Welcome to Ethan Marschall's GCSP portfolio

I am Ethan Marschall, a senior in biomedical engineering in the School of Biological and Health Systems Engineering. I began my journey in the Grand Challenge Scholars Program fall of 2014, choosing to pursue the theme of health. After graduating, I intend to finish up another year for my Master's as part of the 4+1 program at ASU. 

Growing up, I ended up a huge fan science fiction and fantasy books. The adventures and stories always caught my attention and served as a productive form of escapism. But, eventually I understood that there's a lot more to innovation and progress that people never realize: careful considerations, intersectionalities of science and society, the will to use creative approaches, and so much more. That why I fell in love with the grand challenge scholars program - it cared not for engineering for the sake of engineering, but for the impact and value our creative pursuits lead to. It gives purpose and a sense of direction toward creating societal impact.

Being a part of the Grand Challenge Scholars Program allowed me to partake of many experiences in the theme of health. Regarding health I've worked in a neural trauma lab under the guidance of Dr. Jeffrey Kleim, completing a FURI project and a Honors Thesis, both interested in stroke, cranial nerve stimulation, and neuroplasticity. Regarding other experiences: an E2 camp couneselor, E2 recruitment/student lead, Fulton Ambassador, EPICS, and a president of an amazing student org. This has all made me better rounded to go out and problem-solve in pursuit of better healthcare solutions, both in creating change and in inspiring others.

These experiences incorporated Research, Service Learning, Global Learning, and Entrepreneurship. These are all explored in the modules of this e-portfolio.