MSEM students consult for startups, tour locations across Europe and the U.S. through annual immersion program
First-year Engineering Management students have returned to campus after completing the Immersion Program, an annual consulting project that allows them to participate in hands-on engagements with real-world clients in a variety of locations in Europe and the US.
Through this dynamic learning experience, MSEM students are matched with startups and established companies and often collaborate with local students to solve business problems and present recommendations to their clients. Students also have the opportunity to engage in a number of social and cultural experiences in their respective locations, including Denmark, England, Spain, Portugal, and New York.
Braga, Portugal
MSEM students with project partners at the Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory.
The program in Braga embeds students in the Iberian Nanotechnology Laboratory, where they are paired with research teams to consult on commercializing their technologies. This year’s projects focus on technologies which convert photovoltaic energy, detect aquatic microplastics, and characterize volatile organic compounds. Students tour labs, collaborate with INL technology transfer and intellectual property specialists, and network with industry and academic stakeholders. Throughout this process, they see the unique opportunities of technological innovation of an organization which prioritizes both scientific and diplomatic advancements.
Students in the Braga program united with students in the Coimbra program to explore Lisbon, Cabo da Roca (the westernmost point in continental Europe), Sintra to tour the Quinta da Regaleira, Cerdeira (where they participated in a team-building exercise titled “Discover Cerdeira” and a workshop on baking traditional bread in a wood-fired oven), and the city of Porto, where they spent the weekend.
Coimbra, Portugal
In Coimbra, students were paired with startups in the incubator program at
MSEM students enjoying a bread-baking workshop in Cerdeira, Portugal.
the Instituto Pedro Nunes. This year’s startups included FiberSight, a fiber optic sensor with applications including the detection of water leaks, optimizing irrigation, effective concrete curing and structural health monitoring; Ethiak, an advanced ethical hacking product that combines artificial and human knowledge to help businesses stay safe while optimizing time and resources; and IonicHealth, who seeks to improve healthcare by enhancing access, efficiency, and quality through practical automation and seamless integration. (See description of Braga above for information on the cultural experiences during the Coimbra program).
Copenhagen, Denmark
MSEM students touring the town of Helsingor, Denmark.
Students attending the immersion program in Copenhagen were paired with students at the Danish Technical University to work in teams on consulting projects for Siemens. Each team of students was tasked with delivering recommendations on how best to scale the organization’s open digital business platform for B2B interactions with small & medium enterprises in the Nordic region.
In their time off, students in the Copenhagen program enjoyed a tour of Copenhagen’s canals. They also went on several excursions, including to the town of Helsingor to tour Kronborg Castle and the town of Roskilde to tour the Viking Ship Museum and Roskilde Cathedral.
London, England
MSEM students enjoy tour of Thames river.
In London, students attended lectures at Imperial College London on topics including autonomous vehicles, the security of health data, solutions to biological threats, machine learning and AI, and more. They also completed a series of consulting scenarios, such as consulting for a hypothetical political party leader on how to respond to a media crisis and creating press releases as a part of their response. Students also enjoyed a number of outings, including a cruise along the Thames river, a tour of Faculty Ai, the Imperial War Museum, and White City, and a visit to the Shard.
Madrid, Spain
MSEM students outside of the Royal Palace of Madrid during tour of Old Madrid.
The program in Madrid pairs MSEM students with students in the International Business Administration Program (MADI) at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid on consulting projects for Spanish startup companies, including Digital Anatomics, who produces and delivers pedicular screws and guides for spine arthrodesis to hospitals; LeapWave Technologies, who is developing a variety of products to increase bandwidth connectivity; and Cedrion, who is developing purification and disinfection products for use in the healthcare sector. In their spare time, students enjoyed a walking tour of Old Madrid, a trip to the town of Segovia, and a visit to El Regajal winery near the town of Aranjuez, as well as a calamari sandwich dinner with MADI students. The calamari sandwich is a local favorite and has become an annual tradition during the immersion program.
New York and Baltimore
MSEM students visit the Museum of Modern Art during their weekend excursion to New York.
Students who elected to stay stateside completed projects for clients located in Baltimore. The projects include exploring new market opportunities for Maryland craft brewers, examining the feasibility of a new municipal parking garage in downtown Salisbury, and bringing an innovating furniture recycling initiative much closer to fruition.
In their time off, students enjoyed a weekend excursion to New York, where they toured the Museum of Modern Art and the Natural History Museum, completed site visits to the Google and Bloomberg offices, and attended a happy hour with MSEM alumni. In Baltimore, the teams visited communities across Maryland to establish working relationships with influential decision makers, including Maryland Technology Council President Kelly Schulz, senior gubernatorial advisor Mollie Byron, and Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.