Cycles of Change

Engineering practical systems and exploring the physical world.

A tea kettle whistles on a small gas burner inside a fourteenth-floor apartment in Beijing. An older woman places two porcelain cups on a low wooden table, arranges dried plums on a dish, and glides an armchair across linoleum flooring toward the doorway. She is not waiting for an adult son or a [...]
Walking through a neighborhood built before the Second World War feels distinct from navigating a modern subdivision. In historic quarters of cities like Atlanta, Georgia, or Chicago, older wooden houses sit close to sidewalks. A raised front porch spans each facade, complete with rocking chairs [...]
A modern mind spends much of its time in places that do not exist, rehearsing disasters, replaying conflicts, and measuring circumstances against polished accounts of others. This habitual displacement turns the present moment into a waiting room for a life that seems always to be arriving. The [...]
Modern life in Cuba is a unique blend of heritage and social resilience. The country has a very complex political landscape. The government maintains a high level of control over many parts of life. However, recent years have shown a shift toward personal freedoms and economic reforms. Most people [...]