(Press-News.org) At the Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies’ 15th annual Undergraduate Design Competition, the future of global health innovation was on full display.
Rice University welcomed 22 student teams from 18 universities across eight countries, both in-person and virtually, to present affordable, practical solutions designed to improve health care in low-resource settings at the April 11 event.
Far from just another student competition, the event serves as a global stage where future engineers, scientists and public health leaders come together to address some of the world’s most urgent health care challenges.
The projects on display showcased creativity, technical skill and a deep commitment to solving global health issues. Teams presented lifesaving innovations, including a neonatal jaundice treatment system designed for newborns in low-resource settings; low-cost, customizable prosthetics; an affordable retinal camera for early glaucoma detection; an assistive technology to break down communication barriers for individuals with hearing and speech impairments and much more.
“These students have spent months researching, designing and diving deep into these projects, answering tough questions from clinicians and experts,” said Kiara Lee, director of education strategy for Rice360. “It really demonstrates the depth of their learning and their ability to think critically in a real-world setting.”
Lee added that the competition provides students with more than just technical experience — it offers them a platform to grow as innovators and global citizens.
“This competition gives students a powerful way to show how much they’ve grown — not just in their technical skills but in how they approach problems, how they recognize their own limitations and how they communicate their ideas to others,” Lee said.
One of the most inspiring aspects of the design competition was its global reach. Students from Bangladesh, Canada, Ethiopia, Peru, Uganda, the U.S. and beyond shared their innovations and forged connections that could shape future collaborations.
“What sets this competition apart is its focus on global health technology,” Lee said. “It pushes students to think beyond a single clinic or hospital and consider how their solutions could have an impact around the world.”
That global mindset was echoed by keynote speaker Patricia J. García, professor at Cayetano Heredia University and former health minister of Peru.
“We need to prepare the new generation of global citizens to understand the health challenges of this century and to create solutions that meet people where they are,” García said. “That’s what makes competitions like this so critical.”
She emphasized that building connections across continents is essential for solving global health problems.
“After these international students connect, those relationships don’t end here,” García said. “They’ve learned from each other. They’ll carry those connections with them to solve problems across borders, because at the end of the day, we all share the same air, the same water, the same planet.”
Throughout the event, a diverse panel of judges, including experts in medicine, engineering and public health, evaluated the teams on their technical merit, creativity and commitment to equity and sustainability. Special awards recognized projects that advanced digital health, open-source technology and community-driven solutions.
“Technology has enormous power to help the most vulnerable populations, but it has to be tailored to their needs,” García said. “That’s something we sometimes forget when we don’t look outside our own experience, and that’s the beauty of bringing together people from all over the world to tackle these challenges.”
In addition to project presentations, the event featured a public poster session and two keynote addresses from the recipients of the Rice360 Innovation and Leadership in Global Health Awards. García was one of the recipients of this year’s award, and she was joined by June Madete of Kenyatta University in Kenya, who was honored for her groundbreaking work in biomechanics, health innovation and educating the next generation of innovators in Kenya.
As the day concluded, teams were honored with more than $14,000 in prizes, including $5,000 for first place and a People’s Choice Award, which drew over 200,000 votes. The winners included:
1st Place: HemoSave – Duke University
A cost-effective, real-time blood loss monitoring device designed to improve the detection of postpartum hemorrhage and reduce maternal mortality.
2nd Place: QBiT – A.R.M. – Queen’s University
An affordable, body-powered, above-elbow prosthetic for individuals with limited access to care. Leveraging 3D printing and an open-source design, this durable and customizable device enables clinics in low- and middle-income countries to fabricate prosthetics on-site, restoring mobility and independence for those in need. This team also won the Public Invention-Incremental Improvement Award , which honors student innovators who produce the most significant improvement to a project previously created by a substantially different team.
3rd Place: BiliRoo – Calvin University
An innovative technology that integrates filtered sunlight phototherapy with kangaroo care (critical skin-to-skin contact between parent and child) as a low-cost, effective treatment for neonatal jaundice in underserved communities.
Crystal Sea Award: All Eyes – University of Texas at Austin
A low-cost liquid-lens phoropter (an instrument that helps determine eye prescriptions) designed to replace traditional, more expensive systems, making vision care more affordable and accessible. This award recognizes student innovators addressing unmet health needs through creative engineering.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Award: SignTalk – Shahjalal University of Science and Technology
An assistive technology platform breaking communication barriers for people with hearing and speech impairments. This award celebrates teams that thoughtfully integrate diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the design process.
Public Invention – Open-Source Award: Manuvera – Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology
A low-cost, customizable and child-friendly prosthetic solution for pediatric amputees, developed with open-source accessibility in mind.
People’s Choice Award: The Guardian – University of Lagos
A noninvasive diagnostic device that detects amniotic fluid leakage and differentiates it from other types of vaginal discharge, helping to prevent complications and improve maternal and neonatal outcomes.
“This competition is about more than just technology,” Lee said. “It’s about preparing students to become the next generation of innovators who will lead with empathy, creativity and a commitment to global health equity.”
END
Global innovation takes center stage at Rice as undergraduate teams tackle health inequities
2025-04-17
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