Welcome to HackerNoon’s Meet the Writer Interview series, where we learn a bit more about the contributors that have written some of our favorite stories.

So let’s start! Tell us a bit about yourself. For example, name, profession, and personal interests.

I’ve spent years as a professor of engineering physics, but at heart, I’m a storyteller with a deep love for sci-fi. When I’m not in the lab, you can find me sailing, travelling, or chasing an adrenaline rush with action sports. I’ve also taken a deep dive into the humanities—studying everything from psychology and philosophy to the history of religion.

Interesting! What was your latest Hackernoon Top story about?

Like most of my work, it’s a look at life in a colonised solar system where the grind of survival clashes with deeper philosophical questions. With the pace of tech today, the evolution of androids isn't just a 'what if' anymore: it’s an urgent conversation! I wanted to explore whether these machines will truly develop sentience, how that spark actually surfaces, and what the fallout looks like for the rest of us.

Do you usually write on similar topics? If not, what do you usually write about?

My 'office hours' are pretty split: I’m a university professor, but I also work part-time in the industry. That means I’m constantly churning out scientific papers, technical reports, patent filings, and textbooks. Sci-fi is my passion and pivot from all that. It’s where I take the rigid world of engineering and see how it holds up in the future solar system. You can find those stories on Amazon, Wattpad, and right here.

Great! What is your usual writing routine like (if you have one?)

Honestly, my routine is a bit of a mess. Inspiration hits me from all angles: a memory from an old adventure, a dense scientific paper, or even just a random comment I overhear. Sometimes it’s a quick spark; other times, an idea just lives rent-free in my head and won’t leave me alone until I get it on paper. That’s actually how my novel Iron Blood happened. It started as a short story, but it kept expanding. At some point, the characters just took over -it felt like they were demanding I tell their full story.

Being a writer in tech can be a challenge. It’s not often our main role, but an addition to another one. What is the biggest challenge you have when it comes to writing?

The hardest part is the balancing act. I’ll be deep in a scene and realize it’s way past midnight, and I have to force myself to shut it down. There’s this constant tension when a story is taking over, and you’re just trying to get through your day job. It feels like (I imagine) being in that final month of pregnancy: you’re carrying this massive thing around, and even though you’re ready for the delivery, the rest of the world still expects you to perform your daily duties.

What is the next thing you hope to achieve in your career?

The next big milestone for me is building an audience for my novels, like The Red Leap. I’m itching to find the time to dive into the sequel, focusing on the actual colonisation and terraforming of Mars. Of course, my other characters are always competing for attention. Right now, I’m also working on revamping a story about the interstellar comet 3I/Atlas called The Real Drama.

Wow, that’s admirable. Now, something more casual: What is your guilty pleasure of choice?

I don’t have many vices, but I’ve got a story for you. A few years back, I was at our swim club’s annual dinner: it was a big thank-you event for all our volunteers. I turned down a glass of wine with my meal, and the fellow swim instructor sitting next to me, who knew I didn't smoke either, just looked at me and blurted out, 'Don’t you have any vices?' I thought about it for a second and told him, 'Well, every once in a while, I treat myself to a cup of hot chocolate.' The look on his face went completely blank, while our treasurer across the table just lost it laughing.

I’m not sure if carpentry counts as 'tech-free,' but I definitely spend my downtime being active. I’m big into kite surfing, snowboarding, and orienteering, plus I try to get a jog in whenever I can. But my real obsession is travel. I’ve managed to hit every continent except South America, including Antarctica and Greenland. South America is definitely next on the bucket list.

What can the Hacker Noon community expect to read from you next?

Next up, I’m taking readers out to the outer rim of the solar system. The story tackles a difficult moral dilemma: Is it always right to 'do the right thing'? It also dives into the evolving role of androids, specifically, whether we should treat them as mere hardware or as colleagues. I’m interested in the friction between what’s morally sound and what’s actually most efficient in a high-stakes environment.

What’s your opinion on HackerNoon as a platform for writers?

It’s a fantastic platform and incredibly well-run. One thing I really appreciate is how they filter out the noise. You don't get the scammers and spam you see on other forums. It’s a hub for high-quality thinking. Some of it is honestly over my head, while some is more accessible, but it always provides fresh perspectives and plenty of inspiration for my own work.

Thanks for taking the time to join our “Meet the writer” series. It was a pleasure. Do you have any closing words?

Thanks for having me! And to the readers: you guys are the reason I do this. Thanks for the support and for letting me share these worlds with you. There’s a lot more coming, so stay tuned!

Check out Han Be’s HackerNoon profile here, and read more of his amazing stories!

https://hackernoon.com/u/hanbe?embedable=true