A head-and-shoulders illustration of Kano. She has medium brown skin, long brown hair and is wearing a darker yellow jacket. She has glasses and is smiling with her mouth open.

setting things on fire by Kanokwan T. '25

and playing with flames

I had a funny realization. I found myself setting something on fire 3 different times in the same week—twice for classes, once for a club—and each ignition taught me something new.

For my 2.651 D-Lab Energy class, we made briquettes (a dense fuel dominant in developing countries). They can be used instead of modern fuel sources in electricity-scarce regions. I’ll spend part of my summer in Patagonia, Argentina implementing a project from this class to address energy poverty by weatherizing homes, in collaboration with local communities and policymakers.
A large outdoor barrel burns intensely, with flames pushed horizontally by the wind. Twigs and brush lie on the ground nearby. Two people stand at a distance observing, with an MIT bus and campus buildings visible in the background.

voosh!

For my 2.671 Measurement and Instrumentation class, I designed a scientific experiment modeling the relationship between wind flow and fire spread, aiming to contribute to improved wildfire modeling.
  1. Fire spread speed increased linearly with wind speed up to a threshold, beyond which the relationship decayed exponentially until reaching a “blow-out” point—where wind no longer aided spread but instead extinguished the flame.
  2. Wind positioning was most effective when directed at the plume of hot gases above the flame, enhancing convective heat transfer, rather than aimed directly at the flame itself.
A small indoor fire experiment shows a controlled flame on a wood sample placed on a tile slab. A blue electric fan directs airflow toward the flame. Buckets and a pot sit in the background in a metal-walled space, suggesting a lab or workshop environment.

learned how to use a bunch of sensors! an anemometer, thermal video camera, and humidity detector

For the Spinning Arts club, I went to one of our weekly fire jams. I’ve been fire spinning since freshman fall. There’s something primal about dancing with fire that demands my full presence. I love it.
The club has also taught me a new relationship with fear. I’ve learned that fear is often rooted in the unknown. Fire spinning was foreign to me, and I naturally feared getting burned. But after learning the club’s rigorous safety protocols, practicing proper techniques, and training for months, I learned to befriend the flame.
Similarly, I’ve also grown close to the people in the club, who are both excited to teach fire techniques and also learn together. One of my favorite parts of the year is our retreat in the woods, where we learn to spin, flesh, breathe, and eat fire. Professional circus performers and fire dancers even come out to teach — it’s so cool!
All of my fire-related videos live here. Below is a reel of some skills I’ve learned:
To date, the solo performance I’m most proud was spinning to “The Rockrose and the Thistle” and “The Horror and the Wild” by The Amazing Devil.
I never expected to play with so much fire during my time at MIT. But through it, I’ve discovered how fire lives in both science and art. Spinning also led to unexpected opportunities—giving a TED talk, speaking on a podcast, even collaborating across borders. It sprinkled some fun sidequests throughout my semesters.
Being a part of the fire spinning community has been one of my greatest joys. I hope you find your own flame, too.