Send a textCuriosity, creativity, and failure are not detours—they’re teachers.In this episode of Pebbles of Light, Anne Maxson sits down with engineer, artist, educator, and startup founder Oliver MacDonald to explore how curiosity across disciplines—art, engineering, language, and culture—shapes meaningful lives and resilient careers.Oliver shares how growing up immersed in multiple cultures and languages, studying in the International Baccalaureate program, and pursuing both art and engineering taught him to embrace failure as part of learning. From rock climbing and kinetic sculptures to rejected research papers and startup life, Oliver reframes failure not as an endpoint, but as fuel for growth.This conversation invites listeners to rethink specialization, embrace experimentation, and recognize how creativity—especially art—helps us stay connected to our humanity even in uncertain or demanding seasons of life.Choose one interest you’ve been curious about and commit to exploring it for just one month—without worrying about mastery or outcomes. Pay attention to what draws you back.Topics CoveredWhy curiosity matters more than early specializationThe role of failure in engineering, art, and lifeHow International Baccalaureate education encourages integrationRock climbing as a metaphor for growthArt as proof of humanityLearning through rejection and iterationLanguage, culture, and how we thinkBuilding startups through collaborationThe power of relationships as “Pebbles of Light”GuestOliver MacDonald — Engineer, artist, educator, PhD student, and co-founder of Qtex AIFollow & Connect with OliverInstagram – ⁠https://www.instagram.com/anomalous_designs/?hl=en⁠ LinkedIn – ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/olivermacd/⁠ Want to be a guest on Pebbles of Light? Send Anne Maxson a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.pSupport the showAffiliate Disclaimer - As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, we may earn advertising or referral fees from qualifying purchases. Thank you for supporting Pebbles of Light! Follow Pebbles of Light Website – ⁠https://annemaxson.com/pebblesoflight⁠ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@pebblesoflightpodcast Facebook – ⁠https://www.facebook.com/pebblesoflight⁠ Instagram – ⁠https://instagram.com/PebblesOfLight⁠ Guest Applications - https://www.joinpodmatch.com/pebblesoflight Support Pebbles of Light Become a Light Shiner - https://www.buzzsprout.com/2593690/support Patreon – ⁠https://www.patreon.com/cw/PebblesofLightPodcast BetterHelp (affiliate – 10% off first month) – ...