Sydney West
For first-year Saint Mary’s University engineering student Sydney West, entrepreneurship is about more than developing a new technology. It is about solving real challenges and creating something that could make a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
Sydney, from Kentville, Nova Scotia, is developing Purspex, a health technology venture focused on creating active light-blocking glasses for people with photosensitive epilepsy. The prototype is designed to distinguish strobe lighting from continuous lighting and block triggering light in real time, with the goal of helping prevent seizures.
The idea is personal. Sydney was diagnosed with photosensitive epilepsy in Grade 9 and quickly realized there was a lack of education and tools available to people living with the condition beyond medication. As someone with drug-resistant epilepsy, she wanted to explore a different approach.
“I decided I wanted to make a prototype that could be a universal solution for all patients, no matter if they can take any medication or not.”
That motivation has shaped Sydney’s approach to both engineering and entrepreneurship. While she never initially imagined pursuing engineering or science, developing a prototype around a personal passion changed that perspective. It showed how subjects like math and science could be applied to real-world problems and used to help others.
“Engineering doesn't have to be strictly schooling,” Sydney said. “You can kind of pair that with your own interests as well.”
Sydney displays the Purspex glasses prototype
That connection between innovation and impact is also what drew Sydney to Saint Mary’s. During a high school campus tour, Sydney was impressed by the engineering facilities and the Arthur L. Irving Entrepreneurship Centre. The welcoming environment and the Enactus Saint Mary’s team helped make the university feel like the right fit.
Today, Sydney brings that same interest in innovation to Enactus SMU, where students explore entrepreneurship and develop ideas that address global challenges.
Purspex is currently in the prototype stage, with a working prototype already developed. Sydney is now working on a printed circuit board (PCB), exploring custom lens manufacturing and developing a custom frame. The next goal is to create a prototype that can be commercialized while continuing testing to help validate the technology.
Through Enactus SMU, Sydney is demonstrating how entrepreneurial thinking can complement technical skills, turning personal experience into an opportunity to innovate and make a difference.
Want to get involved? Join Enactus Saint Mary’s to collaborate with fellow students, explore new ideas and contribute to innovative projects that make a difference.
Interested in learning more about Saint Mary’s? Visit campus during the next Open House on Saturday, November 28.