During his six-month tenure, Michele not only composed his Master’s thesis but also exchanged study experiences and learned best practices from the Institute’s scientists. This visit was Michele’s longest stay abroad. His decision to intern at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) was influenced by a professor engaged in a collaborative project with KTU related to Michele’s research topic.
The work completed by Michele during his stay in Lithuania was focused on developing a classifier capable of distinguishing between premature atrial and ventricular contractions in photoplethysmogram (PPG) signals. One of the primary challenges encountered when using PPG signals is the lack of publicly available datasets. Initially, the student faced difficulties in acquiring high-quality data. Therefore, with the assistance of researchers at KTU, he also explored other alternatives such as using simulated signals, produced by the PPG simulator developed at KTU Biomedical Engineering Institute.
I think the results that I was able to obtain are quite satisfying. I would say they are consistent with previous works on this subject, so I am overall quite content with my work.
Michele openly shares that his internship went quite smoothly. The only challenge was adapting to a new environment and working with new people. However, Michele quickly adds that the transition was fairly easy due to the supportive nature of everyone involved.
My first impression of Lithuania was actually quite good. I did not know a lot about it before coming there, but I can say I definitely appreciated my time there. The best thing probably about my internship at KTU is that I was able to get some first-hand experience in working on a project by myself, of course with the help of my supervisors. Also, the possibility to work with people with different backgrounds, both academically and culturally, I think it was definitely an interesting experience.
During his stay in Lithuania, Michele did not have the opportunity to take exams, making it difficult to compare academic experiences. Nevertheless, a notable difference he observed is the abundance of students in nearly every course at his home university, whereas at KTU, he noticed that the student population is relatively small. He believes this is potentially advantageous for students as it facilitates more interactions with professors.
At Politecnico di Milano, Michele’s home university, there are over 40,000 students enrolled. Established in 1863, the university has grown to become one of the most prestigious institutions in Italy. Offering courses in engineering, architecture, and design, it consistently ranks among the top 20 universities for engineering, as it did last year.
I have always been fascinated by engineering because it requires a fair number of problem-solving skills and critical thinking. Also, I wanted to be able to do something that in some way had an impact on people’s lives, and I think a degree in biomedical engineering is a good way to reach both of these aspirations.
Currently, Michele is in the final year of his master’s program in biomedical engineering and is scheduled to graduate in April.
