Bonjour tout le monde ! My name is Miguel Jimenez Gomez, a rising junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering with minors in Engineering Design and German Studies! I am also very passionate about photography and cinematography work, mainly with film, so you will probably see me around with some cameras still!
As someone who has traveled and stayed a fair amount in Europe, I always look forward to what I can experience directly within a city, or possibly, any surrounding areas. Thanks to Europe’s vast transportation network, it is very convenient to travel via train nationally and internationally. My trip to Amsterdam for iSEED was a very insightful experience as it really took advantage of these systems to tie in locations in and around Amsterdam to learning about the problem and solution space. In particular, my favorite component to the course we had in Amsterdam was a site visit to a company called Gazelle, which is the longest running bike manufacturer in the Netherlands. As I settle in for the course in Paris, I am left curious if there will be a similar experience where we travel to specific spots in or around Paris tie our course work together, and if there are site visits planned to interesting companies or maker spaces. I often found these interesting as they gave a neat insight into how design thinking is used in a professional setting.
Bikes on display at Gazelle
Something that was really exciting about this weekend though that I need to mention was that I managed to experience the 24 Hours of Le Mans endurance race. Although it was a very last-minute plan that I made with my peer Maximilian, it was an opportunity I really had to take given that I have had a long connection and fascination with the race. Despite the major challenge of having to put up with rain for hours while outside with only ponchos and an umbrella, being able to watch the race live and hearing the engines of the cars and the crowd was completely worth it. The museum was also a very interesting visit since it was remodeled to be in a more chronological order, and there was even a special exhibit for the feats of the French brand, Alpine. In the end, despite our endurance through bad weather and very minimal sleep, being able to experience Le Mans live will be something unforgettable for years to come.
Sunset at the Chapelle curves
1973 and 1974 racing prototypes, Ferrari 312 PB and Matra MS670B
1974 Renault-Alpine A441
1978 Renault-Alpine A442B
Outside of the course, something that I look forward to doing when in Paris is continuing to work on my personal travel film about Europe. During this trip, I have been working on a personal film project using my Super 8 camera, usually being travel-style scene of the cities I visit. I did this, weather permitted, in Amsterdam, and I look to do the same in places like Paris. I like working with formats such as Super 8 as it teaches you to think more, given that each cartridge can hold around only 3 minutes and 20 seconds of footage at 18 FPS. Consequently, this passion of mine often drives how I explore the places I travel to. When I am in a city and with to photograph or record it, I tend to observe the scenery and feel the ambience around me to see how I could capture its vibes. If I want to focus on something, I take the time observe it closely to see its details. As such, that is my currently plan for exploring Paris as I go out to do my work!
My Beaulieu 6008S Super 8 Camera!
Overall, I really look forward to being able to work on a project and make some memories with my peers on our experiences in Paris. Getting to know them in Amsterdam was a great start to our adventures, and with Paris and a project ahead, we have yet another opportunity to embark on activities together. I hope it will be yet another fantastic and productive 2 weeks!
The Rice Global Paris Center