... in Ireland, pretty typical I'd say, although today marks the end of my BRAVO! research internship at the University of Limerick (UL). Over the course of twelve weeks, my colleagues in the Center for Applied Biomedical Engineering Research (CABER) were tolerant enough to humor my occasional complaints about the relentless Irish weather and didn't mind sharing a bit of their wisdom with me. I found that if the weather was allowed to dictate my plans I would not have many opportunities to explore this beautiful country or ever get to work! So, with my trusty umbrella in hand, this lifelong Arizonan braved the sometimes non-stop rain to catch some sights and develop amazing friendships.

Luckily, the European Rugby Championship was taking place during my first weekend in Limerick -- the local Munster squad was competing against the French team Toulouse. This is like the Super Bowl of rugby tournaments, so after being briefed about some rugby basics I joined some friends to watch the match from two jumbo screens in the city center. Talk about a warm welcome; this was a great way for me to meet some of my lab mates and jump into Irish culture!

The purpose of my trip to Ireland was to participate in an international collaborative research experience supported by BRAVO! My project coincides with ongoing work in the Soft Tissue Biomechanics Lab at the UA where computational models are being created to study and predict failures in endovascular repair (EVAR). EVAR is now the most widely used procedure to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), a serious condition that is currently the 13th leading cause of death in the US. My project focused on experimentally validating these computer simulations. This involved creating silicone models of AAAs and modifying a flow-loop system to mimic physiological conditions in the aorta. Three different stent-grafts were tested and other variables included blood pressure, the compliance of the silicone material (modeling variations in the aortic wall), and the diameters of the silicone models (changing the oversize between stent-graft and AAA diameter).

During my time at the university, I was fortunate to befriend a group of international students, who, like me were working on internships or studying far from home. We all enjoyed traveling together and experiencing Irish traditions. One memorable experience was a journey to the Blarney Castle in County Cork. We left Limerick early in the morning and were completely soaked by the time we even made it to the bus station! Three hours later, we arrived (still soaked) and made our way up the 120 stone steps, which make up the spiral staircase of the castle. Kissing the Blarney Stone is believed to bestow you with eloquence (a.k.a. the gift of the gab).

This may have been an Irish cultural experience in the past but today the majority of visitors to the Blarney Stone come from abroad. So, in order to have a more unique experience, I didn't limit my weekend trips with visits to castles and ruins, which there are hundreds of by the way. I enjoyed traveling to explore the natural beauty Ireland has to offer at places like Killarney National Park and the Cliffs of Moher. The UL offered unique opportunities to see performances of traditional Irish music and dance. One of my favorite events was going to see a live performance by the professional Riverdance group.

Sitting on the airplane to come home, I could not help but think what a valuable experience this was for me. I was able to pursue my research interests and learn so much about a place I had never been. I am so thankful for this opportunity and would like to extend my gratitude to those who supported me: my UA faculty mentor, Dr. Jonathan Vande Geest, the CABER group and my mentors at the UL, Dr. Tim McGloughlin and Tim Corbett, and BRAVO! Director, Carol Bender.

Amanda Eskinazi, BRAVO! student with Dr. Jonathan Vande Geest, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering