Writer. Game Designer.
Mouth of the Gowanus Canal (Source: wikimedia.org) The Gowanus Canal is one of the most polluted bodies of water in the United States. Located in Brooklyn, NYC, this mile and a half long Canal was used as a commercial and industrial waterway for the numerous industries and businesses in the surrounding area. Large ships carrying … Continue reading Bringing out the Best
History Lesson incoming. Having gone to school in New York, I'm often asked why I decided to come back to the Midwest after graduation. One of the main reasons I came to Milwaukee to start my professional career was due to the city’s history and optimistic future with water and water technology. I thought I’d spend this post … Continue reading MKE H20 101
Never before in our modern society has water been such a priority for individuals, cities and nations, and it will only continue to grow in importance. However, even with such increased presence and general acknowledgement of the problems at hand, there seems to be a lack of public understanding of the issues at stake and … Continue reading New Solutions to Old Problems
In a previous post, I brought up the idea of making our city’s infrastructure more aesthetically pleasing. Infrastructure – almost by definition – is hidden, buried underground or constructed in a far-off area away from the central city. By making our infrastructure aesthetically pleasing and placing it at the center of attention, the public has … Continue reading The Art and Engineering of Infrastructure
Despite being essential for the function of society, infrastructure is often shunned or avoided by the general public. Facilities such as wastewater treatment plants, landfills, and gas plants often have a difficult time being constructed as no one wants to live near an ugly, smelly, or “dirty” site. While some transportation infrastructure, such as bus … Continue reading Service that Inspires
Last Friday, I was fortunate enough to attend a lecture by Professor Mark Van Loosdrecht of Delft University of Technology. The title of his talk, “Innovations in Wastewater Treatment,” immediately caught my attention when I first heard it, as I am always on the lookout for radical changes in infrastructure systems and processes. According to … Continue reading Infrastructure and Entrepreneurism
In an earlier post, I had posited the question of whether it was more “sustainable” to have traditional street lamps or genetically engineered bioluminescent trees. It appears that this idea has been in the mind of many researchers and is finally reaching the public in the most public way possible: kickstarter. A team of researchers … Continue reading Kickstarting Glowing Plants
Recently, the American Society of Civil Engineers released their 2013 Report Card for America’s Infrastructure. On the plus side, the overall grade for the U.S.’s infrastructure rose from four years ago. On the down side, the rise was from a D to a D+. The Report Card covers the status of the U.S.’s Airports, Bridges, … Continue reading Rethinking Infrastructure
Hurricane Sandy has come and gone, yet those who experienced its intense water and winds are still feeling the effects. Since I attend University on the East Coast, I have heard many stories of friends and family affects by the hurricane, with only some families having basic services such as hot water, heat and electricity … Continue reading Engineered Ecologies
Our day started bright and early, with a wonderful alarm going off at 6:30 AM. Even though our presentations were finished, we continued to have a packed schedule, which was in no way a bad thing. It was both busy and relaxing at the same time. I was ready to tackle the day with whatever … Continue reading Rio+20 – Day 4: Reflections and Firsts
Ethan Yen 