There's something deep-ly appealing about a construction site. At one time or another, most of us have lingered to watch a crane hoist a heavy beam or stare into a massive excavation pit. But for MIT professor of civil and environmental engineering Sarah Slaughter, construction's bewitching power has less to do with big equipment than with the chaotic order of complex, collaborative activities. Add to the visible interplay of people and machines the unseen political, economic and artistic forces in play at a building site, and you can start to appreciate Slaughter's career-consuming fascination with construction.

Slaughter's specialty is innovation, something this conservative industry is not exactly famous for. She is creating detailed computer models of construction processes to try to understand the impacts of new designs, methods, materials and systems, and how improvements can be disseminated in the industry.
With Boston's building boom in full swing, the city has become a living laboratory for Slaughter and her students. On a windy afternoon, TR Associate Editor Antonio Regalado and Editorial Intern Nurit Bloom got the chance to see a construction site through Slaughter's eyes.