Writing
What fieldwork taught me about useful engineering
A personal note on paying attention to the ground, the people around a project, and the small details that make technical work useful.
- engineering
- fieldwork
- Nepal
I have learned that engineering starts long before a drawing is finished. It starts by walking the site, looking carefully, asking simple questions and listening to the people who know the place best.
When I think about hydropower and construction work, I think about that balance between measurements and judgement. A survey gives me information, but the context tells me what to do with it. The best work is practical, safe and understandable to the people who will live with it.
This is a sample article for my new site. I will keep adding field notes as I document the projects, lessons and conversations that shape my work.