Essays, reporting and work in progress.
A note from the editor
A hopper dredger 'rainbows' dredged sand onto a forming coastline. iStock / Freezingtime
A dredging vessel disperses sediment plumes into coastal waters off the UAE. iStock / kertu_ee
Essay · Southeast Asia
Illegal Dredging in Southeast Asia and Coastal Displacement
On Singapore’s demand for sand, and the communities losing land to supply it.
Read the essayAward-winning essay, Harvard International Review 2025
People collect water at a communal supply point. Editorial stock photograph. iStock / journalturk · Editorial use
Families collect water beside a storage tank. Editorial stock photograph. iStock / Mantvydas Krikstaponis · Editorial use
Reporting · Burundi
Musasa’s Broken Pump and the Cost of Waiting
About $27,000 was the reported estimate to replace a failed motor. For Musasa’s residents, the cost was months without a reliable water supply.
Read the article
A woman sits beside water containers and a tent. Illustrative stock photograph. iStock / Claudiad · Editorial use
A child holds a water bottle. Illustrative stock photograph. iStock / shironosov
Research notes · Water access
A Human-Powered UV Device: Questions for a Field Trial
A crank or pedal powers a UV lamp. What would it take to use the device beyond the laboratory?
Read the articleExplore the writing by subject or publication date.
Browse the collectionWater research · TEHG-UV
A water-treatment prototype powered by a hand crank or pedal, and the questions that come before a field trial.
Research & programme context
FIRST is a CityUHK-led initiative endorsed by UNESCO.
The research. The underlying TEHG-UV study is by Xingwei Wang and colleagues: “A Simple Disinfection Device for Families in Underdeveloped Regions,” ACS Nano (2026).
My part. I am working with the research group to understand where the device might be useful after displacement. This means looking at local water needs and explaining the study to organizations that might help assess a trial.
The programme. FIRST is led by City University of Hong Kong and endorsed by UNESCO under the International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033).
Field notes · Los Angeles / Orange County
Rental listings are a starting point. These notes follow the calls, income requirements and practical questions involved in housing navigation.
Read the housing notesBehind the journal
I’m Jerry. My writing follows displacement, housing and water access, alongside notes from the projects I’m working on.
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