Excerpts

Capture the Sun Book Excerpts


My Dad’s take on education – “Quote”

“You have to go to school to find out what you don’t know. Otherwise you think you know everything”

The Tarzan mystique in America

“Did Tarzan ever come to your village in Africa?”


Embarrassing moments in learning American culture

When I first moved out of the dormitory to live off campus, I had a totally new encounter with the American Halloween celebration. I knew nothing about Halloween. I had never experienced or heard of it in my life.

Capture the Sun–An Early Curiosity for Science and Engineering

We could not play in it past darkness because we did not have a way to light the inside. We could steal candles from our homes, but our parents would not be happy. Therefore, we decided to “capture some of the sun” the next day.


Roasting sacred cows in engineering design

I learned quickly that things people protect and do in the name of tradition or accepted practice provide the greatest opportunities for innovation or change to advance both culture and technology into the future.

An immigrant story

I did not come to America seeking fame and fortune. Reflecting a typical immigrant story, I came seeking knowledge and work. I wanted to be an engineer period; not a Zambian engineer; or American engineer; or black engineer. But I knew the subtitles would eventually come in the process of executing my profession around the world. I was ready and willing to put in the time and effort to do so and eventually turn it into a lifelong pursuit.