Circlo Podcast

I had the privilege of interviewing Dr. Juan Carlos Bello.
 We shared a thoughtful podcast-style conversation in which he educated me — and will hopefully educate you — on a range of topics.

This is Part II of my three-part interview with Dr. Juan Carlos Bello. After exploring the engineering side of his work in Part I, this section moves into something more intimate: the personal mindset behind his creativity, curiosity, and way of seeing the world.

Speaking with Dr. Bello always feels like a reminder that engineering — and learning — are deeply human acts. This part of the conversation reflects that side of him, and continues the purpose of this project: to grow both personally and technically.

If you haven’t checked out Part I yet, I highly recommend starting there. It provides the full context of Dr. Bello’s background and the vision behind this three-part series.

Circlo’s purpose naturally led me to ask a question at the heart of our mission: creativity.

For me, creativity is the ability that makes us human. It is a skill we are losing in today’s world due to urgency, AI, and outsourcing our thinking. I truly believe in its development — a necessity that will increasingly make ideas feel genuine.

AI-generated content can impress us, but it often leaves behind a quiet hollowness — the absence of a human soul. Yes, it is accurate, the quality is flawless, and the objects appear perfect, but the message itself leaves something behind. It lacks our voice — our idea. If an idea is not first generated by a human and then executed by us, the message does not fully arrive or land.

Now more than ever, it is important to foster this personal connection, and one way to do that is by creating through emotion and intelligence.

 Creativity isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity! 
 Creativity and innovative thinking are what allow your business to stand out from the competition and succeed… Businesses that allow creativity to flourish find themselves at the top time and time again… Creativity is no longer a luxury in business — it’s an absolute necessity. - Duncan Wardle

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He has two ways he reaches creativity:

1. Through preparing lectures

 The simple act of preparing lectures on material he once studied (back in college) but now with a more advanced perspective gives rise to new connections. With new information, new ideas and more specific questions naturally emerge.

2. Through teaching the lecture with students

 While presenting, the way he formulates explanations sometimes sparks new ideas. But of course, young minds also have questions — questions he himself hadn’t asked. Having thoughtful and reflective students bring their own experiences and knowledge to the table truly helps inspire ideation.

Sometimes their questions deviate from the lesson, so he notes them down to revisit later. But when they relate to the lecture, he welcomes the chance to explore the concept further. This not only helps him generate innovative ideas but also allows him to learn through the curiosity of his students. He often grabs markers, and together they use the whiteboard to explore these seemingly unrelated yet connected concepts.

The power of a blank notebook page or a large whiteboard, he says, is the ability to draw diagrams. The art of visualizing helps engineers and communicators transmit messages clearly and see through new perspectives.

His insight is simple but transformative: before searching for answers outside, give your own mind the first attempt.

 He mentions that earlier in his life, when faced with a problem, he would go straight to books and research how others had solved it. But this limited his imagination and prevented him from generating his own solutions.

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So his recommendation:
 When you have a problem at hand, first try to solve it with your current knowledge. Generate your own idea — then compare and contrast it with how others have approached it.

Many times, you may be amazed by the perspective you bring. This approach prevents your thinking from being boxed in. It allows you to ideate without a box in the first place, naturally generating ideas beyond it.

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Speaking with Dr. Juan Carlos Bello about creativity made me realize how deeply human the process of ideation is. Behind every drawing on a whiteboard, every question, and every attempt to solve a problem, there is a way of thinking that cannot be replaced — only strengthened.

This section of our conversation reminded me that creating is not just a technical skill; it is a posture of curiosity, attention, and presence. Before looking outward, we must first give our own mind the chance to think. That simple shift changes everything.

In Part III, we move from creativity to what comes next: his personal development as an engineer, his vision for the future of biomechanics, and the mindset he believes students must cultivate to lead tomorrow’s innovations. It is a conclusion that connects every piece of this series.

This project continues to challenge me as well. Conducting and recording this interview showed me how much I still need to improve — in my questions, my listening, and my ability to guide a meaningful conversation. But I’m grateful for the chance to learn from him.

The path becomes clearer the moment you take the step.