there is a lot more to discover in the biomedical field. There is so much left to learn and engineer and Bath made me eager for my future in the field of biomedical engineering.