By Isaac Mei • Mar 18 2025 • 3 min read
My name is Isaac, and I am a sophomore at Purdue studying Computer Engineering from Dallas, Texas. I enjoy playing sports such as basketball, spending time with friends, and I am just starting to get back into reading(we’ll see how long that lasts). I am extremely excited to be able to be a part of a study abroad this May, as I believe this opportunity will allow me to diversify the aspects of my education, help me expand my perspective beyond engineering, and become more well-rounded in the professional workplace.
One of the aspects I’m most looking forward to is the cultural impact on innovation and invention. More specifically, the main question I want to answer is: How does the context of invention influence creativity and design? One of the main reasons I chose Italy was to be able to learn more about Da Vinci - an embodiment of interdisciplinary genius through arts, science, and engineering. He wasn’t just a product of his time—he was shaped by the unique intellectual and cultural environment of Renaissance Italy, which encouraged interdisciplinary thinking and bold experimentation. I want to understand how that historical context cultivated such groundbreaking ideas and how that same spirit of innovation can be felt today. By visiting places like Florence and Milan, I hope to connect the past to the present and gain insight into how environment and culture continue to drive invention, both historically and in modern engineering practices.
Beyond academics, I’m also eager to dive into Italy’s food culture. I have heard many times that the culture of eating etiquette is very different in Italy. While I have been to Europe a few times, most recently Romania, I have found that dinner etiquette has been quite similar, even if the food is different. So, I’m not only excited about the different authentic Italian food - I’m also excited to learn about the impact of how food is consumed and the people a meal is shared with.
I’m excited that this trip will expand my horizons and perspectives - both as an engineer and a person. I hope to return with a deeper appreciation for how culture shapes innovation, how history informs the present, and how shared experiences—whether through food, art, or conversation—can broaden the way we see the world.