User:Avani Sharma

Avani Sharma

Email: shara54@mcmaster.ca

Linkedin | TED Profile | Instagram

Biography

File:Avani Sharma.jpg

Avani Sharma is a student at McMaster University studying in the Integrated Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences Program. Prior to moving to the UAE, she lived in Canada for 8 years. She is intrigued by the exploration of the field of sciences. She plans to pursue a career in the medical field especially as applied to the neurological domain of medical knowledge.

Core Competencies

Avani's work ethics are commitment, hard work, and passion for knowledge. She has great interest in leadership and contributing to her community by developing her organization and management skills. She is always prepared to go the extra mile for precision and accuracy in her work and is determine to grow and succeed in the career of her choice. A global citizen, she has traveled extensively across India, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates. She wants to make a difference in the world by making a positive contribution to the betterment of society and lesser privileged communities.

Education

McMaster University

Hamilton, Ontario, Canada | 2019 – 2024

• B. Eng. BME | Integrated Biomedical Engineering and Health Sciences (IBEHS)

GEMS American Academy

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | 2014 – 2019

• Full IB Diploma Program and American High School Diploma
  

Design Studio Projects and Lab

Portfolio: https://avani-sharma.wixsite.com/1p10portfolio

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Design Project 1: Design Solutions For Improving Quality of Life

October 2019 to November 2019

Design Project One required our team to improve upon the design of an everyday product prototype that may have been a challenge to use for a patient.

• Objective
  • The aim of Design Project One was to improve an ostomy bag that an ileostomy patient suffering from moderate Rheumatoid Arthritis was using.
  • The patient was concerned about the security and ease of the locking mechanism of the ostomy bag.
• Role: Project Manager
  • I was required to maintain and promote promote a work environment that is equitable in terms of team member input, opinions and contributions, serve as the team's point-of-contact with instructors, and assume a leadership role in identifying and managing team conflict.
• Accomplished
  • Our team enhanced the design of the ostomy bag to satisfy our patient’s need to confirm a secure connection between the ostomy bag and skin barrier to prevent tears causing leakage and release of odour.

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Design Project 2: Investigating Hip Arthroplasty and Conceptual Design

November 2019 to December 2019

• Objective
  • To build and design a hip implant for a total hip replacement for a Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient.

• Role: Subject Matter Expert
  • Act in the capacity to research and provision all information and knowledge needed and make it available to the team to support a robust process of the product design.
• Accomplished
  • Our team collaboratively incorporated our creativity and ideas to develop a conceptual design by coding and Autodesk Inventor to produce a 3D-printed prototype of our hip implant.

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Design Project 3: Design Solutions for Wearable applications in Health, Fitness, and Active Living

"The Helping Hand"

January 2019 to Present

“A group of entrepreneurial stakeholders in the wearable technology sector approached our team to design a proof-of-concept prototype for a new wearable device.” Design Project Three requires our team to design a wearable device that inputs data from a sensor and provides meaningful output to an end-user.

• Objective
  • Our device is required to take data input by a sensor and output it in a meaningful way that is easily understood by a user.
  • We are required to prototype our device, demonstrating how it will function and how it will be worn.
  • Our team must determine how the sensor will function, how inputted data will be interpreted using physical computing tools, build a 3D-printed support frame that securely houses all physical computing elements, and finally demonstrate functionality and correctness.
• Role: Project Administrator
  • Responsible for development and  coordination of deliverable schedule ensuring that design development and related submission of assignments remains on track as per the timeline by the assigned resources.
• Technology To Be Used
  • Our team is provided with the following:​ a Raspberry Pi (with protective housing), a breakout board, and breadboard, a suite of sensors, and output devices to choose from, and Solid Model Files (*.IPT) of the given component.

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Design Project 4: Designing Health Solutions for the Community

"Liu’s Clues"

March 2020 to April 2020

• Objective
  • Required our team to apply concepts and develop a solution that addresses a need for a member, Ms. Liu, of the local community.
  • Along with identifying and solving a real-world problem, we were expected to use thoughtful assessment of the client's needs to deliver a well thought out solution.
• Design Solution
  • A mobile application made to help Ms. Liu with tracking her symptoms.
  • A real-time implementation of internet medical care that helps physicians effectively learn more about their patient’s illness.
  • Essentially, this app is a smart logbook for physician-patient relationships.
  • This app is fully functional while being user-friendly and will offer a comprehensive solution to the needs of Ms. Liu. It will provide an effective and reliable tool for diagnosis and keeping track of symptoms.
  • With the extensive feature set, Liu’s Clues is equipped to serve a wide range of patients and is agile enough to enable physicians to address the specific needs of one patient at a time.

To try the app, click on the following link: https://www.figma.com/proto/xynPFlEgJ0f17v4Lpc9FWF/LIU-S-CLUES?node-id=282%3A0&scaling=scale-down

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Design Lab: Prosthetic Hand

September 2019 to Present

• To acquire, practice and perfect 3D modelling, CAD and 3D printing skills as well as materials selection, H/W interface design, S/W Coding in the process of developing a product with real life applications and usability.
• My assigned product for this lab is a “prosthetic hand” with all the tactile and maneuverability capabilities to mimic the versatility of human hand to the extent possible.

Volunteer Activities

Volunteer in Brain Builders Program | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

March 2018- April 2018

• I engaged and served patients with traumatic brain injury to provide an environment for effective recuperation.
• I worked towards the program's mission "to build upon the compassionate framework to share interactions of humanity that foster comfort, connection, and recovery for patients with TBI.”
• I engaged in personalized activities with the patients and formed a relationship that consisted of trust.

Volunteer at Labour and Delivery & ICU Department | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center

December 2017- January 2018, March 2018- April 2018

• I assisted and was directly involved in the labor and delivery department. I worked directly with physicians and patients in other departments of my interest.
• I understood the patient and physician relationship that is established in the multiple professions of the medical field by shadowing doctors and nurses in the department.

Junior Caregiver | Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi

August 2017

• I interacted with patients, asked physicians about the profession, and developed a sense of compassion, as well as service.
• I was exposed to different departments and their functions: Pain/Neuro Clinic, HVI Clinic, Respiratory Clinic, Acute Case, Occupation Health, Laboratory and Infection Control, Acute Care, and Pharmacy.
  

Leadership Experience

Youth Leader | We Charity, Free the Children

2011- 2019

• I initiated and led several campaigns as the Youth Leader at GEMS American Academy Abu Dhabi under WE Charity to combat issues such as the lack of education, health, water, opportunity, and food.

• As a three-step process (investigate and learn, plan action, and record, as well as to reflect) the  program challenged the youth to identify local and global issues that sparked their passion.

• I took the initiative to communicate with other organizations and charities (ex. The Emirates Red Crescent, Operation Smile, Toys with Wings) in the United Arab Emirates to bring opportunities to the GEMS American Academy student body.

Organizer | TEDxYouth@GAA

TEDx Profile: https://www.ted.com/profiles/6978541/about

July 2017- May 2018, November 2017- June 2017

• I organized the first TEDx Youth Event under the theme, “Creative Frontiers” and the second TEDx Youth Event under the theme, “Start with a Yes” at GEMS American Academy.
  • Start with a Yes, TEDxYouth@GAA 2018: https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/26720
  • Creative Frontiers, TEDxYouth@GAA 2017: https://www.ted.com/tedx/events/22594
• I led a team of over 40 members for both events in the capacity of Organizer and Licensee by TED.
• In addition to being the Organizer, I was the Branding and Marketing Director where I was responsible for the entire branding and marketing division of the event- this included the event logos, social media, and website (https://tedxgaa.wixsite.com/tedxyouthgaa).
• I mentored the next team to take responsibility for the event.

Research Experience

Online Remote Contributor | Wikidoc.org

2017- Present

• I am an online remote contributor editing content and updating the medications pages on the site.
• The position requires excellent English grammar and writing skills, attention to detail, and proficiency using different computer software. I work directly with the team in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Research Assistant in the “Future Scientists of the UAE” Gulf Medical University Research Program

September 2017- June 2019

• The GMU-GEMS Research Program included GMU faculty and undergraduate mentorship.

• I was a part of the process in writing research papers written with GMU faculty and students.
• The program covered research problem-solving, assignments and projects with on campus and blended online lessons.
  

Extracurricular Activities

Participant | Google Code-in Competition

December 2017- January 2018, December 2016- January 2017

• I participated and worked with multiple open source software organizations with tasks ranging from coding, documentation, outreach/ research, and user interface design.

Co-Director | India in A Day

June 2016

• Co-directed a crowdsourced film directed by Richie Mehta and produced by Ridley Scott and Anurag Kashyap. Certain video clips that I acquired of India were placed throughout the documentary.
  

Skills

Technical: Python, JavaScript, Microsoft Office

Design and S/W: AutoCAD Inventor, Additive manufacturing/3D printing with “Original Prusa i3 MK3” printer, User Interface of Design, Adobe Creative Suite/Cloud, iMovie, Final Cut Pro X

Arts: Violin (2012- present), Flute (2011- present), Oil Painting, Acrylic Painting, Sketching, Photography, Film