YOU SHOULD KNOW

WHAT

This is a blog on which I plan on writing short pieces about things that I have come across or from discussions that I think are worth sharing. Consider it a platform for me to share my thoughts but also interesting videos (probably mostly TEDTalks), news articles, books and so on.

HOW

For convenience and a better overview I decided to divide the blog in two sections, part A and part B. Part A will look into topics about my personal experiences like culture differences, discrimination and adoption as well as societal issues like stress, tourism industry and influence of the media. Part B includes topics that are more technical and related to (environmental) sustainability, circular economy and the latest technological innovations.

WHO

My name is Fay de Waal and I was born and raised in Shanghai, where I was adopted by a Dutch couple along with two sisters. At the moment I’ve graduated high school in Shanghai, moved to Delft, finished my Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering and started a double degree Master in Materials Science Engineering and Industrial Ecology.

WHY

From experience, I have come to realise how often we make decisions and take standpoints in our personal lives as well as within companies, without being aware of all the facts. It is not my intention to write scientific articles backed by hard facts and references*, but rather to start a discussion, ask the right questions and hopefully give you insight into my perspective on things and encourage you to look at things from a different angle.

*If there’s any inaccuracies, feel free to contact me.

Part A: Where it all started…

Part B: Where it continues…

Featured
Sometimes I forget I look different
Sometimes I forget I look different

Usually I’m not a big fan of all these social media things or hypes because a lot of it seems like empty words, people joining the trend. Racism has always existed. It never left. These things have been happening since… well almost forever probably. And it’s sad.

Group Dynamics
Group Dynamics

For the last few days I’ve been obsessing over this video clip I came across on LinkedIn, where Obama mentions something that has been troubling me for years. Until now, I’ve always stayed as far away from politics as possible …

15 Hour Work Week
15 Hour Work Week

As I approach the end of my studies, I’ve been looking into companies and potential career paths more frequently and extensively and have come to a realisation that often a better job with better pay comes with more hours and responsibility.

American Jail - A Matter of Luck?
American Jail - A Matter of Luck?

There are 2.3 million people in American jails and prisons, and another 7 million are on probation or parole. Last Thursday I watched a documentary called “American Jail” by Roger Ross Williams, about the injustice in the criminal justice system in the US.

Where are you from 1.0?
Where are you from 1.0?

To many, this question is quite trivial, yet there are several people, like me, that continuously struggle to answer this question. Only a hand full of people will be familiar with the dilemma, never quite having lived in one place long enough to call it a home, or not having lived in your "home country" long enough to be able to call it home.

Featured
The Simplicity Behind Innovation
The Simplicity Behind Innovation

It’s been a while since I’ve written, sorry about that. It’s been quite hectic lately, but in all the business of day-to-day life I’ve just come across this TEDTalks that I just have to share. It’s exemplifies the entire idea of You Should Know and what true innovation really is.

SweepSmart: why waste?
SweepSmart: why waste?

As a materials science student, a degree that to my disappointment is rather small and unknown, I suddenly have the urge to elaborate in more detail my fascination for materials and why it is so crucial to gain deeper understanding of materials.

The Disposables Debate
The Disposables Debate

The postulation of disposables is that they need to go, in order to solve the waste problem, plastic pollution to be more precise. No one wan’t to use disposables anymore, whether its straws, plastic bags, cutlery or plastic bottles. However, I will bet you that almost no one can explain why.

To Infinity and Beyond
To Infinity and Beyond

From the first man on the moon to mining for resources in outer space, we have definitely come a long way in the last fifty years. Today a friend of mine happened to mention space mining, which I in all honestly had never heard of.