SMART goals

As I look forward to my stay abroad, I hope to accomplish these SMART goals for my research project and international experience.

Language: I plan to practice my Hindi speaking skills by attempting to speak Hindi during any interview I conduct related to the project. I also plan to pay attention to any Kannada words spoken–and learn at least 2 new words every day.

Country: I plan to continue to learn about India by talking with my parents and relatives, as well as family friends who are staying at Bangalore. I plan to ask about what traditions, cultural events, and any local practices that are in Bangalore.

Social Issue: I plan to read all of the articles that my mentor has assigned me. In addition, for the ISP final project, I will read at least 4 articles related to the social issue. During my stay, I plan to have a discussion with my mentor about the issue at least once a week.

Research: I plan to keep a record of everything I accomplished every day and send a weekly update to my mentor. I also will try to do at least one extra research task every week to take initiative and learn as much as possible about the projects.

Personal: I plan to keep in contact with my relatives more often–speaking or messaging them at least once a week. I also will contact my parents and sister every 2 days.

Pre-Trip: I will learn what actions I should take in any emergency situation. I will contact the Berkeley intern I am working with and introduce myself through email. I will research at least 5 fun activities to do that are unique to Bangalore.

In-Country: I hope to engage in a fun cultural activity every weekend. I also hope to interact with the population we are studying at least 10 times when we are meeting them.

Post-Trip: I will spread word about my experience and the Loewenstern program to let other students know about this opportunity by giving a presentation, talking to all my friends, and completing any other recruitment tasks the CCL would like me to do. I plan to incorporate my experiences with cancer screening in low resource settings when doing bioengineering device projects. Currently, for my Systems Physiology class, we are designing a mobile application and sensor that would allow cancer patients to monitor their immune levels. I hope to draw on my Loewenstern experience to improve this design if we continue to work on this project. I also hope to become involved with women’s issues by attending at least 2 events each semester hosted by organizations like WomenLEAD and Society of Women Engineers.