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Engineering is a diverse and exciting career that fosters immense creative thinking, but just how far can it take you?
Today we hear from an engineer who turned their wildest dreams into reality and took them all the way to NASA. We hear how an opportunity to attend Space Camp inspired their ‘nothing is impossible’ attitude and how engineering has supported further creative pursuits in different disciplines.
Our guest is a trailblazer in the aerospace engineering industry, but also in promoting the idea that ordinary people can do extraordinary things. She is Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology, Sinéad O’Sullivan.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Early experiences that foster a ‘nothing is impossible’ attitude The impact of surrounding yourself with inspiring peopleMission design and AI at NASAParallels between engineering and other creative pursuitsThe role of AI and automation in the future of engineering
GUEST DETAILS
Sinéad O'Sullivan is an Aerospace Engineer. She formerly led strategy at Harvard Business School’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness with Professor Michael Porter and is currently a Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology. Formerly a Research Fellow at MIT’s College of Computing and MIT Sloan as well as a Human Spaceflight mission designer for NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Her work focuses on the intersection of technology, innovation, geopolitics, and national security. She sits on the board of the European Space Policy Institute, is a frequent contributor to the Financial Times, and is Board Member of IMMA - the Irish Museum of Modern Art. She was also recently nominated as a fellow of Engineers Ireland.https://www.linkedin.com/in/sineadcosullivan
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Come meet the Engineers Ireland Team at the National Ploughing Championships on September 17th to 19th and have a blast at our Space Station.
We will have three incredible experiences at the Engineers Ireland 'Space Store', ran by former NASA Engineer Steve Ringler - who will be down at the Ploughing Championships with our team.
You can immerse yourself in the cosmos with virtual reality adventures using state-of-the-art headsets, try on a replica spacesuit, or get a hands-on experience with real space rocks, including pieces of the moon.
Join us at Block 2, Row 11, Stand 169 for an unforgettable journey through space and engineering.
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/Sineads book “Good Ideas and Power Moves” is due to be published September 2025.
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
I got to spend time with the engineers at NASA, and it just put this very kind of human, normal person face on this career that seemed totally inaccessible. - Sinéad O’Sullivan
There are a ton of really smart engineers that are solving these problems at any given time. But the problem really, I think, lies with the bureaucracy of how we fund science, how we create policy around that. - Sinéad O’Sullivan
I feel like to be creative, you have to let that child part grow up with you, like if you really want to be good at doing these types of jobs, don't let people tell you they're dumb ideas. - Sinéad O’Sullivan
To be a great engineer, you need to be around great engineers. - Sinéad O’Sullivan
My entire career has been curiosity driven for the simple reason that if I'm really interested in it, I'm going to work hard enough at it to be successful in it. - Sinéad O’Sullivan
Engineering is really about learning a way of thinking, and it's one that allows you to understand nuance, complexity, and difficult challenges that you can apply to literally any other career. - Sinéad O’Sullivan
KEYWORDS
#engineering #nasa #career #space #mission #taylorswift #robots
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One of the biggest challenges of the climate crisis is power. How do we harness it, store it, use it and most importantly, make it more sustainable.
Engineers have been creating fantastic solutions in power, but storing it is one of the biggest obstacles to overcome. Today we hear from an Irish engineer who is actively responding with some very clever solutions.
Our guest has worked with decarbonization at EU level and is leading his own social enterprise that creates energy storage solutions for homes, farms and small businesses. He is co-founder and Director of Range Therapy Eamon Stack.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
A new way of thinking about power supply and storage Second life batteries and how they can be utilised Using battery stored power in buildings, businesses, farms and home Creating a circular recycling programme for batteries in Europe Storing wind and solar power in batteries for cost effective powerGUEST DETAILS
Eamon Stack is an award-winning serial social entrepreneur. He co-founded Range Therapy in 2020, responding to the climate change crisis by focusing on reducing energy emissions, one of the big three human causes. Range Therapy offers second-life EV battery packs to upgrade older EVs and to offer substantial energy storage solutions at an affordable price for homes, farms and small businesses.Eamon’s background is in software engineering, with 35 years development experience in the nonprofit sector. He was founder and former CEO at ENCLUDE for 18 years. This charity is focused on building the ICT capacity of the Irish Charity Sector.
https://ie.linkedin.com/in/eamon-stack-25a3242
https://rangetherapy.org/
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
After high powered use of a battery in a car for 15 or 20 years, they have another 20 years of life available to them as energy storage. - Eamon Stack
That's what's wonderful about the transition from an energy system where we just burn and waste fossil fuels to one that is perfectly circular and completely sustainable. This is really very good news for everybody in the system. - Eamon Stack
The Environmental Protection Agency might view a second life battery out of a car as a hazardous waste. That's a problem we need to deal with, this is a national asset. - Eamon Stack
It's a whole new world, and it's an exciting new world where there's a potential. The Holy Grail here is storage, we make tons of power, where can we store it at a price that makes sense. - Eamon Stack
KEYWORDS
#batteries #energy #cars #electric #engineers #grid #power #recycling #sustainability
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The water sector needs the help of engineers to develop plans and innovative solutions for the maintenance of one of our most essential commodities.
Today we hear of all the challenges facing the sector, from inefficient leaky infrastructure to an urgent focus on sustainability thanks to the rapidly changing climate.
Our guest has been a leader in this area for 25 years since founding his company in Loughrea, and has had success not just here in Ireland but across Europe and to the USA. He is Group Managing Director of Glanua, Karl Zimmerer.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
● Working with water as a valuable resource and commodity
● The history of Glanua and the group MD’s career path
● Innovation to meet customer needs and regulatory standards
● Balancing supply, sanitation and sustainability in improving treatment plants
● Where to improve water knowledge as an interested engineer
GUEST DETAILS
Karl Zimmerer is Group Managing Director of Glanua. Karl has over 25 years experience in the design, construction and operation and maintenance of water and wastewater infrastructure throughout Ireland, with over 15 years in a Senior Management position. Karl’s professional qualifications include an Honours Degree in Structural Engineering and a Master Degree in Project Management.Karl is a founding member of Glanagua LTD and has successfully developed the business into one of the leading companies in the water sector in Ireland, providing a full range of services throughout the industry.
https://ie.linkedin.com/in/karl-zimmerer-4b73a319
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
It is a very expensive resource that is absolutely essential to life. - Karl ZimmererIt is something that requires a significant level of investment to ensure that that is provided at a certain standard and a lot of governments aren't allocating enough for that. - Karl Zimmerer
Innovation is something that we feel very, very passionate about, because innovation can be how you dig the hole, how you construct the tank, it can be about the technology, the pump system, the mortar that drives the pump, water efficiency, setpoint and understanding what the needs are for your customers. - Karl Zimmerer
There's absolutely no stupid questions. Don't come to me with questions, come to me with solutions, and just ask me to do I think the solutions are right - Karl Zimmerer
KEYWORDS
#water #Ireland #engineering #challenge #wastewater #treatmentplant #sustainability
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Engineers are naturally creative, from problem solving to designing and planning. But when you combine that with visual creativity, it leads to unique and beautiful things.
Today we meet an Irish engineer who is using his engineering skills and artistic flair to design some of the most impressive structures across the world, including a very well known New York tourist attraction.
Our expert guest has worked in over 20 countries across the globe and is passionate about the architectural response to the climate crisis. He is Principal and Founder of VOLUTA, Eoin Casserly.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
● Engineering as a passport to the world
● Working through design limitations with efficiency
● Complex design with user experience in mind
● The architectural response to the climate crisis
● Chartered Engineer of the Year award and its benefitsGUEST DETAILS
Eoin Casserly is principal and founder of VOLUTA, a specialist structural engineering consultancy operating internationally, based in Sligo. Previously, he held structural engineering positions in Paris, New York, and Stuttgart. He has designed advanced structures such as gridshells, cable nets, facades, stadia, and artworks in more than 20 countries, working through six languages.
Project highlights include the highest outdoor observation deck in the Western Hemisphere, the world’s first cable net with curved glass, the largest-spanning glazed roof in South America, and gridshells for the largest botanic garden in the world. His current research combines pre-industrial materials with innovative construction and analysis techniques.
Eoin won the Engineers Ireland Chartered Engineer of the Year Award in 2023.
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
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Engineers are on the frontline of influencing our future and play a key role in the race against climate change.
As we embrace the digital transition, one Irish company is leading the way in decarbonisation. Today we hear how the firm has achieved rapid success in just three years of business, how they develop passionate and innovative teams and the incredible creative opportunities available to Irish engineers across Europe.
Our expert guest believes in the power of combining engineering and business and is passionate about Ireland’s ability to be world leaders in this space. He is Founder and Managing Director of Skanstec, Declan Wynne.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Filling the market gap for decarbonisation innovationTransitioning from fossil fuels to clean energy in Ireland’s grid The challenges causing a race against time for engineersHow Ireland can be a world leader in energy and digital CPD and opportunities for Irish engineers across Europe The role of data centres in decarbonisationGUEST DETAILS
As Founder and Managing Director, Declan Wynne leads the Skanstec Executive Management Team and sits on the company’s board. Declan has a strong Engineering background with dynamic business acumen and a human approach. Declan has over 20 years’ experience in the Engineering sector and has a passion for Engineering and sustainability.
The transition to a climate neutral society, coupled with the convergence of Digital Energy and Connectivity, inspired Declan’s vision for Skanstec to be a leading specialist Engineering company in the Energy and Telecommunication Sector with a focus on Decarbonisation and the Digital Transition.
Declan holds a Degree in Engineering and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA), including Level 9 Post Grads in Project Management and Coaching.
www.skanstec.com
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
I've always had a passion for engineering and particularly a passion for business, and I think both work very much hand in hand, particularly in an Irish context. I think Irish engineers are quite good at being innovative and have a way about doing business that seems to be quite successful in many parts of the globe. - Declan Wynne
Engineering becomes more and more important in terms of what we're trying to achieve at a national level and at a global level in terms of decarbonisation, and the digital transition that we're experiencing. - Declan Wynne
The world is changing, and we've got to act, we've got to adapt. - Declan Wynne
Irish engineering businesses are dominating across Europe. It's a huge opportunity for engineers. - Declan Wynne
The data centres are absolutely fundamental to decarbonisation. We can't decarbonize without data centers. Ireland's challenge at present is power. It's not data centers in my own view, and that's something that we're proud to be involved in. - Declan Wynne
KEYWORDS
#engineering #decarbonisation #opportunity #datacentres #business #sustainability
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Irish engineers are incredibly creative thinkers and innovators, but it's a big leap going from innovator to entrepreneur, and taking an idea you might have to market.
Today we hear from a prominent engineer with a fascinating career history, which took her from aeronautical engineering into the biomedical space. We'll be finding out how she looks at problems, overcomes obstacles, where she sees innovation and opportunity, and getting some great advice for any engineers who are thinking of launching their own business.
Our guest is CEO of Altratech and the Assistant Director of the Stokes Research Institute at University of Limerick, Dr. Tara Dalton.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Transitioning through different disciplines of engineering The benefits of working within interdisciplinary teamsLearning to ‘skate where the puck is’ Being aware of trends and spotting gaps in the market Striving for progress over perfection and asking for helpGUEST DETAILS
Dr Tara Dalton, CEO of Altratech and Assistant Director of the Stokes Research Institute in the Department of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering at the University of Limerick.Dr Dalton is a fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineers. She is one of the founders of Stokes Bio – a spin-out company that was sold to Life Technologies that developed high throughput microfluidic instruments for PCR. Her research interest is in the development of microfluidic devices for biological assays. She has graduated 20 PhD Students, published over 100 refereed papers and has over 50 granted patent and patent applications.
https://altratech.com/
https://ul.ie/research/dr-tara-dalton
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
In my mind, in engineering, you don't want to be at the cutting edge of absolute new science. You want to be just behind it, so you can help people with that science. - Tara Dalton
When you work with interdisciplinary team, and I work with medics, physicists, chemists or even with other entrepreneurs, it's just amazing, because I find that everybody wants to help you be better. Nobody, at least in my experience, gatekeeps their knowledge. - Tara Dalton
Skate where the puck is, right. It didn't matter that I had this great product, but to get venture capital funding, that was never going to happen, because it wasn't in that ecosystem at the time. So that was one really big learning lesson. - Tara Dalton
Ask for help. Everybody, ask for help. Go talk to people, go talk to Enterprise Ireland, go talk to lawyers, go talk to VCs. Don't go saying I want, want, want, just say, What should I do? How could you help me? You'd be surprised how many people will give you their time. - Tara Dalton
KEYWORDS
#engineering #problemsolving #entrepreneurship #biomedical #aeronauticalengineering #science
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2023 was a ‘record breaker’ for wind power in Ireland, but have we got the resources to reach the government's goals for a renewable future?
Today we learn about some of the engineering problems behind Ireland’s long-term strategy for increasing wind power, the challenges caused by policy, regulation and mother nature, along with a huge career drive to get more people, including engineers, working in the wind sector.
Our guest is extremely passionate about Ireland’s renewable energy potential. Also a chartered engineer, he uses his many years of experience fighting tirelessly to help us make the most of our natural resources and meet our sustainability targets for 2030. He is CEO of Wind Energy Ireland, Noel Cunniffe.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
How Ireland is leading the way and breaking records in wind energy generation Innovative engineering work happening in Ireland’s renewable energy sector Policy, planning permission, community engagement and other challenges facing the wind sectorOffshore wind and why it’s Ireland’s energy future The Work In Wind recruitment drive and why engineers are neededGUEST DETAILS
Noel Cunniffe is the CEO of Wind Energy Ireland which is Ireland’s largest renewable energy association and works with a wide range of stakeholders to build understanding and awareness of the benefits of wind and renewable energy. Prior to becoming CEO, Noel led Wind Energy Ireland’s Policy department in driving policy development across all aspects of the onshore and offshore renewable industry in Ireland.Previously, Noel was the Renewable Integration Lead in EirGrid, the Transmission System Operator of Ireland, and worked across several departments including electricity grid planning and operation, and the design of the electricity market of Ireland. He is a Chartered Engineer with Engineer’s Ireland.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/noel-cunniffe-b34a1429
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
A lot of people in the country don't know we're actually a world leader when it comes to the amount of our electricity that comes from wind. - Noel Cunniffe
Last year in total over 1/3 of Ireland's electricity came from wind. As you can imagine, it's very weather dependent. In December, over 50% of Ireland's electricity during the course of December came from wind. One in two times when you were boiling a kettle, turning on your TV, using your internet, it was thanks to wind energy. - Noel Cunniffe
I get asked a lot. What happens when the wind doesn't blow. Where does our backup come from? And in the short term, the answer is going to be gas generation. That's the least polluting fossil fuel that we have. We should not be using oil, we should not be using coal, unless it's an absolute emergency. - Noel Cunniffe
I know this is probably very bonkers to think about, but if we didn't have wind energy over the past two years our electricity bills would have been much, much, much higher than they already were. - Noel Cunniffe
Wind energy helped to push the most expensive oil and gas off the electricity grid. - Noel Cunniffe
We're really at the point now, where we as a country need to get in, jump in and invest in the grid again. That means building overhead lines, underground cables, new substations, it is the heartbeat of a thriving economy, and decarbonisation and ensuring that our lights stay on. - Noel Cunniffe
KEYWORDS
#wind #electricitygrid #offshorewind #windfarm #energy #electricity #renewableenergy #turbines
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Engineers are primed to think on their feet and solve problems in record times, but dealing with the weight of a whole country’s emergency call service requires lightning approaches and a ‘nothing is impossible’ attitude.
Today we dive into the world of the most important telecommunications operation in the country, the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS). We learn how the service operates in ways people may never consider and the contingency plans that help it weather any storm, or pandemic.
Our expert guest has been at the cutting edge of data and communications in Ireland since the introduction of the internet and is now Head of Operations with ECAS, Michael Kelly.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
How Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) operatesProblem solving in an industry with 99.999% uptime Adapting to weather and pandemic phenomena Lessons learned from introducing the internet to Ireland Why we shouldn’t fear AI and start seeing it as an asset
GUEST DETAILSMichael Kelly is the Head of Operations at the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS). Michael has extensive experience in the telecommunications industry including his role with PostGEM where he helped introduce the public internet during the late 80s/early 90s. He has also served as Director of the Internet Services Provider Association of Ireland until he joined BT as their Head of Engineering Planning & Design. Since 2012, he has been Head of Operations for the 112/999 Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS).
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-kelly-a5312810/
QUOTES
It's like that old adage about the 747, in the air, we're changing the engines without landing the plane. There's never a good time for us to do maintenance. So therefore we're constantly working on the system round the clock and making sure that our change control is absolutely state of the art engineering so that, even if we do make a mistake, we can roll back without anybody realizing that there was ever a problem in the first place. - Michael Kelly
What I can say is because of our engineers, and one in particular, I think we were probably the first country to identify what the problem was. - Michael Kelly
While it's stressful at the time, and you think ‘how are we going to solve this problem?’ Nothing is impossible, if you set your mind to it. And that genuinely is our mantra, it has to be that way. We can't just give up. - Michael Kelly
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
KEYWORDS
#telecommunications #engineers #internet #datacentres #emergencyservices
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Today we find out how Irish engineers are attracting big foreign business, and how investing in personal development is just as beneficial for your own growth as it is for the sector.
Global investment is crucial to the economic wellbeing of Ireland, and there are still challenges the country needs to overcome to ensure continued success.
Our expert today is at the forefront of Ireland’s international business investments and believes our engineering sector has a lot of talent to offer. He is an engineer and CEO of IDA Ireland, Michael Lohan.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
01:09 Michael’s Career
06:36 Working with tech, people and global supply chains
08:13 What the IDA does
10:03 The main investment sectors in Ireland
12:58 Challenges impacting foreign investment
16:28 The availability of STEM talent in Ireland
18:06 How Irish engineers stand out
23:13 Encouraging upskilling and continuous learning
26:19 Getting young people involved in STEM subjects
34:00 Expanding opportunities outside of Dublin
37:35 Advice Michael would give to a young engineer
GUEST DETAILS
Michael Lohan is the Chief Executive Officer of IDA Ireland as of April 2023. A key priority for Michael in his role as Chief Executive Officer is leading on the execution and delivery of IDA Ireland’s organisational strategy: Driving Recovery and Sustainable Growth 2021- 2024, which will be delivered through a focus on five pillars: Growth, Transformation, Regions, Sustainability, and Impact.Michael joined IDA Ireland in 2003 and has held various management positions across multiple functions and has represented IDA in several fora including as a Board member on Digital Manufacturing Ireland, a governance member on the SSPC research centre for pharmaceuticals and also The Irish Medical Association (which is the business association within IBEC representing the medical devices and diagnostics sector).
Prior to joining IDA Ireland, Michael held several different positions including Manager for New Business Solutions with Nortel’s European Operations in Galway and a management role with IEC Electronics European Operations. Michael is an Engineering graduate with an MSc in Technology Management from the National University of Ireland, Galway and additionally is a graduate of the Berkley Executive Programme.
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
To learn more about iWish https://www.iwish.ie/
QUOTES
I can speak for myself, as an engineer, you're very much technically driven, but those softer skills, that acumen from a business perspective, are so so important. The more you can hone that, coupled that with your technical expertise, that's a formula for real success, for real growth and progression. - Michael Lohan
We have been very successful for the last decade plus in terms of FDI. In terms of economic prosperity in Ireland, our population is growing, our enterprise base, both foreign and indigenous have grown. That leads us to the challenges of success, our housing capacity, our infrastructure capacity. There are key elements that we have to continue to address and make sure that we have adequate plans in place for the next generation of investment. - Michael Lohan
We in Ireland seem to be leading at the front edge of that technology, of that innovation, of that deployment, and I think that comes down to the skill base that we have, and within that is the engineering resources that's available to us. - Michael Lohan
I would encourage anyone, no matter where you are in your career, to continue to learn. In fact, I am no different, I have to continue to be curious, I have to continue to look to where I can add additional strengths to my offering. - Michael Lohan
I think industry needs to help encourage young people into STEM, because the more we can show that there's a path here in terms of career, that there's a rewarding, fulfilling and diverse career that you can get through STEM subjects. - Michael Lohan
Learn as quickly as you can how to interact and engage with others because the your success is going to be based on how you engage with your peers, how you can influence and negotiate. The more you can hone that earlier in your career, the more you can benefit from it later on. - Michael Lohan
KEYWORDS
#engineering #investment #STEM #business #IDA
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Water Infrastructure is a hugely important sector here in Ireland, and it has many challenges on the horizon, including everything from climate change to infrastructure demand.
Today, we're finding out more about the future of that water infrastructure and where engineers will play a crucial role in ensuring its success.
Our expert today is at the center of the industry and has experience working on massive projects in Ireland, the UK and Asia. He is CEO of Uisce Eireann and a fellow of Engineers Ireland, Niall Gleeson.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
01:22 Working on infrastructure projects abroad
04:29 Moving from on the ground engineering to management
06:41 Water supply challenges in Ireland
09:49 Maintaining drinking water safety
11:30 Sourcing more water supplies for rural and urban areas
14:02 How wastewater is managed
15:18 Future-proofing in Uisce Eireann
18:05 Climate change considerations in water management
20:52 Engineering roles in the water sector
23:52 Driving innovation while managing the day to day
28:57 Uisce Eireann’s role in future infrastructure
30:56 What lessons helped Niall move up the ladder
GUEST DETAILS
Niall Gleeson is Chief Executive Officer of Uisce Éireann, the national utility responsible for providing public water and wastewater services throughout Ireland. Niall leads the organisation in the delivery of safe, clean and environmentally compliant water services to households and businesses across Ireland. He has been instrumental in driving Uisce Éireann’s safety, sustainability and employee engagement strategies and in 2022 led the organisation in securing the provision of an historic €1.1 billion in capital investment funding, which is vital to developing Ireland’s critical water services infrastructure, protecting public health and supporting social and economic development.Prior to joining Uisce Éireann, Niall was Managing Director for Veolia Ireland and Alstom Ireland and held a number of senior leadership roles with world-leading infrastructure companies including General Electric and Shanahan Engineering. He has significant experience in the finance, construction, commissioning and maintenance of transport and utility assets, and has led major infrastructure projects across Ireland, the UK and Asia. Raised in Dublin, he holds a degree in engineering from the Dublin Institute of Technology.
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
The problem-solving is one of the big things, engineers are in demand not just for engineering trades, but banking or all that kind of stuff. It’s the ability to look at a problem and work out a logical process to get a resolution, starting at the start and working your way methodically through problems is a real key, and it’s a trait that most engineers have. - Niall Gleeson
A lot of us are very solution focused, especially engineers, so we're trying to solve people's problems for them. Quite often, you just have to listen. They talk themselves through the problem and they almost solve it for you while they're sitting in front of you. So it's not always reacting. I think that's probably what I would teach my younger self, listen more. - Niall Gleeson
We have an awful lot of stuff that goes into toilets that shouldn't go into toilets like wet wipes.. They say they're biodegradable, but they're not. We pull about 60 tons of what we call rags out of the inlets of Ringsend every month. - Niall Gleeson
Over the next 25 years our plan is to improve drinking water, get a very reliable source, provide more where there's growth and make sure that the likes of Dublin can continue to grow, and other urban areas. All of the projections are that the population is going to keep growing. - Niall Gleeson
We have to do our day to day job and we have to deliver water every day, so innovation can be tricky. But our sustainability program is driving a lot of innovation, we're looking at solar panels on the roofs of buildings and things like biodiversity. - Niall Gleeson
We're crying out for engineers at the moment. We have a huge recruitment programme going on. As part of our transformation to, the Uisce Eireann transformation program. One of the challenges we have is with our own teams and with the local authorities, there's a lot of people who are approaching retirement. So we need a new batch of people coming through. - Niall Gleeson
KEYWORDS
#water #engineers #wastewater #drinkingwater #rivers #climatechange
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Engineers are having a meaningful impact across communities in Ireland through working in the public sector.
Today we hear from three professionals with extensive experience working within the public sector about the rewarding projects they have worked on and the career paths they have taken.
Our guests are Head of the National Building Control & Market Surveillance Office in Dublin and a fellow with Engineers Ireland Mairéad Phelan, Executive Engineer with Limerick City and County Council Fergal Timlin and Senior Executive Engineer with Louth County Council Claire Hughes.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
01:09 Public sector and private sector differences
02:15 Job fulfilment in public sector work
04:40 Time scales in public sector work
06:46 Working with members of the public
10:41 Advice for those looking to move into the public sector
12:06 Taking a step back from the business calculations
16:27 The variation of work in the public sector
19:02 Career progression in the public sector
26:58 Changing the perception of engineering gender stereotypes at school level
GUEST DETAILS
Claire Hughes has a degree in Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering from Trinity College Dublin in 2006, an MSc Eng in Fire Safety Engineering from University of Ulster in 2013 and Postgraduate Dip in Road & Transport Engineering (inaugural year of the course) from IT Sligo in 2017. Claire is over 17 years working in Local Authorities (Monaghan, Offaly, Meath and now Louth County Councils) across a number of Departments such as Housing Capital, Road Design, Operations, Water & Wastewater services and Environmental services. She is currently working in Louth County Council as a Senior Executive Engineer in Waste Management & Environment Department.Website: https://www.louthcoco.ie/en/
Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-hughes-3215961b7
Mairéad Phelan is Head of the National Building Control and Market Surveillance Office. A Chartered Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Ireland she was a Programme Manager with the Local Government Management Agency on national projects. Prior to this, she was Fingal County Council’s head of the Built Environment Inspectorate Division; preceded by Senior Engineer Road Safety, Transportation and Bridges Division. She spent 10 years as Municipal Town Engineer with Carlow County Council while also performing the role of Conservation Officer. Her career commenced with Consulting Engineering work on Major Water & Drainage Schemes. Mairéad is an Associate Lecturer with SETU Carlow and is passionate about promoting the construction of safe and healthy buildings and the sustainable reuse of our existing building stock. She was awarded the Civil Service Excellence and Innovation award in 2015.
She holds an MBA, a Diploma in Law, and a PG. Cert. in Governance, a PGDip in Highway & Geotechnical Engineering, a PGDip in Project Management, and a Cert in GDPR.
Website: https://nbco.localgov.ie/
Social Media: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/mair%C3%A9ad-phelan-a9b42a20
Fergal has 13 years’ experience in civil/environmental engineering. He has amassed a large amount of experience in a wide range of Civil Engineering disciplines, such as the construction of roads and drainage infrastructure.
Fergal is currently a member of the Thomond Region Committee and the Civil Division Committee of Engineers Ireland. He is also the planning lead for the Construction Sector Circular Economy Roadmap Report .
Website: https://www.limerick.ie/council
Social Media: www.linkedin.com/in/fergal-d-timlin-88ab7b39
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
The pressure is on you in the public sector, you're answerable to everybody in the general public and everything that you do in your work is under scrutiny. - Claire Hughes
I was able to improve the towns and the small villages that were in my area, and I can see where I improved the signage, the parks, the town, and putting in something simple like a basketball arena. I found it very, very rewarding working in local authorities. - Mairead Phelan
A lot of people have mixed views or mixed opinions about what working in a local authority is. It is such a fantastic and varied career. - Claire Hughes
There's times where I do need to step back from projects and stop looking at the big calculations and just remember that these small improvements have a dramatic change to people and are greatly welcomed. - Fergal Timlim
There is a very clear progressions layout in place in local authorities. - Claire Hughes
I see myself as an engineer first and foremost, a problem solver and a designer. That's all I ever wanted to be, even as a child, but nobody ever told me that it was a totally male orientated profession - Mairead Phelan
The simplest definition of an engineer is that we're just problem solvers. We need to explain that to the primary school students, and not that there's these gender assigned roles or stereotypes associated with engineering. We have to break them to actually get young women into engineering. - Fergal Timlin
Every child loves a brick to play with, every child loves Lego. I've never met a child that doesn't love the box that the stuff comes in. So why are we not bringing that along through the schools and teaching? - Mairead Phelan
KEYWORDS
#localauthorities #engineering #publicsector #housing #construction
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The agriculture sector has had to embrace adaptability and innovation as it navigates new technologies and the climate crisis.
Today we’re diving into agriculture and discovering how engineers are developing solutions for a better future in the sector. We hear about their impressive sustainability efforts and how AI and automation are playing an important role.
Our experts today are Associate Professor and Vice Principal for Internationalisation in UCD College of Engineering & Architecture, Tom Curran, Mechanical engineer with Agrigear, Neil Pigott and Agricultural Inspector with the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Robert Leonard.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
01:12 How the Department Of Agriculture uses engineering
04:12 Engineering in agriculture machinery
07:30 Current research in agriculture
09:26 Application of robotics and automation
14:22 Collection and analysing data from farms
15:31 Smart farming
17:03 Adapting the farming industry to new tech
21:40 The Ploughing Championships
23:01 Climate change challenges for the sector
24:48 Sustainability efforts in agriculture
GUEST DETAILS
Tom Curran is an Associate Professor and Vice Principal for Internationalisation in UCD College of Engineering & Architecture. He leads the Horizon Europe project, BioBeo, on innovative education for the bioeconomy with 15 partners across 10 European countries. He is the Director of the UCD MSc Environmental Technology degree programme. His research interests include waste management and air quality. He is a graduate of UCD's Engineering programme, holding a BE (Ag & Food), MEngSc (Environmental Engineering) and a PhD in Biosystems Engineering. He worked in production and environmental management in the food industry for a number of years before joining as faculty in UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering.Website: https://people.ucd.ie/tom.curran
Social Media: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/tompcurran
Niall Pigott is a chartered engineer with extensive experience in mechanical design and manufacturing engineering, with strong quality compliance exposure. Comprehensive knowledge of Solidworks 3D CAD (computer aided design) and Lantek Expert CAM (computer aided manufacturing) software.
Website: https://www.agrigear.ie/wheel-rim-manufacturing
Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niall-pigott-a5131638/
Robert Leonard holds an honours degree in Agricultural Engineering and a Masters in Mechanical Engineering. He completed his PhD in UCD, the focus of which was looking at the development of decision support systems for spraying potatoes against late Blight and spray drift reduction techniques. Robert joined the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine in July 2002. His role is to provide technical specifications, to support agricultural industries, that meet required standards (including legal) in respect of Construction, Health and Safety, Animal Welfare and the Environment. To promote and implement specific measures supporting environmentally sustainable agriculture and to provide specialist expertise to various divisions and offices that are charged with implementing schemes associated with grant aid for agricultural and forestry related industries.
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
The research touches on the environmental impacts of the whole chain from the farm to the fork from getting the herbs out of the fields or foreign buildings, right through to processing of the food so that it's ready for consumers to eat in a safe manner, but also in the most sustainable way as well. - Tom Curran
The applications of robotics within agricultural engineering is really in its genesis mode and this sort of engineering will blossom in the very near future. This technology will not take away people's jobs, but it will actually enhance people's jobs. - Niall Pigott
There's a lot of technology coming from the fertilizer and pesticide application side looking at identifying weeds, diseases, and applying pesticide just to the points of where it's at using vision control. All that information can be fed into a higher level of AI to actually get them to understand what way to apply crops and to get the best return while having the least inputs. - Robert Leonard
I think the farming community in general is quite adaptive, they have to be. - Niall Pigott
In the future there's going to be a lot more robotic controls, but you need to be monitoring what's going on. It's not a case of just watching and letting the robots take over. The farmer needs to understand the information they're getting. - Robert Leonard
Farming is such a long standing industry, we all need farmers to produce our food. It's like everything else, some people are resistant to change naturally. I grew up on a farm and I’m currently a part time farmer. Inspeaking to and engaging with farmers, a lot of farmers are probably the most innovative people I know - Tom Curran
If we do a certain action, we have to take into account so many different factors; climate, nature, water, air, etc. This is a message I think that we need to communicate to the general public, how engineers and scientists are working to be more environmentally sustainable, but also to take into account changing weather patterns for the future. - Tom Curran
KEYWORDS
#engineering #farming #agriculture #machinery #sustainability #ploughingchampionships
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Engineers are incredibly innovative and ambitious, but having the right skills and mindset is key to having your ideas heard and supported.
Through self-development and continuous learning you can make yourself stand out in the crowd. Today we find out what education options are available to engineers and what skills you need to focus on to become an invaluable pi-shaped professional.
Our expert today is an electronic engineer who is incredibly passionate about professional development and learning. She is the former Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies and current Director of UL@Work at University of Limerick, Professor Ann Ledwith.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
01:09 Ann’s Start In Engineering
05:03 How to make an impression and progress
09:19 Transversal Skills and becoming a pi-shaped professional
13:27 The difference between management and leadership
16:20 Advice for young engineers pursuing leadership
18:13 Business-oriented skills for engineering
20:30 How to approach continued learning
21:54 Further education opportunities with UL@Work
24:50 Learning time commitment and workplace support
GUEST DETAILS
Professor Ann Ledwith is a graduate of N.I.H.E Limerick where she obtained a degree in Electronic Engineering. She subsequently completed an MBA at the University of Limerick and a PhD in Managing Product Development at the University of Brighton. She has held a variety of positions at UL including Dean of Graduate and Professional Studies, Director of Continuing and Professional Education, and Assistant Dean of Research (Adult and Continuing Education) with the Faculty of Science and Engineering.Currently Prof Ledwith is the Director of HCI and UL@Work, and is responsible for delivering UL’s Human Capital Initiative project, UL@Work, which aims to develop digital, industry 4.0, talent through flexible, innovative and technology-enabled, experiential learning; linking enterprise and education to form a co-designed future learning environment. She is passionate about the role of the university in supporting regional growth and currently chairs Explore Engineering, an industry-led initiative to increase the quality and quantity of engineering talent (apprentice, technicians and engineers) in the region.
Prof Ledwith worked for over twelve years as a Product Development Engineer and as a Manager of Product Development in small high-technology firms. She spent 2 years managing the Centre for Project Management at the University of Limerick. Professor Ledwith has a keen interest in work-based students and flexible learning. Throughout her academic career, she has designed and delivered part-time and blended programmes for both under- and post-graduate students on topics such as Project Management, Entrepreneurship, Innovation Management, Technology Management and Reliability. Her research interests include new product development, project management, R&D management, innovation and technology management in small firms.
Website: www.ul.ie
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-ledwith-65873a/
Further education links:
https://www.ul.ie/gps/professionalflexible-programmes
https://www.ul.ie/gps/microcredentials
https://www.ul.ie/gps/springboard-courses
https://www.ul.ie/gps/professionalflexible-programmes/apprenticeships
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
You have to be willing to step up, you have to be willing to say, ‘Yeah, I can take charge of this project, or I can manage a few people.’ - Ann Ledwith
When you're working with people, you need a certain amount of single mindedness and focus, but you also need to be able to bring your people along with you, you need to appreciate and listen to what people are saying. You need to have a vision, you need to be able to communicate that vision, and you need to be able to convince people that's where they want to be as well. - Ann Ledwith
We often talk about a pi-shaped professional, you need these broad skills along the top, and then your areas of expertise. You need both if you want to be successful. - Ann Ledwith
I think that sense of having a vision of how you want to move things forward is very important, but that's useless unless you can bring people with you - Ann Ledwith
It is so important for job satisfaction that people can see that they've contributed to something. I think that's why people follow leaders because they feel that it's adding more meaning and more relevance to what they're doing. - Ann Ledwith
The first thing is to let people know you're there and to let people know that you do have ambition. Very often that's the toughest step for a young engineer, we're not taught to go forward and to share your ideas like that. But I think it's very important that you make sure people realize that the potential that you have - Ann Ledwith
One of the key things if you are getting on that journey of continuous education is to get the support from your manager. Tell them how this program is actually going to progress you, it's not just that you're getting skills, but your company is getting skills - Ann Ledwith
KEYWORDS
#engineering #career #leadership #management #TransversalSkills #furthereducation
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Irish engineers are having a fantastic impact in global enterprise but are we nimble and innovative enough to take on the internationals?
Today we find out how engineering is fundamental to the future of enterprise in Ireland and why innovation and sustainability will be vital to our success.
We are delighted to be joined by CEO of Enterprise Ireland, and Fellow of Engineers Ireland, Leo Clancy.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
01:26 Leo’s career from engineering to enterprise
04:17 What does Enterprise Ireland do?05:25 Engineering is fundamental to enterprise
08:38 How Ireland stands out in a global market
11:47 What we can learn from international companies
14:28 Adopting an innovation mindset
18:09 How Enterprise Ireland can help start ups
22:58 Opportunities for Irish engineering companies
25:29 Sustainability as an opportunity and as a threat
33:41 Future forecasting and Impact 2030 for engineering
GUEST DETAILS
Leo Clancy is the Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Ireland, the State Agency that helps Irish companies to start, scale and grow globally. Leo graduated from Dublin Institute of Technology with a First-Class Honours degree in Electronic and Electrical Engineering and is a Fellow of Engineers Ireland.Before being appointed as CEO of Enterprise Ireland, Leo was a member of the Executive Committee of IDA Ireland, the State agency for Foreign Direct Investment. There, he led the Technology sector, working extensively at up to C-level with the top global technology and services companies.
Leo spent most of his career in the telecommunications industry, working in senior management, technical and engineering roles. His most recent role was as Service Delivery Director at e|net. Prior to that, he was General Manager, Service Delivery at Ericsson Ireland.
Website: https://www.enterprise-ireland.com/en/about-us/our-people/executivecommitee/leo-clancy.html
Social Media: www.linkedin.com/in/leoclancy
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
It was that discipline of learning about something and problem solving that I really appreciated about engineering, and I think gives you a great grounding. I've been a manager effectively now for 20 years. You never lose that engineering mindset in terms of how you approach problems, and I think it really stands to people. - Leo CLancy
Irish companies and people have a get it done mentality. We are flexible, we know how to roll with things and problem solving is at the core of how we think about things. Ireland has always had that little bit of a scrappy edge to us, and that shouldn't be confused with low quality because it's not. Irish people are good at analyzing the problem, working out how to change the process in order to get it done, as well as delivering quality. - Leo Clancy
I think we could certainly bring back more of that cultural respect for engineering. We need to value engineering more. - Leo CLancy
There's some brilliant innovation going on in Ireland. And I think it's not beyond the possibility for Irish companies in various domains who are already strong on services and delivering projects to start innovating solutions within their businesses. - Leo Clancy
We're going to see continued and vastly increasing investment in sustainability. That is certainly something that every company should be looking at, as an opportunity, but also as a threat. If companies don't have sustainability plans, and verifiable ones for their businesses, they will be out of business in three to five years. No one will buy from a company that doesn't have a good ESG plan, and that can't verify their own sustainability credentials. - Leo Clancy
It's an absolute testament to Irish business that 2022 was a record year on exports. Irish business performed very well during the pandemic, so I'd be very optimistic about where we're going in the future. I think notwithstanding what might happen in the global markets, I think we're going to continue to see growth in Irish business exports, and growth and jobs. - Leo Clancy
KEYWORDS
#ireland #enterpriseireland #engineers #sustainability #business #innovation
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As the engineering sector continuously evolves and grows, how can you stay on top and progress in your career?
Today we discover how leading managers achieved their ascent in the industry and what key qualities they look for in their teams. We also hear how employee wellbeing is crucial to operating a safe workplace.
Joining us to tell us more is Director of TII’s Professional Services Division, Helen Hughes and Director of Operations with Jacobs, Jillian Bolton.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
1:21 Finding your chosen discipline
3:31 How engineering has evolved
6:20 5G in cars of the new future
7:57 Work/Life Balance
10:33 How safety to changing on site
13:40 The qualities required to move up the ladder
17:00 The importance of being visible
19:49 Moving into management
24:21 Continuous learning - exhausting or exciting?GUEST DETAILS
Helen Hughes was appointed Director of TII’s Professional Services Division in 2015 following the establishment of Transport Infrastructure Ireland. Helen has over 30 years of experience in transport planning, project appraisal and project management and has worked in the UK, Ireland and France in the public and private sectors. Helen has been a member of TII’s Executive Team for 7 years, has 18 years’ experience with NRA and 10 years with Consulting Engineers. She has experience in delivery of capital projects, development of strategies, policies, technical reports, road design standards, specifications, and research.
She is a Chartered Engineer and holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree and a Diploma in Project Management. She has been a Council Member of Engineers Ireland and Chairperson of WITS, a voluntary organisation supporting women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
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Jillian Bolton is a Chartered Civil Engineer with 20 years’ experience in the engineering industry, predominantly supporting capital infrastructure clients in the development and construction of national infrastructure. As Regional Lead for Water Ireland & Scotland, Jillian is responsible for the continued development and growth of the region, supporting and developing an extensive team of engineering professionals within the water infrastructure sector delivering on capital investment frameworks and projects for our clients.
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
When you start in engineering, you realize how many different disciplines there are, but they also have many different types of roles within all of those disciplines. - Jillian
The thing that's very rewarding is that you can see very visibly the difference you make. You're delivering infrastructure for the people of Ireland, so I think that's quite gratifying. Jillian mentioned the major inter urban road network that we delivered in the naughties. And that's a huge legacy for generations to come. So the love of engineering is directly related to the impact you're making, for me. - Helen
It's the always-on culture. People are now saying that they're going to leave their mobile phones off for six hours or 12 hours to switch off. We shouldn't be always-on, we never were in the past. - Helen
I would say making sure that you're looking up, and you're looking out. It's saying yes to other things that may not be just purely in the engineering fixed fields that you're in. But it's also looking up from what you're doing at the moment. You've got to be aware of what else is going on within your organization or within your sector and even within the wider infrastructure sector - Jillian
KEYWORDS
#engineering #management #safety #wellbeing #worklifebalance -
Female engineers represent just 12% of the profession in Ireland. To coincide with International Women In Engineering Day 2023 we ask how we can encourage more young women to join the industry?
What would a workforce with a better gender balance look like? How could the industry benefit from the unique skills and attributes of women that can often be missed in male dominated spaces?
To answer these questions, we’re speaking to two female professionals who excel in the space of safety and sustainability, and are passionate about highlighting the variety and creativity available in an Engineering career. They are chartered civil engineer and artist Regina Clery, and safety specialist and experienced auditor Mary Foley.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
01:53 How to recruit young women into engineering
08:39 Better representation of female engineers
10:45 Safety measures in action
15:17 Why prevention is better than a cure
19:10 Staying on top of changing environments
23:40 Sustainable development goals
26:56 Applying safety to other industries
31:56 Everyone is responsible for safetyGUEST DETAILS
Regina Clery
Having first started out as an Art & Design student, and now an Engineer, Regina Clery is interested in projects that involve a range of technologies, culture & art to deliver STEM data across multi-disciplinary audiences. Regina is a Chartered Engineer CEng MIEI - currently working in Transport (railroad & structures) with previous roles as a Civil Engineer in the Construction Industry, Third Level Education Program Coordinator of Civil Engineering and as a Third Level Lecturer - teaching Mechanical and Civil engineering, Building Construction, Environmental Sustainability and Renewable Energy. Regina is passionate about Environmental Sustainability & Intrinsic Ecosystems, where the built environment meets the natural world. She is a Master of Science in Sustainable Energy and Green Technologies focused on development & optimisation of renewable energy resources, life cycle analysis & efficiency in power generation, mitigation of environmental impacts, plant biotechnology & business innovation.Mary Foley
MaryFoley is a Safety Professional with exceptional cross-industry experience in Pharma, Biopharma, and general industry manufacturing spanning almost 25 years. She has vast experience in planning and Safety Management and in developing Major Accident Plans for many of the County Councils. She is experienced in working closely with regulatory bodies as well as charities and planning authorities across a number of EMEA territories. Mary is an experienced Auditor with over 10 years of Experience as Lead Auditor. She is the author of National Industry standards and has advised at Government level on developing Safety Management Systems for sections of industry previously unregulated. She has created and contributed to Risk and Risk Management Programs for numerous Irish companies, government departments, multi-nationals and National Governing Bodies. She is an entertaining public speaker and a highly competent expert Witness with experience in both the Circuit and High Court.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/foley-safety-solutions/
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
In general, women have a really, really good follow through. I also know that their attention to detail, in my experience, has been much, much better. And I think in my industry specifically, that's so important. - Mary Foley
I started off in art college and in fashion design, and now I'm an engineer. Nobody could have told me at that stage of my life that I was going to be an engineer, I wouldn't have believed it. The link is how to create and fix problems. You have to get into the schools and get them at an early age to attract women into these industries and show them that they can do this, that women are already doing it. - Regina Clery
Engineers Ireland has been incredible in terms of providing us with continuing professional development, new stuff coming down the track, new information. We absolutely have to stay on top of it all time, because it's ever moving, ever changing and thankfully ever improving. - Mary Foley
Prevention is always better than a cure, but unfortunately, people have this image that safety is expensive. It's not as expensive as a claim, but a claim isn't the be all and end all. It's the personal injury, the pain, the loss, the suffering, the everything else. You should be looking after your people. - Mary Foley
There's a huge drive at the moment, particularly with the sustainable development goals. A lot of companies know they should work towards becoming an SDG champion, which is rare nowadays. Maintaining safety in the workplace, the well being of employees, having wellbeing programs, and even gender equality, all those things make your workplace safer. - Regina Clery
When we're talking about longevity, changes need to be made to acknowledge that the female body needs particular sizing to comfortably wear PPE. There's no such thing really as unisex PPE, especially when it comes to protective equipment. - Regina Clery
KEYWORDS
#safety #engineering #women #IWED #InternationalWomenInEngineeringDay #train -
Few of us are presented with a problem so big it needs to be dealt with on a national scale.
When Aidan O’Connell discovered pyrite, he tackled it head-on, literally writing the book on how to deal with it. Today, he is an acknowledged expert in the area worldwide.
A hands-on pragmatic civil engineer, Aidan’s colourful career has spanned from his early days in the UK to running a successful small firm in Portlaoise for almost thirty years. In this packed half hour, he pulls no punches on pyrites' early days in Ireland and the processes he helped develop to tackle it. He also shares invaluable information on the challenges of engineering, moving up the ladder and what he sees in the immediate future.
TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE
03:27 The most insightful advice he ever received
06:09 The biggest challenge of his career
07:47 How he set industry protocols and standards
09:07 The problem with Pyrite
15:25 How he started his own firm
20:11 Competing with local councils
26:50 The one thing you must have to move up the ladder
27:50 Process of being named a Fellow of Engineers Ireland
GUEST DETAILS
Aidan is a Chartered Civil Engineer with additional qualifications in Geotechnical Engineering and Project Management. After starting his career in the UK, he returned to Ireland to establish his own firm AOCA in 1996, expanding to Dublin in 2014. Aidan is regularly called on as a civil/structural expert with particular expertise on Pyritic Heave. He also holds the honour of being a Fellow of Engineers Ireland.https://www.linkedin.com/in/aidan-o-connell-91128b1b/
https://www.aoca.ie
MORE INFORMATIONLooking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer.
https://www.engineersireland.ie/
QUOTESYou're starting out as a civil or structural engineer but what you will be in ten or twenty years will not be what you started out as. I found that to be absolutely true.
You're not going to move up the ladder unless you go for chartered status. That's an absolute minimum that you need to be able to bring to the table. That gives you the credibility to be able to sign reports and sign documents that you are qualified, that you're recognized, to be able to do that.
I don't know where engineering in Ireland in the ten, five or even two years is going. The reason is that it's moving so fast and it’s direction can be confusing. It's all about speed, speed, speed, speed.
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Is mixing the intellectual world of engineering and the physical world of sport, some kind of Venn diagram gone wrong?
Professionals in both need to combine strategy, foresight and expertise with skill and instinct. If you mix all these qualities into one person, do you get a super-human engineer?
Our guests on the show today share how sport and teamwork helped them excel at engineering. They are engineer and former Mayo GAA star Tom Parsons, and athletic legend Jenna Bromell who is currently a Senior Process Engineer with J&J Vision Care.
TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE
02:09 Tom’s & Jenna’s engineering backgrounds
09:09 Tom and GAA at All Ireland level
12:37 Jenna running for Ireland
13:58 How engineering and sport are similar
15:28 How their own engineering careers were helped by sport
20:10 Focus on performance not just for sport
22:45 How to think better at work
24:10 How to kill work stress
27:15 Commonality between sport and work teams
32:16 Where they get time to do so much
34:40 Getting through tough times at work
36:41 The impact of AI and tech on engineeringGUEST DETAILS
Jenna Bromell works as a senior process engineer for Johnson & Johnson Vision. During her time at UL, Jenna was a dual student-athlete, a recipient of a UL BEO sports scholarship and was awarded the UL President’s Special Distinction Award for finishing top in engineering in 2019. She has competed for Ireland at the European Junior championships, World Junior championships, European U23 championships, European Team championships and European senior championships. Jenna is currently a committee member of the Engineers Ireland Thomond Region.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenna-bromell-819833192/
Tom Parsons was an engineer with Jacobs, a fortune 500 professional and technical solutions company while also playing at All Ireland Level for Mayo GAA. Outside of Croke Park finals, a career highlight for him was being awarded an honorary Fellow with Engineers Ireland in 2021. Today he serves as CEO of Gaelic Players Association.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-parsons-540/
https://www.gaelicplayers.com/about-us/MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer.
https://www.engineersireland.ie/QUOTES
“Don't underestimate the power of 10 minutes. If you want to exercise for 10 minutes, you can get a valuable session in whether it's in front of your television or out in the garden.”
“The great thing about having sports outside of your work life, is that you are not solely defined by one thing. If work is going great, then I'm an engineer. If not, then I’m a runner! You always have something to be positive about.”
“Businesses are learning from high-performance sport and high-performance teams around the world. They're all incorporating those skill sets into the workplace.
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Our working world is rapidly changing and graduate programmes are changing also. We discover how new recruits are learning in a new way and what we as qualified professionals must do to keep up.
Giving us an insight into today’s university programs are Una Beagon, Head of Civil Engineering at the Technological University in Dublin and Maria Kyne Dean of the Faculty of Engineering in the Technical University of the Shannon.
TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE
02:07 How teaching engineering has changed
06:36 How engineering courses are assessed internationally and kept up-to-date
11:47 Why working closer with industry is developing critical thinking skills
16:21 Keeping up to date with technological advances.
19:09 Lifetime learning and problem-based learning.
29:44 The importance of lifelong learning.
35:03 What is the general attitude of employers to lifelong learning?
37:31 What to be afraid of in engineering.GUEST DETAILS
Dr Una Beagon is Head of Civil Engineering at TU Dublin and a Fellow of the Institution of Structural Engineers. Her research centres around using pedagogical initiatives to improve professional skills in engineering students. Her work has won several awards including a Teaching Fellowship, The Engineers Ireland Excellence Award, The SEFI Francesco Maffioli Award, the Le Chéile Gradam and A Teaching Hero Award from the National Forum.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-una-beagon-95566b18/
Dr Maria Kyne has 30 years of experience including being a Sydney Accord and Dublin Accord review member for the International Engineering Alliance for reviews of Engineering Professional Body organisations in the UK, Canada and Pakistan. Today she is Dean of the Faculty of Engineering in TUS.
Her research interests are in the area of Engineering Education Quality Assurance. Her publications investigate the possibilities of combining or aligning the current programmatic review and accreditation processes for engineering education.https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0053-1050
MORE INFORMATION
Links Una mentioned include:
Profess 12 - https://www.tudublin.ie/research/discover-our-research/profess12/about/
TrainEng-PDP - https://iiw.kuleuven.be/english/trainengpdp
A-Step 2030 - https://www.astep2030.eu/en
Engineer SDG - https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03043797.2022.2033955Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer.
https://www.engineersireland.ie/ -
After 20 years in engineering, John’s career continues to climb. His firm is breaking new ground in engineering practice, they have big plans to expand and have been officially recognised as one of the Best Workplaces in Ireland.
In this episode, we hear how John’s experience and willingness to try new things, has built huge trust in the team and how the freedom they enjoy has delivered huge results for everybody. We cover everything from taking over ghost estates in the 2008 property crash to finding mentors and how thinking out of the box has found success.
TOPICS WE DISCUSSED INCLUDE
01:23 Accidentally falling into engineering
04:22 How he found his mentors and how they helped his career
06:52 Why ORS is ‘multi-disiplinary’
10:16 The challenges of finishing a job someone else started
11:39 The secret to winning Best Workplace in Ireland
13:51 Does he take constructive criticism from staff
15:21 Why he has been a fan of remote working since 2015
20:11 The benefits of CPD for engineers in particular
25:45 Expansion and an exciting future for ORS
GUEST DETAILS
John Brennan is Managing Director and a part-owner at one of Ireland's leading multi-disciplinary building consultancies, ORS. John has been with the company since graduating UCD. In 2019 he led an MBO and today has plans to expand the business across the country and beyond. He is an engineer who has used networking, professional development and new technology to drive success for himself and his team.Based in Mullingar, ORS is one of an exclusive number of Engineers Ireland CPD Accredited Employers in the country. It is also one of a small number of Irish companies that are ISO certified in standards ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001. ORS are at the forefront of training and technology, where investment in the latest cutting-edge tools allows their staff to perform at their best.
CONTACT DETAILS
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnbrennanceng/
https://www.ors.ie/MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer.
https://www.engineersireland.ie/QUOTES
In 2018 we had a draft person who was very productive, efficient and wanted to work at home. So we did a pilot. He worked four days at home and his productivity went up by 40%. Why? When he was at work, he’d be asked to go into a meeting on X Y or Z project even though he wasn't working on it. That would take two hours out of his day. So there was a lot of distraction. That’s why we started remote work before COVID.We have 94 staff and they decide where they're most productive and where they want to work. If you can give people that choice, trust gets built. They see that as a reward and it's reciprocated with increased productivity. If you start putting rules around that, such as you must be in one day a week or two days a week, it then becomes an entitlement. And that's when you see productive productivity drop off. Building that trust has been very, very beneficial for us.
Engineers get boxed. A couple of previous podcasts say engineers don't like to put themselves out there. Some are like that, absolutely, but some are not. The key to a successful business is realizing everybody has different wants and needs. Just listen to that and adapt to suit.
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