Estelle Fraysse
The Netherlands

"My goal was to familiarize myself with specific case studies tailored to the MedTech industry, with the intention of applying this knowledge and fostering its expansion within my company."

While working as a Senior RnD Engineer at Medtronic, Estelle Fraysse participated in the online course Circular Strategies for MedTech Suppliers.

What was your motivation for enrolling in this course/program? 
This course provided an opportunity for me to deepen my understanding of the overall principles of the circular economy. In addition, my goal was to familiarize myself with specific case studies tailored to the MedTech industry, with the intention of applying this knowledge and fostering its expansion within my company.

How did/will this course impact your career or life? 
I got acquainted with the concept of urban mining and developed a more comprehensive understanding of the diverse waste streams within hospitals. The course was enriched with publications featuring tangible examples of circular economy applications in the field of medical devices. One of the highlights for me was to gain an understanding of how to approach circularity in product design, with a practical example on sustainable medical robotic systems.

Being part of the industry, this experience provided me with the opportunity to explore the work of TU Delft in Sustainable Robotics and connect with knowledgeable professors, potentially paving the way for collaborative endeavors with my company. Additionally, I came across companies actively involved in sustainability initiatives for medical devices.

How was your experience learning online?
Online courses generally lack the collaborative interaction with fellow students and networking opportunities, but the chat section was effectively utilized by students, fostering discussions and debates. The lessons, in general, were quite high-level, with more tangible and practical examples often presented in publications, requiring extensive reading. Nevertheless, I appreciated the well-balanced mix of video and reading materials in the course.

What advice would you give someone who is thinking of taking a similar course?
This is a great course for people who want to get familiar with the general concepts of the circular economy and sustainable eco-design practices in the field of healthcare, and to get case studies applied to the MedTech industry. If you already have knowledge of this I wouldn't recommend this course, as it doesn't go too deep.