Welcome back. I hope everyone is having a smooth end of the semester. In March 2020, I wrote the following research paper on America’s changing foreign policy after World War I. Although I study engineering in college, I have an enduring fascination for history, which I hope this essay captures. The Extent to which World War I Changed American Foreign Policy When World … [Read more...] about Another Break from Engineering: The Impact of WWI on American Foreign Policy
Archives for April 2025
Dressed to Disturb: A Haunted History of Halloween Costumes
The tradition of Halloween costumes dates back over 2,000 years to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, celebrated in parts of what are now Ireland, Scotland, and Britain. Samhain marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of winter, a season associated with death and darkness. Celts believed that on the night of October 31, the veil between the living and the dead … [Read more...] about Dressed to Disturb: A Haunted History of Halloween Costumes
Admiration or Patronization? A Look Into Mary Austin’s Ecologically Noble Savage
In her collection titled The Land of Little Rain, Mary Hunter Austin, known for her early 20th century writings about the Native American community, presents an enchanting view of Southwestern California and its Indigenous inhabitants. Scholars often praise Austin for her “detailed descriptions of the wild creatures and landscapes [that] she observed so lovingly.” Yet, if we … [Read more...] about Admiration or Patronization? A Look Into Mary Austin’s Ecologically Noble Savage
From Wool Dresses to Bikinis: The Swimwear Glow-Up
Imagine stepping onto a beach in the 1800s, only to find women wading into the water in full-length wool dresses and men sporting what looked like long underwear. Fast forward to today, and the swimwear scene couldn’t be more different—think bikinis, swim trunks, and rash guards. Swimsuits have come a long way, not just in style but in what they say about society. In … [Read more...] about From Wool Dresses to Bikinis: The Swimwear Glow-Up
Lyapunov Functions: Proving the Stability of Equilibrium Points of Dynamical Systems
Welcome back. In today’s blog post, I am excited to discuss Lyapunov functions, which can prove the stability of equilibrium points of a broad class of dynamical systems, including nonlinear systems. Lyapunov functions generalize the concept of energy from mechanical systems. If a pendulum is damped, then its downward position is a stable equilibrium point, and its energy will … [Read more...] about Lyapunov Functions: Proving the Stability of Equilibrium Points of Dynamical Systems