Explore every episode of the podcast Engineers Ireland Amplified
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Engineering: Inside Dublin Port | 19 Oct 2026 | 00:38:38 | |
Managing modern port infrastructure requires balancing complex marine engineering, environmental compliance, and round-the-clock commercial shipping operations. Expanding berthing capacity while protecting delicate marine ecosystems presents constant technical challenges for engineering leaders. Overcoming these operational obstacles demands innovative capital dredging strategies, advanced acoustic monitoring, and deep historical knowledge of coastal dynamics. Port engineering teams must guarantee vessel safety while deploying cutting-edge marine equipment in busy fairways. Host Dusty Rhodes sits down with Eamon McElroy, Port Engineer at Dublin Port. With nearly two decades of experience overseeing marine infrastructure, dredging projects, and environmental conservation, Eamon shares invaluable practical insights into managing one of the busiest maritime hubs in Europe. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Scope and scale of maritime trade through Dublin Port GUEST DETAILS Eamon McElroy is the Port Engineer at Dublin Port, where he has led marine infrastructure maintenance, environmental conservation programmes, and major capital dredging projects for nearly twenty years. He holds an honours degree in civil engineering from the University of Dundee and oversees critical environmental initiatives, including tern and black guillemot conservation plans in Dublin Bay. 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 I tell people to understand the size and scope of Dublin Port, go into any shop in Ireland, and left three different items that have been imported. Two of those items came through Dublin Port to give you the scale. - Eamon McElroy And what we say in Dublin Port is we guarantee at least one metre of water under the keel. - Eamon McElroy The key word for dredging is production. You don't stop a dredger; you just do not. - Eamon McElroy KEYWORDS #MarineEngineering#DublinPort#CapitalDredgingOperations#World'sLargestBackhoeDredger | |||
| Leading Global Engineering Teams | 05 Oct 2026 | 00:37:34 | |
Technical prowess no longer guarantees a successful career in modern engineering. While a strong degree builds the foundation, the ability to translate complex solutions into customer value defines the true leaders of the industry. This shift requires professionals to master interpersonal skills and strategic thinking to navigate global operations successfully. Shane Callanan, Vice President of Medical at Advanced Energy, joins the platform to share his transition from a technical contributor to a global leader. With three decades of experience in power conversion, Shane details how to maintain high standards across international teams and why trust serves as the bedrock of successful remote management. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Why technical skills alone are no longer enough. GUEST DETAILS Shane Callanan is Vice President of Medical at Advanced Energy. Operating from the company's base in Cork, Shane leads high-performing engineering teams across international jurisdictions, including Minnesota, Mexico, and newly established operations in the Philippines. He is a seasoned senior leader who balances complex global engineering operations with a deep passion for mentoring graduate engineers and interns, driving both technical excellence and talent retention across the industry. Connect with Shane: Website: https://www.advancedenergy.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/ QUOTES Just being a strong engineer is not good enough anymore. - Shane Callanan If you want to go into growth, you have to actually move towards a marketing-led organisation. - Shane Callanan Hire people that you trust, and there's very few people in our organisation that need to be managed in a traditional way. - Shane Callanan KEYWORDS #EngineeringLeadershipCommunication#GlobalEngineeringTeams | |||
| LGBTQ+ in Engineering | 07 Sep 2026 | 00:44:52 | |
Engineering culture remains trapped in outdated norms, risking the mental health and retention of top talent. Relying on diversity metrics alone fails to solve the underlying problem of workplace culture. True success requires moving beyond surface-level attraction to fostering genuine inclusion and psychological safety. This shift is not just an ethical imperative; it is essential for team performance, innovation, and industry wellbeing. Joining us to dissect how firms can build these inclusive cultures are ESB civil engineer Tymora Freeman-Stannett and OutEngineered representative Poggy Murray Whitham. They share practical insights on how to transition from empty policies to meaningful everyday changes that ensure every professional feels seen, heard, and valued. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Why traditional lad culture alienates LGBTQ+ professionals GUESTS DETAILS Tymora Freeman-Stannett Tymora Freeman-Stannett is a civil engineer at ESB, where she actively manages the construction of utility-scale solar farms powering Ireland's green transition. Throughout her career, Tymora has been out and proud, serving as an active advocate within ESB’s LGBTQ+ Employee Resource Group. Outside of hard hats and site plans, she is the Chair of the Irish Games Association, championing safe, inclusive, and accessible community spaces. Connect with Tymora : linkedin.com/in/tymora-freeman-stannett Poggy Murray Whitham Poggy Murray Whitham is a prominent member and representative of OutEngineered, an organisation dedicated to connecting, supporting, and elevating LGBTQ+ professionals and allies across the engineering and tech sectors. Poggy's work centers on breaking down systemic industry barriers, driving corporate representation, and building active networks that ensure engineering offices and physical construction sites alike are welcoming environments for all. Connect with Poggy: linkedin.com/in/poggy-murray-whitham 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 Diversity without inclusion just leads to tokenism. Inclusion breeds diversity. - Poggy Murray Whitham You feel like you've come into a truth as opposed to a facade. - Tymora Freeman-Stannett Inclusion is making sure that all of those people are heard, are seen, and genuinely have a voice within the organisation. - Poggy Murray Whitham Part of allyship is opening your mind to that. You can ask the questions, but understand someone might not be prepared to give you the answer. So you have to do the work yourself. - Tymora Freeman-Stannett KEYWORDS: #LGBTQinEngineering#InclusiveEngineering#EngineeringCulture#Allyship#EngineeringWellbeing | |||
| Gemma McCarthy: Engineering Is For All | 03 Aug 2026 | 00:34:45 | |
Professional engineers often face the constraint of being pigeonholed into specific roles based on demographic factors, yet the most successful teams are those that dismantle these barriers. When engineering is embraced as a truly gender-neutral career, it unlocks a powerful diversity of thought that drives innovation and superior project outcomes. Engineering problem solving requires a blend of scientific rigour and creative thinking to deliver impactful results. We explore how to break free from professional boxes, manage complex large-scale infrastructure projects, and incorporate social value into procurement. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Solving the Celtic Interconnector challenge GUEST DETAILS Gemma McCarthy is the Vice President of the Association of Consulting Engineers of Ireland and a Regional Director at Mott MacDonald. She combines high-level technical direction with strategic leadership in the Irish engineering sector. Gemma is a strong advocate for diverse representation, leveraging her experience to drive professional development and infrastructure solutions for society. She has spent 15 years with Mott MacDonald overseeing major regional operations. Connect with Gemma: 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 I used to rail against the, are you creative, are you scientific? Engineering is very much the crossover of the two. - Gemma McCarthy At the end of the day, we're problem solvers. - Gemma McCarthy We are only as good as the currency of our own skills at the moment. - Gemma McCarthy KEYWORDS #ProjectManagement #EngineeringTips #InfrastructureProjects #TechnicalLeadership #SystemDesign | |||
| Global Engineers Series: Diversifying Engineering in Ireland with International Engineers | 20 Jul 2026 | 00:31:34 | |
Talented engineers often fear that moving abroad means sacrificing hard-earned professional momentum. This mindset overlooks the reality that an engineering qualification is a borderless passport for innovation and personal growth. In this episode of our Global Engineers mini-series, we explore how top international talent selects Ireland as their professional base, bringing fresh perspectives that drive the industry forward. We discuss how firms successfully integrate these new approaches, the cultural nuances of Irish engineering, and the actionable advice that will empower you to build a thriving career overseas. Our guests are Munya Bakasa, a South African senior structural engineer spearheading major consulting projects, and Krystyna Dimtchev, a Polish project manager and chair of the Women in Engineering Society. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Choosing to base careers in Ireland GUESTS DETAILS Krystyna Dimtchev is an Associate Programme Manager at Arcadis and the current Chair of the Engineers Ireland Women in Engineering Society. Originally from Poland, she is an IPMA Certified Senior Project Manager with extensive experience in environmental engineering and building services. She is a passionate advocate for diversity, inclusion, and mentoring the next generation of engineers. LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/krystyna-dimtchev (Associate Programme Manager, Arcadis & Chair of the Women in Engineering Society) Munya Bakasa is a Senior Engineer at PUNCH Consulting Engineers. Originally from South Africa, he is a key lead on major infrastructural developments. He brings structural and civil engineering expertise to the Irish market and is a strong advocate for active travel infrastructure. Connect with Munya: 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 One of the biggest differences I have experienced in Ireland is the emphasis on the collaboration of openness and trust. - Krystyna Dimtchev You strike a better work-life balance in the local environment, as opposed to back home. - Munya Bakasa I've learned from them, it's not if you have the book, you have the equations, you have the calculations, but just to understand makes you a true engineer. - Krystyna Dimtchev Your perspective, both professionally and personally, is broadened beyond what you expect. - Munya Bakasa KEYWORDS: #GlobalEngineering #IrishCareer #EngineeringAbroad #CareerGrowth #InternationalEngineer | |||
| Engineering's Future: Safety and Talent | 06 Jul 2026 | 00:41:22 | |
Ireland's energy transition demands a new calibre of engineering leadership and talent to secure its critical infrastructure for the future. The challenge is not just technical; it is about cultivating a culture of safety, innovation, and diverse perspectives across the sector. This episode explores the pivotal role of engineers in making high-stakes decisions, transforming safety from a rule to a core value, and addressing the persistent gender imbalance in the industry. Learn how a varied background and holistic thinking are key to solving the complex problems of tomorrow, from power generation to the energy demands of artificial intelligence. Joining us is Majella Henchion, Technical Capability Manager at ESB, a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Ireland. Majella shares her three decades of experience, transitioning from managing iconic sites like Turlough Hill to leading the strategic recruitment of the next generation of engineers. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Overcoming professional imposter syndrome. GUEST DETAILS Majella Henchion is the Technical Capability Manager at ESB, responsible for ensuring the utility possesses the personnel required to drive the energy transition. A Chartered Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Ireland, her career spans three decades in pivotal leadership roles. Her key achievements include managing the Turlough Hill pumped storage station and leading critical safety assurance programmes. Connect with Majella: Website: https://www.esb.ie Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/majellahenchion/?originalSubdomain=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 Imposter syndrome comes back every time you take on a new challenge, and what I began to realise was I liked that challenge. – Majella Henchion If you can put that trust in people, they will repay you double fold. – Majella Henchion We need our engineers to be more holistic in their thinking. – Majella Henchion KEYWORDS #ElectricalEngineering #BehaviouralSafety #EnergyTransition #GenderDiversity #HolisticProblemSolving | |||
| Global Engineers Series: Irish Engineers Making An Impact Abroad | 29 Jun 2026 | 00:31:00 | |
Many talented engineers hesitate to move abroad, fearing they will lose career momentum and disconnect from the vibrant Irish engineering community. However, an Irish engineering degree is in fact a global passport, opening doors to innovation on an international scale while maintaining strong Irish roots. This special mini-series explores how Irish engineers successfully navigate international markets, secure funding, overcome the fear of failure, and leverage their qualifications to build thriving careers overseas. They also discuss how the Irish engineering community supports them abroad. Joining the conversation is Joseph Mooney, a Forbes 30 under 30 honoree at the forefront of US energy research, and Sinéad Conneely, a Structural Director and Engineers Ireland Chartered Engineer of the Year finalist. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Choosing to leave Ireland and where GUESTS DETAILS Joseph Mooney is the Co-Founder of WattAir and a Research Engineer at the Georgia Institute of Technology, recently named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Energy. Connect with Joseph: linkedin.com/in/josephpmooney Sinéad Conneely is a Director and Structural Engineer at Simple Works in London, a finalist for the Engineers Ireland Chartered Engineer of the Year, and a leader in the UK construction industry. Connect with Sinéad: linkedin.com/in/sinéad-conneely-9b847139 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. | |||
| Carl Devlin: Mega Project Management Secrets | 01 Jun 2026 | 00:36:13 | |
Mega projects often struggle under their own sheer weight, leading to massive budget overruns, stakeholder conflict, and unmanaged complexity. The challenge lies in managing change ruthlessly while maintaining safety and quality across vast, long-term undertakings. This episode explores the disciplined mindset required to deliver major infrastructure on time and on budget, focusing on "right-to-left" planning, risk ownership, and the crucial role of collaboration. We also look at how digital tools like BIM and AI are revolutionising project delivery and safety in the construction sector. Our guest is Carl Devlin, Capital Works Director at MTR Corporation. His three decades of experience include senior leadership on iconic projects such as London Heathrow Terminal 5 and upgrading 40 per cent of the London Underground network THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Driving career with big goals GUEST DETAILS Carl Devlin is the Capital Works Director at MTR Corporation. He oversees new railway projects and major upgrades for Hong Kong's sophisticated transport network. His core expertise includes navigating the immense complexity of mega-projects, balancing technical excellence with strategic stakeholder demands, and spearheading digital transformation in construction. Connect with Carl Devlin: Website: https://www.mtr.com.hk Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carl-devlin 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're managing change, you have to look holistically at the whole system, not just at the components that you're actually accountable for. - Carl Devlin Change is the thing that drives mega projects off course, because once you've committed a supply chain... and you change one of the requirements, it can have a huge knock on impact on the project. - Carl Devlin I keep saying to my team, if you were spending the money out of your wallet, would you do this? - Carl Devlin KEYWORDS #MegaProjects #ProjectManagement #EngineeringLeadership #DigitalConstruction #InfrastructureInvestment | |||
| David Sanderson: AI Will Not Replace Engineers | 04 May 2026 | 00:30:11 | |
Engineers spend too much time fixing broken data instead of focusing on high-level design. This inefficiency, known as workflow friction, is a major enemy of modern construction projects. This episode explores how intelligent automation and verified software can eliminate manual rework and enhance global collaboration. We discuss the crucial challenge of trust between engineers and fabricators, the necessity of specialised AI solutions, and the innovations of Trim BIM. Our guest is David Sanderson, a former site engineer who now leads Product Strategy for Trimble’s structural tools. He offers a unique 40-year perspective, having witnessed the digital transformation of engineering since 1982 THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Accidentally invented structural software in 1982 GUEST DETAILS David Sanderson is the Senior Product Manager for Structural Design Products at Trimble. His expertise is rooted in structural design, leading product strategy for major tools like Tekla Structural Designer, and championing the use of verified, quality-assured software in the industry. Connect with David Sanderson, Senior Product Manager for Structural Design Products at Trimble: PUBLIC CONTACT DETAILS: https://www.trimble.com/en/products/tekla SOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-sanderson-49926852/ 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 The contractual deliverable is still a 2d drawing, believe it or not. - David Sanderson KEYWORDS #StructuralEngineering #IntelligentAutomation #WorkflowFriction #TrimBIM #PortalFrameDesign | |||
| Noel Clancy: Coastal Engineering and Adapting to Climate | 06 Apr 2026 | 00:38:27 | |
Building and maintaining Ireland's vital coastal infrastructure requires facing the relentless challenge of climate change and rising sea levels. Protecting the country's six dedicated fishery harbour centres and their multi-million euro capital programme demands innovative engineering and strict public spending compliance. This episode explores the high-stakes engineering required to adapt harbours for tomorrow, deploying modern tools like GIS and drones for efficiency, and the unexpected permitting hurdles government departments must navigate. You will also hear about the fascinating complexities of Noel’s private sector career, including the challenging Dunboy Castle restoration and the mammoth Opera Lane basement construction in Cork City. We are delighted to welcome Chief Engineer at the Marine Engineering Division of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Noel Clancy, who shares his journey from Cork construction sites to leading national coastal upgrades. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Career journey from private to public. GUEST DETAILS Noel Clancy is the Chief Engineer in Ireland's Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, leading the Marine Engineering Division. A civil engineering graduate and Fellow of Engineers Ireland, he is renowned for modernising public sector projects with GIS mapping and drone inspections. He manages the operation, maintenance, and capital upgrades for state fishery harbours while promoting lifelong learning and mentoring young engineers Connect with Noel: PUBLIC CONTACT DETAILS: https://www.gov.ie/en/department-of-agriculture-food-and-the-marine/biographies/noel-clancy/ SOCIAL MEDIA: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noel-clancy-41989738 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 So the better the information that we have at the front end, the better chance we have of not getting into dispute with the contractor. - Noel Clancy "It's very important to have a relationship, and it's very important to have no surprises, you know, so to have everything properly planned. - Noel Clancy One key thing is adaption, and essentially that's changing what you have to deal with, what you know is going to happen. - Noel Clancy KEYWORDS #MarineEngineering #CoastalAdaptation #CivilEngineering #PublicSectorProjects #FisheryHarbours | |||
| Siobhán McHugh: The Future of the Irish Grid | 02 Mar 2026 | 00:36:50 | |
Achieving Ireland's ambitious decarbonisation goals and meeting climate action targets requires massive investment and innovative engineering solutions across the energy sector. This is compounded by the increasing digitisation of our infrastructure and the need to deliver reliable power to a growing economy. This conversation explores the strategic response to the climate and energy crisis, examining the future makeup of the Irish power system, the explosive growth of solar power, and how data and artificial intelligence are revolutionising asset management. We also look at the evolving role of engineers, the importance of complementary commercial skills, and how to advance your career in the sector. Joining the discussion is Siobhán McHugh, Director and the Energy and Utilities Consulting Lead at PwC Ireland, and the current Chairperson of the Energy, Environment and Climate Action Division at Engineers Ireland. Her experience spans regulation, grid operation, and strategic consulting. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Career progression diverse energy roles GUEST DETAILS Siobhán McHugh is a Director and the Energy and Utilities Consulting Lead at PwC Ireland, where she advises clients in the electricity, water, and gas sectors on large-scale digital and energy transformation projects. Her expertise draws heavily on her deep operational background from EirGrid and a regulatory background from the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER), giving her a rare whole-system view of the industry. She also serves as the current Chairperson of the Energy, Environment and Climate Action Division at Engineers Ireland. Connect with Siobhán: PUBLIC CONTACT DETAILS 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 So I'd say a lot of the challenges probably have a hidden positive in them, in that it's an advancement in technology, but it's just about figuring it out. - Siobhán McHugh #EnergyTransition #IrishGrid #EngineeringCareers #DataAndAI #ClimateAction | |||
| Sustainable Swords Strategy Transportation Planning|Danny Pio Murphy | 02 Feb 2026 | 00:42:35 | |
Engineering faces housing crisis, climate change crisis and biodiversity crisis simultaneously requiring everyone onboard with diversity of thought for new solutions. Danny Pio Murphy shares how sustainable swords strategy engaged 800 school children and hundreds of adults through covid restrictions, why plumburroughs greenfield site allowed testing protected cycle infrastructure before design manuals existed, how DBFI Consulting Engineers achieved gold accreditation investors for diversity with 85% inclusivity score, and why half LGBT engineers remain closeted through fear despite marriage equality referendum changing Irish society fundamentally. The chartered transportation engineer, associate director at DBFL Consulting Engineers and former chair of engineers Ireland inclusion diversity society discusses mentoring graduates through four year development programmes, intelligent mobility hubs coming online Cork Docklands, and why people skills matter as much as technical expertise when moving from engineer to leadership. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS
A former LGBT activist for nine years giving wellbeing lectures across Ireland and UK, he chaired Engineers Ireland inclusion diversity society and helped DBFL achieve gold accreditation investors for diversity held by only 28 organisations nationally. His achievements include pioneering protected cycle infrastructure before Irish design manuals existed, increasing company female representation from low base to quarter over five years, and mentoring graduates through four year chartership development programmes whilst supporting diversity networks across 30 nationalities. Connect with Danny:
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
KEYWORDS #SustainableTransport #DiversityInEngineering #LGBTEngineers #IntelligentMobility #CycleInfrastructure | |||
| Susan McGarry: Low Carbon Cement Decarbonising Construction | 05 Jan 2026 | 00:41:48 | |
Construction sector faces urgent decarbonisation challenge whilst Ireland maintains only 11% women in engineering unchanged since 2011 despite ambitious housing and infrastructure targets requiring diverse workforce expansion. Susan McGarry, Managing Director for Ireland at Ecocem pioneering low carbon concrete company, explains journey from Greenpeace member receiving Rainbow Warrior dolphin pictures to becoming youngest MD at 30 years old, how ACT advanced cement technology reduces clinker from 85% to under 30% achieving 600 kilos CO2 savings per tonne, why Irish regulatory system lacks assessment route for new low carbon materials despite ambitious National Development Plan targets, and how cancer diagnosis at 34 prompted reflection on policy passion over operational leadership. With expertise spanning technical concrete troubleshooting through European policy advocacy and member of Engineers Ireland Women in Engineering Group, Susan shares practical advice on visibility without egotism, why nice girls who don't ask get nothing, and how senior management diversity influences maternity leave, IVF cover and bereavement policies attracting retaining women throughout career pipeline. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Susan McGarry is Managing Director for Ireland at Ecocem, pioneering company developing low carbon concrete, expertly handling concrete procurement rules and public affairs guiding construction industry toward ambitious climate targets whilst scaling sustainable building solutions across Ireland. Passionate advocate for diversity as prominent woman in structures and construction sector historically low on female engineers, she uses platform driving inclusion highlighting systemic barriers women face from cultural challenges to logistical issues like accessible female bathrooms on construction sites. Member of Engineers Ireland Women in Engineering Group, she joined Ecocem as environmental services intern in 2011 becoming youngest MD at 30 years old in 2020, now serving as Director of Public Affairs and Sustainability for Ecocem Global after cancer diagnosis prompted career reflection focusing on policy passion over operational leadership spanning European officials and global partnerships. Connect with Susan McGarry:
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
LowCarbonCement #WomenInEngineering #SustainableConstruction #PolicyAdvocacy #CareerProgression | |||
| An Engineer Like Me: Hearing From Engineering Graduate Employers | 15 Dec 2025 | 00:34:46 | |
Successfully transitioning from university to a professional engineering career is a critical moment for any graduate, and the application process requires strategic preparation beyond just academic competence. Many students struggle to understand what employers truly seek in a new engineer and how to showcase their potential effectively. This episode unlocks the secrets to a standout graduate application, sharing direct insights on core soft skills like communication and teamwork, the role of mentorship, and the career growth trajectory within leading firms. Learn about the value of different-sized companies, from large-scale multi-office execution to a hands-on, personal approach, and the importance of professional development and diversity initiatives. Host Dusty Rhodes is joined by two exceptional industry leaders: Michelle O'Hagan, Group Graduate Recruitment Manager at PM Group, and Bill Bates, Director at DBFL. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Why graduate programs are essential GUEST DETAILS Michelle O’Hagan is the Group Graduate Recruitment Manager at PM Group, a leading global project management and engineering company known for delivering complex capital projects worldwide. She manages the full graduate recruitment lifecycle across PM Group’s international offices, ensuring the company attracts top emerging talent. Michelle's extensive experience, including prior roles at Deloitte UK and Citi Bank, makes her an expert in understanding what drives success in early engineering careers. Bill Bates is a Director at DBFL Consulting Engineers, one of Ireland's leading civil, structural, and transportation consultancies. Bill is responsible for overseeing the Civil Engineering team and has extensive experience in the design and delivery of major infrastructure and development projects across the country. As a Director, Bill is deeply involved in DBFL's Graduate Development Programme and the career progression of their staff, making him a key resource for understanding the pathways to Chartered Engineer status and professional success within the Irish engineering sector.
Website: engineersireland.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/ Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland. QUOTES Confidence, talking about themselves, talking about their other aspects, their engineering career is only at the start, so they have very little to talk about in that. But I want to know what they've done to date. Tell me about themselves. - Bill Bates The actual programme itself is a two year programme, but it runs in parallel with your job. So you're permanent from day one, you don't have to re-interview for a role on completion of the programme, which a lot of graduate programmes in our industry does. - Michelle O'Hagan Be confident in your own ability, but be able to show humility and be able to listen to all others perspectives. - Bill Bates Communication going into project management, being a strong and effective communicator is essential. Being clear, concise and well structured - Ena O'Driscoll KEYWORDS #EngineeringGraduates #GraduateProgramme #CareerDevelopment #SoftSkills #StandoutCV | |||
| An Engineer Like Me: Making An Impact During Your Studies | 08 Dec 2025 | 00:47:33 | |
Leaving Certificate students have an exciting opportunity to explore the diverse realities of an engineering career and discover practical strategies for success as they fill out their upcoming CAO forms. Ena O'Driscoll, Mechanical Engineering student at MTU Cork and Student Ambassador at PM Group, alongside Sean Ryan, Automation Engineering student at SETU and Student Engineer at Jabil, share their university experiences with host Dusty Rhodes. Early STEM encouragement, fostered through school programs and family ties, significantly influences career choices. The discussion highlights the importance of paid internships for developing real-world problem-solving skills and building an invaluable CV. Finally, it offers practical advice for creating standout applications by emphasizing leadership roles, volunteering, and project work, while also stressing the need to balance academic demands with societal involvement through networking and mentorship via groups like the Engineers Ireland Young Engineers Society. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Engineering career choice STEM encouragement GUEST DETAILS Ena O'Driscoll is a Mechanical Engineering Student at Munster Technological University (MTU) Cork. Ena is an excellent example of maximising university studies by actively engaging with industry. She gained valuable professional experience through an internship and placement with PM Group, a leading international project delivery firm. Following her successful placement, Ena has continued her association with the company and the wider engineering community by serving as a Student Ambassador at PM Group, demonstrating a strong commitment to promoting engineering and bridging the gap between academia and professional life. Sean Ryan is an Automation Engineering Student at South East Technological University (SETU) Waterford. Sean is currently applying his technical expertise as a Student Engineer at Jabil, a global manufacturing services company. He possesses a strong academic background complemented by valuable practical experience, including previous work as a controls engineer at Integer. Sean is highly engaged within his university community, having served as a peer-to-peer mentor and senior mentor to support first-year engineering students. Sean is also Chairperson of the Young engineer society south east. Hailing from a farming background, Sean brings a unique perspective to problem-solving and engineering challenges. Outside of his studies and work, Sean is an active rugby player for both his college team and a local club. Connect with AMPLIFIED Website: engineersireland.ie MORE INFORMATION Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? QUOTES My secondary school was actually really good in terms of promoting STEM. Every couple of weeks we'd have different people come in and talk about different areas - Ena O'Driscoll I'm on currently working as a controls and automation engineer student for Jabil healthcare, which is ideal because it's only two minutes walk from my college and I'm able to go in there part time and the hours are flexible which is amazing - Sean Ryan We were given real work to work on from day one. It started with helping other engineers, carried out a study. We were able to find that quadrant that was the problem and implement that change.- Sean Ryan I've always enjoyed Maths, Physics, anything problem solving wise. I've always wanted to be an engineer since probably around 14. I interviewed one of my dad's best friends who's a civil engineer. I got into the mechanical side because of my godfather. - Ena O'Driscoll KEYWORDS Engineering studies, STEM promotion, student engineers, automation engineering, mechanical engineering, industry experience, internships | |||
| An Engineer Like Me: Life as a Graduate Engineer | 01 Dec 2025 | 00:36:20 | |
Two recent engineering graduates, Jennifer Smith (Manufacturing Operations Engineer) and Denis Hardi (Graduate Commissioning Engineer), share essential advice for students considering engineering. They emphasise that internships are vital for discovering career preferences across diverse fields like pharma and civil engineering, making the flexibility of the degree its greatest asset. Their key message is that curiosity and resilience matter more than loving mathematics, as engineering fundamentally relies on problem-solving. They also stress that networking through groups like the Young Engineers Society provides crucial leadership opportunities and connections.
Overall, the discussion offers an encouraging view of the modern engineering profession, stressing that the career path is highly adaptable to individual interests and goals. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT Internships shape careers through pharmaceutical supply, precision engineering, civil engineering, material science hands-on experience discovering preferences. Engineering degree flexibility enables pharmaceutical, automotive, medical device aerospace careers with curious minds shaping any industry choice. Networking through Engineers Ireland Young Engineers Society provides leadership opportunities professional connections across counties and internationally. STEM subjects are important but curiosity and resilience matter more than loving mathematics with problem-solving training and multiple solution approaches. Graduate rotational programmes offer quality global roles and multiple facilities whilst a work-life balance requires setting boundaries with compensation.
Jennifer Smith (AbbVie): Manufacturing Operations Engineer and University of Galway graduate with a distinguished academic record. Her career shows the flexibility of an engineering degree, covering pharmaceutical manufacturing, materials, and civil engineering. Denis Hardi (H&MV): Graduate Commissioning Engineer and TUS graduate, who has held significant leadership roles including Founder of the South East Young Engineers Society and Senior Vice President of Internal Relations for Young European Engineers. His work includes international commissioning projects in Norway and Finland. CONNECT WITH AMPLIFIED: Website: engineersireland.ie MORE INFORMATION
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland. QUOTES Opportunities are truly limitless with an engineering degree. If you have a curious mind, you can shape your career to be any sort of industry you want. – Jennifer Smith. I'm actually based in Finland now on site working on a substation project. I was in Norway before this. I never expected to be travelling around the world, it is a rich experience. – Denis Hardi. Internships will really shape the way you take your career. I did internships across pharmaceutical, precision, civil, and material science. Getting internships is a great way to have a better idea of what you want to do once you finish college. – Jennifer Smith. Internships give you rich experience showing what you study might or might not be applicable. I worked on combined heat and power, microchips, photonics research, and technical sales, giving me an idea of how it is to work on site and in the lab. – Denis Hardi. KEYWORDS Engineering degree, career transition, internships, problem-solving, work-life balance, networking, | |||
| AI Construction Planning Future | Enda Grimes | 01 Dec 2025 | 00:36:02 | |
Managing billion-euro construction projects across multiple continents requires more than technical expertise—it demands strategic planning that can unite diverse teams around complex, evolving designs.
Now leading his own consultancy Strata, he reveals how digital rehearsals, AI-powered data analytics, and one often-overlooked foundational skill are transforming how Europe's largest construction projects come to life THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Enda Grimes is Director and Owner of Strata, a construction planning consultancy he founded in 2016 that manages projects valued up to €2 billion. His career spans some of Europe's most complex construction projects, including serving as Head Planner for Skanska on the European Spallation Source (ESS) in Sweden—the world's largest research facility of its kind—where he developed contract programs for this state-of-the-art super-microscope facility. Previously, Enda spent over five years as Planning and Bid Manager with John Paul Construction/Absal Paul in Dublin, leading strategic technical submissions and commercial strategies. His international experience includes planning the $600M Formula One Theme Park in Dubai and the €145M Criminal Courts Complex PPP in Dublin with PJ Hegarty & Sons. Enda specializes in translating complex construction requirements into executable plans using cutting-edge planning, modeling, and visualization technology. Connect with Enda: PUBLIC CONTACT DETAILS Social Media: 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
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| Two Irish Engineers and Bangladesh's Deadliest Disaster | 17 Nov 2025 | 00:27:03 | |
When Rana Plaza collapsed in Bangladesh killing over 1,200 garment workers in April 2013, two Irish engineers found themselves at the centre of literally redefining global worker safety standards. Aidan Madden from Arup and Colm Quinn, now Head of Operations for the International Accord, reveal how they developed "optimal ignorance" methodology assessing 2,500+ factories at unprecedented scale, why poor concrete quality and overdevelopment caused the tragedy, and how training local engineers to think about existing buildings (not blank-sheet designs) represents a universal engineering challenge. From paper-based inspections to iPad workflows managing 140,000 safety findings, discover the technical rigour behind transparent remediation programmes that fundamentally changed how engineers approach ethical practice in global supply chains. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS Aidan Madden is a Chartered Civil/Structural Engineer with over twenty years' experience at global firm Arup, leading complex, impactful projects worldwide. Following the catastrophic Rana Plaza collapse in 2013, Aidan became a pivotal member of Arup's leadership team developing and implementing structural safety assessment methodology for the original Bangladesh Accord. This monumental effort required creating standardised yet highly rigorous technical frameworks to rapidly assess structural integrity of over 2,500 garment factories—demanding first-principles engineering judgement at unprecedented speed and scale. His work proved instrumental in identifying and remediating high-risk structural, electrical and fire hazards, effectively codifying ethical engineering practice for an entire global industry. For his extraordinary contribution to safety and social responsibility through engineering, Aidan received the prestigious Engineers Ireland International Engineer of the Year Award. Colm Quinn is Head of Operations for the International Accord, a legally binding agreement focused on securing safe and healthy garment and textile industries worldwide. Leading implementation and operational rollout of Accord programmes across multiple countries including Pakistan expansion, Colm manages technical capacity-building initiatives training local engineers—structural, fire and electrical specialists—on rigorous safety standards necessary for factory inspections and remediation. Bringing strong high-level engineering foundations from previous work as Associate at global engineering firm Arup, Colm's career trajectory represents the crucial shift from developing pioneering safety frameworks to successfully scaling and sustaining them across global industries. His operational leadership ensures that technical rigour developed in Bangladesh translates effectively to new markets whilst empowering local engineering teams. Connect with the guests:
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
KEYWORDS #RanaPlaza #workersafety #InternationalAccord #structuralengineering #ethicalengineering | |||
| Telecommunications Past to Future | Engineer Brendan Kearns | 03 Nov 2025 | 00:29:51 | |
Brendan Kearns is a former chartered engineer at eircom who shares remarkable stories from our connected world in his new book Evolution of Telecommunications. From Bell's accidental discovery of the telephone while trying to improve telegraph systems to Ireland's transformation from 50% manual exchanges in 1979 to today's fiber networks, Brendan reveals the engineering breakthroughs that built modern communications. His comprehensive guide traces the path from Morse code to AI and quantum computing, sharing tales of underwater cable failures that led to heat equation breakthroughs, why an undertaker invented automatic switching, and the cybersecurity challenges facing today's networks. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Book: "Evolution of Telecommunications" available on Amazon.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/ Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland. QUOTES
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| Motorways, Metrolink & More | Director Eamon Daly Egis | 06 Oct 2025 | 00:38:51 | |
In this episode of Amplified, Dusty Rhodes is joined by Eamon Daly, Director at Egis Engineering Ireland, to explore the realities of delivering Ireland’s most vital infrastructure. From motorways and tunnels to Luas extensions and the future of MetroLink, Eamon shares stories from over 27 years in engineering. He explains the challenges of balancing deadlines, budgets, sustainability, and resources — while also highlighting the career opportunities for the next generation of engineers. Packed with insights on leadership, mentorship, and the future of transport in Ireland, this conversation offers a rare inside look at how critical national projects are brought to life.
GUEST DETAILS Eamon Daly is a Director at Egis in Ireland and Barry Transportation - now Egis. Eamon has over 25 years' experience, specialising in Transportation and Traffic Engineering. Notable projects he has completed work on include Luas Finglas, N22 Baile Bhuirne to Macroom and N4 Collooney to Castlebaldwin.
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
KEYWORDS #Engineering #Infrastructure #Ireland #Transport #Sustainability #CivilEngineering #MetroLink #Luas #Motorways #Tunnels #Egis #EngineersIreland #CareerInEngineering #FutureOfTransport | |||
| Why the Final Frontier Needs Engineers | Stephen Ringler MD Space Store | 01 Sep 2025 | 00:42:13 | |
In this inspiring episode of Amplified: The Engineers Journal Podcast, aerospace engineer and entrepreneur Stephen Ringler, Managing Director of Space Store, shares his journey from working on NASA’s Juno mission to launching a space-themed retail and education company in the UK. Host Dusty Rhodes delves into Stephen's early fascination with space, his experiences navigating large-scale engineering projects, and the challenges of budget cuts in the space sector. Stephen also explores the power of inclusive space education, revealing how Space Store aims to make space accessible and exciting for everyone — from schoolchildren to corporate teams. Packed with insights on testing, risk management, active listening, and keeping passion alive in a demanding industry, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in engineering, innovation, and the future of space exploration.
GUEST DETAILS 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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| Net Zero Nation: Small Changes BIG Impact | 22 Aug 2025 | 00:31:19 | |
In this episode of Amplified, we wrap up our special mini-series on sustainability with an episode discussing the importance of mindset shifts in achieving Ireland's 2030 renewable energy targets. Henry Boucher and Terry Wilkinson, experts in renewable and civil engineering respectively, emphasise the impact of small changes in sustainability. Terry highlights cost-effective measures like wildlife ladders for amphibians, while Henry focuses on early integration of biodiversity considerations in projects. Both stress the importance of community engagement, effective communication, and practical steps like reducing material use and measuring embodied carbon. They advocate continuous improvement and collaboration to achieve broader sustainability goals. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS https://www.linkedin.com/in/henry-bouchier-271b6b18/# Terry Wilkinson is a Design & Application Engineer at ACO Water Management. As a Civil Engineer for ACO, Terry has focused his career predominantly on the highways industry, both in his 11 years at ACO and prior to this working as a client, consultant and contractor for Local Authority highways. He is a member of the CIHT and is working towards his chartered engineer status with CPD at the heart of this journey. His professional interests are focused on wildlife mitigation solutions and highway surface water management; however, he also has a broader understanding of applications for other areas such as rail, housing, commercial and distribution developments. Biodiversity and wildlife are things he is also passionate about personally and he is actively involved in initiatives such as local toad patrols. https://www.linkedin.com/in/terry-wilkinson-beng-mciht/ 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 We never get to net zero unless we have a wide variety of renewable energy sources, and then we have some backup — Henry Boucher, Civil, Environmental and Renewable Engineering Manager at ESB Often with sustainability, people have these massive identity, massive cost ideas... but often some of the smaller measures can really have positive impacts — Terry Wilkinson, Design & Application Engineer at ACO Water Management It's a mindset shift that has technical solutions. We just have to think a little bit differently how we do things — Henry Boucher, Civil, Environmental and Renewable Engineering Manager at ESB Everything in nature and wildlife is linked. If you have a decline of a certain species, it will have a knock-on effect to something else — Terry Wilkinson, Design & Application Engineer at ACO Water Management Do one thing right, and then you can go back and improve something else. Just improve one thing is probably the way to do it — Henry Boucher, Civil, Environmental and Renewable Engineering Manager at ESB KEYWORDS | |||
| Net Zero Nation: Engineering Urban Mobility | 18 Aug 2025 | 00:46:51 | |
In this second episode of our Amplified sustainability series, host Dusty Rhodes dives deep into the future of sustainable transport in Ireland. With the 2030 emissions deadline fast approaching, the focus turns to engineering, political will, and social change needed to revolutionise Ireland’s transportation system. Joining Dusty are Professor Brian Caulfield, a leading transportation researcher from Trinity College Dublin, and Robert Sizer, Director of Engineering for UK at IESA, renowned for his expertise in major infrastructure projects like rail stations and tunnels. Together, they unravel the real challenges behind meeting climate targets, from public acceptance to the transformative power of multimodal transport networks. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS Prof. Brian Caulfield, Professor in Transportation at Trinity College Dublin Brian Caulfield is a Professor in Transportation at Trinity College Dublin. Since joining the Department Prof Caulfield has embarked on an intensive research program addressing global issues such as the environmental impacts of transport and methods to reduce the carbon impacts of transport and in 2017 he addressed the Irish Citizens Assembly on this topic. He recently provided advice to the Climate Change Advisory Council on pathways to decreasing transport emissions by 2030. Prof Caulfield is currently a member of the Steering Group for the review and update of the GDA Transport Strategy with the National Transport Authority. Prof Caulfield has published over 200 papers in these areas and is also a member of a number of National and International research groups and is the former Chair of the Irish Transportation Research Network. Rob Sizer, Director of Engineering for UK at AYESA Rob is a Chartered Civil Engineer who is an experienced project manager in delivering large complex multi-disciplinary design projects. Rob is particularly experienced in managing and developing relationships with key clients and stakeholder. Such as London Underground, Overground and Thames Water and Crossrail. Rob has a strong technical background with over 15 years working across the civil engineering industry, and is highly experienced in the design delivery, process, standards and requirements for rail infrastructure, such as stations and tunnels. 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 real transportation challenge isn’t EVs—it’s humans. Social and political will, not engineering, are the hardest parts.” - Prof Brian Caulfield "If engineers had the money, we’d be building metros and light rails right now. The solutions exist—the bottleneck is delivering them.” - Prof Brian Caulfield
"Give more space back to people, and you change how cities work and how we live in them." - Prof Brian Caulfield "We need sustainability to be a contract KPI, not just a talking point. That’s how you get real change." - Robert Sizer | |||
| Net Zero Nation: Intro & Overview | 13 Aug 2025 | 00:39:01 | |
In this episode of Amplified, host Dusty Rhodes kicks off a special mini-series on sustainability with a powerful conversation about engineering’s critical role in achieving Ireland’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He’s joined by Niamh Breslin of IDA Ireland and Richard Manton from the University of Galway. Together, they explore the reality of decarbonisation, grid resilience, and the transformative influence engineers have—from infrastructure to leadership. With insights into green economy investment, education, and collaboration across sectors, this episode is both a wake-up call and a blueprint for a more sustainable Ireland. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS Niamh has significant international experience and has successfully led teams in Dublin, London, Paris and Frankfurt. Niamh has a degree in Computational Linguistics from Dublin City University and a diploma in Business Management from University of Galway. Dr Richard Manton is the Director of Sustainability at University of Galway, Ireland's leading university for sustainability and a National SDG Ambassador. He was previously the Registrar at Engineers Ireland and a Non-Executive Director at Bus Éireann. Richard is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Ireland with a BE in civil engineering, MA in financial management and a PhD in sustainable transportation. He is the current Chairperson of the Engineers Ireland West Region. 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. Further information is also available at RESEARCH.UNIVERSITYOFGALWAY.IE QUOTES There are companies in Ireland today that will see their Scope 1 carbon emissions reduced by 100%. This is real. It’s happening — Niamh Breslin, IDA Ireland Graduates are choosing employers based on sustainability. If your climate action plan isn’t strong, you’ll lose talent — Niamh Breslin, IDA Ireland Even with all of these ambitious plans, we’re only on track to hit about 23% emissions reduction by 2030. We need to be more radical — Richard Manton, University of Galway Electrification and public transport are the key. It’s not just about EVs—it’s about moving people, en masse, sustainably — Richard Manton, University of Galway We need engineers who can speak finance—who can sit with CFOs and show where the savings are. That’s how we get buy-in — Niamh Breslin, IDA Ireland
#SustainableDevelopmentGoals #NetZero #RenewableEnergy #GridResilience #OffshoreWind | |||
| Build Big, Build Green, Build Better | Ross Cullen SISK | 04 Aug 2025 | 00:30:43 | |
Engineering has always been about solving problems—but today’s problems are bigger, greener, and more complex than ever before. From cutting carbon in concrete to tunnelling under major cities, the pressure is on to build infrastructure that’s not just strong, but sustainable. In this episode, we explore what it really takes to deliver major engineering projects while meeting ambitious climate targets. We’ll hear how to lead under pressure, manage high-stakes decisions, and unlock career-defining opportunities through mentorship and curiosity. Plus, we look at how engineers can drive innovation from within—by asking the right questions, building strong teams, and embracing failure as a pathway to growth. Our guest brings over 20 years of hands-on experience across some of the UK and Ireland’s biggest civil infrastructure projects, including Crossrail, the Limerick Tunnel, and the Luas Cross City. He’s passionate about decarbonising construction and shaping the next generation of engineering leaders. It’s a pleasure to welcome Ross Cullen, Group Chief Engineer and Head of Engineering Services at Sisk. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS Ross is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Ireland and the Institute of Civil Engineers. His background extends from working on complex infrastructure schemes, where he has been central to the design management process. His experience extends across multiple sectors including Infrastructure, Civil Engineering, Marine, Data, Energy, Life Sciences, Commercial and Residential. Ross is passionate about sustainability and seeking out carbon savings in the construction industry. Ross is chair of the Sisk Low Carbon Concrete working group and is actively involved in several collaborations with industry and academic institutes to support the development of new low carbon concrete 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 Be inquisitive, ask questions, because people are incredibly generous with their time if you ask the questions and you show an interest. - Ross Cullen You need to take some ownership for your own career. You need to decide fairly early what you like, what you don't like, because it's important to rule out certain things. - Ross Cullen You learn from problems. You learn from what's caused you pain. You don't learn from what goes well - Ross Cullen Coming up with a good idea is the easy bit with anything… sometimes making it better isn't the right thing to do. - Ross Cullen Construction is a people business, and that's what makes it exciting. You meet different people, different skill sets, extremely diverse. - Ross Cullen | |||
| Rethinking Ireland Inc | Colette O’Shea, AECOM | 07 Jul 2025 | 00:43:24 | |
Building a stronger “Ireland Inc” means rethinking how we plan, deliver, and promote our engineering and infrastructure capabilities on a global stage. Today, we’re diving into how Ireland can overcome some of its most pressing infrastructure delivery challenges—from modernizing procurement strategies to fostering more inclusive and resilient engineering teams. We’ll also explore why staff wellbeing, visibility, and collaboration are now essential pillars of successful project delivery, and examine the persistent barriers facing women in the profession. Joining us is a chartered engineer and one of the youngest ever Fellows of Engineers Ireland, with over 20 years of multidisciplinary experience. She brings a rare combination of technical expertise and a deep passion for people, policy, and progress. It’s a pleasure to welcome Collette O’Shea, Head of Strategic Procurement for Ireland at AECOM. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS Her academic background includes a BE in Civil Engineering from University College Dublin, complemented by further qualifications in project management, law, and coaching. A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, Colette chairs the Women in Engineering Group at Engineers Ireland, where she works to support and advance women in the engineering profession. https://ie.linkedin.com/in/colette-o-shea-8178391a 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 While there are rules in engineering, it's about applying them to the situation in front of you, which is different all the time. - Colette O’Shea I don't know if it's a problem. I think I prefer to think of it as a challenge. - Colette O’Shea We need to make the industry sustainable, and certainly in the infrastructure space, to make it attractive for companies. - Colette O’Shea One of the main things that I learned from burnout was that having it and experiencing it was the complete opposite of failing at my job. - Colette O’Shea You can make any mistake once and we will learn from it, but if you make the same mistake twice and don't learn, we'll have an issue. - Colette O’Shea KEYWORDS #Infrastructure #engineering #procurement #inclusivity #wellbeing #visibility #water #AI #burnout, #energy | |||
| A Century of Innovation | Joe Walsh, Siemens Ireland | 02 Jun 2025 | 00:36:27 | |
What does it take to stay at the cutting edge of technology while also fostering innovation, sustainability, and personal growth? Today, we explore how one global powerhouse continues to reinvent itself in Ireland through groundbreaking projects, strategic acquisitions, and a deep investment in people. From historic feats like the Ardnacrusha hydroelectric scheme to the rise of digital and AI, this episode covers the past, present, and future of engineering excellence. We’ll uncover how digitalization is revolutionizing infrastructure, and why a culture of continuous learning and collaboration is now more critical than ever. Our guest began his journey as an apprentice electrician and rose through the ranks to help shape the future of one of Ireland’s most innovative engineering and technology companies. Now serving as General Manager and Head of Fire and Security Solutions at Siemens Ireland, it’s a pleasure to welcome Joe Walsh to the podcast. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS Joe is deeply committed to advancing sustainable and digital technologies, playing a pivotal role in projects like the Shannon Hydroelectric Scheme and initiatives aimed at decarbonizing data centers through renewable energy and green hydrogen solutions . His leadership extends to standardization efforts, serving as Chair of the NSAI TC16 Working Group on Fire Detection and Alarm Systems, where he has been instrumental in modernizing Ireland's fire safety standards . Known for his authentic leadership style, Joe emphasizes collaboration, continuous learning, and innovation. His dedication to these principles has been central to Siemens' century-long presence and ongoing success in Ireland . https://ie.linkedin.com/in/joewalsh1965 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 Where is my passion? It's to take the current business that we have and the model that we have and bring it into the future. - Joe Walsh We work really hard to create a sense of belonging and ownership. - Joe Walsh It's not what you know today. It's more about how you learn. That's the real trick. - Joe Walsh We have a term we use in Siemens, if Siemens knew what Siemens know. Experience is the sum of your mistakes. - Joe Walsh KEYWORDS #engineering #challenges #Siemens #infrastructure #fire #AI #digitaltwins #sustainability #innovation #leadership | |||
| The Chaos of City Construction | John Gavigan, PJ Hegarty | 05 May 2025 | 00:27:55 | |
Building in highly dense city centers presents a unique set of challenges—tight spaces, heavy traffic, and the need to preserve historical structures while meeting modern safety and sustainability standards. Today we hear from an experienced engineer turned project manager who is an expert in navigating these complex logistics, from coordinating material deliveries with precision to ensuring that construction doesn’t disrupt the surrounding urban landscape. We hear how to safely excavate deep beneath a centuries-old building and what it takes to integrate modern engineering solutions into historic sites, along with the ever-growing importance of sustainability in engineering. Our guest today has nearly 30 years of experience in construction across sectors such as pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and large-scale commercial projects. He is a regional director at PJ Hegarty, John Gavigan. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS Molesworth Street project https://www.pjhegarty.ie/projects/10-molesworth-street/ Tropical Fruit Warehouse project https://www.pjhegarty.ie/projects/tropical-fruit-warehouse/ 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 challenges are the things that you remember. That's what keeps it interesting. - John Gavigan Getting concrete trucks into the city centre location in the middle of the day during business hours, was very challenging. - John Gavigan It's knowing how to judge when there's an opportunity. - John Gavigan As an engineer who has evolved as a project manager in my career, you learn different problem solving techniques, you develop analytical skills. - John Gavigan KEYWORDS #engineering #city #projectmanagement #construction #logistics #trafficmanagement #safety | |||
| Bridging The Equality Gap | Martina Finn, Atkins Realis | 07 Apr 2025 | 00:28:32 | |
The engineering industry thrives on innovation and problem-solving, yet it continues to struggle with one persistent challenge—gender diversity. Women remain underrepresented, particularly in leadership roles, leaving many aspiring female engineers wondering how to break through.
Our guest leads one of Ireland's most progressive engineering and design consultancies, and is a chartered engineer with a passion for change. It's a pleasure to welcome Atkins realis Managing Director, Martina Finn. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS https://www.linkedin.com/in/martina-finn-a7400812/ 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 With every major progression we do, there has to be some disruption and some sacrifice. - Martina Finn The percentage of women in engineering globally has fallen since 2020 from 15% to 13.7%. - Martina Finn The more diverse our workforce is, both culturally and in gender diversity, then the better solutions we can deliver for our clients and our communities. - Martina Finn For anybody entering a company, get into a mentorship programme. - Martina Finn KEYWORDS #Engineering #diversity #inclusion #mentorship #careerdevelopment #AI #projectmanagement #education #gender | |||
| Key Ingredient to All Projects | Alasdair Henderson BAM | 03 Mar 2025 | 00:44:33 | |
Often in engineering we focus on the technical, production parts of a project, but it is the people who make the projects. As a leader, learning to support those people is vital. Today we hear from a prominent engineer who through his work in ground engineering, consulting, operations, HR and business, has gained many skills in managing and leading people. He believes safety, quality, inclusion and collaboration should be at the forefront of every project and combining that with purpose-led business creates the ultimate best outcomes. Our guest today has almost 30 years of experience with one of Ireland’s leading construction companies and believes in adapting the construction industry to support diversity and sustainability. He is BAM UK & Ireland’s Executive Director of Ireland, Alasdair Henderson. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS Alasdair joined BAM as a graduate engineer in 1996 and has worked his way up through a variety of operational and business leadership roles across BAM. He is well known as an advocate of purpose-led business, believing that the best and most sustainable financial results are achieved when the things we build add value to society. He holds safety, quality, inclusion, and collaboration as key tenets of what makes a good business and is delighted that he sees all these things on a daily basis at BAM. Alasdair is actively involved in policy development in the industry and is a fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a fellow of the Institute of Quarrying, and a visiting professor at the University of Strathclyde. https://www.linkedin.com/in/alasdairehenderson 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 time you spend thinking most about safety is normally immediately after an accident. - Alasdair Henderson It's one of the largest buildings in Europe. - Alasdair Henderson If you start with a misaligned scope, it never gets better. It just gets worse and worse and worse. - Alasdair Henderson You can absolutely make those environments safer, warmer, more welcoming by changing the way you design that infrastructure. . - Alasdair Henderson Our industry is addicted to concrete and steel. If we want to get to net zero, we're going to have to do something around that. - Alasdair Henderson KEYWORDS #Engineering #construction #BAMIreland #NationalChildren'sHospital #publicprocurement #sustainability #diversity #digitalization | |||
| Engineering The Shard | Roma Agrawal MBE | 03 Feb 2025 | 00:43:57 | |
Building skyscrapers is an incredibly complex task. From the complexities of designing foundations to considering wind forces, and working with multi-disciplinary teams in busy urban areas. Today we’re joined by an engineer who worked on the design of Western Europe’s tallest tower, The Shard. We delve into the unique challenges she came across and the top-down construction method that was used for maximum efficiency, along with what she learned about the importance of relationships in the engineering space. Our guest is an engineer, physicist, author and presenter with almost 15 years experience in the industry. It’s a pleasure to have Roma Agrawal, MBE. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS Her first book, BUILT (2018) won an AAAS science book award and has been translated into eight languages. Roma is passionate about promoting engineering and technical careers to young people, particularly those from minority groups, and has won international awards for her technical prowess and for her advocacy for the profession, including the prestigious Royal Academy of Engineering's Rooke Award. She was appointed an MBE in 2018 for services to engineering. https://www.romatheengineer.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 really love the idea of responding to what's there. This building could only have been on this particular site. - Roma Agrawal There's lots of different systems that have to work together to make sure that a big skyscraper stays stable. - Roma Agrawal A building like The Shard, we predict might move about half a metre. What's key as a structural engineer is to make sure that we don't feel that. - Roma Agrawal As a student, I don't think I ever understood how essential the skill of being able to work with other people is to be an engineer - Roma Agrawal I think being enthusiastic about what you do is a big thing. I think we're all too modest. - Roma Agrawal KEYWORDS #construction #theshard #site #management #wind #design #collaboration #engineering | |||
| Thriving With Change | Barry Kennedy IMR | 06 Jan 2025 | 00:35:21 | |
From the rise of AI to the implementation of 3D printing and robots, the world is changing rapidly and can leave some engineers questioning their place in it all. Today we hear from an engineer who is not only adopting, but embracing these new technologies as the leader of one of Ireland’s top manufacturing research organisations. We learn about emerging tech that is changing the game in manufacturing and why although this change can seem overwhelming, adapting is the best way forward. Our guest has over 15 years Directing and Leading Organisations both in MNC environments and new organisational start-ups and is currently CEO of Irish Manufacturing Research, Barry Kennedy. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS Barry has over 15 years Directing and Leading Organisations both in MNC environments and new organisational start-ups from working in the following organisational roles including; CEO of Irish Manufacturing Research, Director in IIOT division, Intel, CEO of both Irish Centre for Manufacturing Research (ICMR) Ltd & Innovation for Irelands Energy Efficiency (i2e2) Ltd, Department Manager and senior manager of Manufacturing Quality in Intel, Chair and Director on several boards including volunteer boards such as Chair of the school board. https://ie.linkedin.com/in/barry-kennedy-a9a127b 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 If we're going to survive and thrive over the next number of years, we're going to have to adopt these new technologies so that it'll drive efficiencies in our manufacturing organizations and keep ourselves profitable, or we're going to be left behind. - Barry Kennedy It is important for companies and senior leadership to ensure that they're creating enough space for their engineering teams to be able to think about how to solve the problems. - Barry Kennedy I have seen that in a lot of companies over the years, where they haven't resolved problems. They've band aided them. - Barry Kennedy I'd never seen the technology come in and transform so fast as AI has just done over the last 18 months. - Barry Kennedy Engineers need to be prepared now to have lifelong learning. And that's the way life is going to be, because what we were doing today, in five years time is going to be very different, most likely. - Barry Kennedy KEYWORDS #AI #transformation #engineering #manufacturing #technology #digital #robotic #3Dprinting #innovation | |||
| Shaping a Sustainable Future | Donal McDaid Arup | 02 Dec 2024 | 00:33:25 | |
As our population grows and our world gets busier, there is significant pressure put on our infrastructure and there is an increasing demand for innovative solutions. Today we’re meeting an engineer who is leading a team of over 400 people working on Ireland’s infrastructure and transport systems to develop a more sustainable future. We hear how important building a strong network is for learning and advancing projects, and about the technical challenges of working with public transport and gas lines. Our guest today has transitioned from civil engineer to management in his almost 30 years with ARUP and is Ireland Group Leader in Advisory, Planning, Digital, Infrastructure Design and Technical Services, Donal McDaid. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS Since joining Arup in 1997, Donal has worked on and led multi-disciplinary teams on transport planning and environmental studies, and large scale transport infrastructure project planning, design and implementation, both in Ireland and overseas. https://www.linkedin.com/in/donalmcdaid/ 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 got to know every single local authority engineer, I got to know every single architect, I got to know every single planner, every single developer. So the project afforded me the opportunity to build a network. - Donal McDaid We've come through a decade of what I would call planning and designing. The next decade is going to be about delivery. So I can't think of a more exciting time to be coming into the engineering profession. - Donal McDaid You really need to think about the existential crisis, which is climate change. And what that does for engineers is that we need to think about our adaptation, resilience when it comes to infrastructure. - Donal McDaid You actually have to think about the communities you're serving. And if I think about transport, it's always been about access to opportunity. - Donal McDaid Don't run before you can walk. Be content and learn your trade. Seize the opportunities. - Donal McDaid KEYWORDS #infrastructure #sustainability #future #civilengineering #career #transport | |||
| Transforming the Grid | Louise O’Flanagan EirGrid | 04 Nov 2024 | 00:33:32 | |
Ireland is working toward sourcing 80% of its electricity from renewable sources in just six years. One of the key players in this mission is the Head of Engineering at EirGrid who is responsible for overseeing the delivery of critical grid infrastructure. In this podcast she shares experience on the complexities of integrating renewable sources like wind and solar into the grid, about balancing supply and storage solutions, plus technical and regulatory hurdles that engineers must navigate. She also speaks about the challenges she has had to face personally as an engineer in this role. Listen now to get a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities shaping the future of Ireland's power grid and our transition to renewable energy. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
Louise O’Flanagan is the Head of Engineering and Asset Management at EirGrid, a Fellow of Engineers Ireland, and a leader with two decades of experience in the field. With her long experience connecting customers such as wind farm developers to the national grid, she possesses a deep understanding of the intricate workings of the power system and the challenges of integrating renewable energy sources. Louise on Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/louise-o-flanagan-3a12ba3a/
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 Leadership is one part of project management. Leadership is about getting people to buy into what you want to deliver and to want to help and assist you in that. There is definitely a shortage of female engineers in Ireland. 23% of engineers coming out of university are female and that drops to about 12% actually entering into the workforce. EirGrid have a very active graduate program where you'd see 50% of our graduates are female. As an engineer, you can have the most perfect plan on paper. But unless you actually meaningfully engage with your stakeholders, that may be where that plan will stay. On paper. It's what a lot of engineers’ face when they're delivering infrastructure projects. First, you need to explain what the need of the project is, but then also listen and take on board that feedback. You must engage with the community.
#engineering #renewable #grid #womeninengineering #eirgrid | |||
| How to 3D Scan Dublin City | Debra Laefer NYU | 07 Oct 2024 | 00:39:18 | |
Engineering innovation has created incredible technology and found new ways to use current technology to overcome engineering challenges. LiDAR is an example of one of these revolutionary tools and today we hear from an art historian turned civil engineer who is using it to scan our cities. We hear about their creation of the world's densest urban aerial laser scanning dataset, which was conducted using a large slice of the center of Dublin City, and the challenges they’ve overcome in transforming how we understand, plan, and protect our cities. Our guest is a pioneering force in urban data science and has authored over 160 peer reviewed publications, been awarded four patents and worked as a professor in UCD Dublin. She is Professor at New York University's Center for Urban science and Progress, Dr. Debra Laefer. THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
GUEST DETAILS In her decade and a half as a faculty member in both the US and Europe, Prof. Laefer has served as the principal investigator for grants from a wide range of sponsors including the National Science Foundation, the US Federal Highway Administration, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, Science Foundation Ireland, and the European Research Council (including a €1.5 million single investigator award from the flagship ERC program for which she is the only civil engineer to have been funded in Ireland in the program’s 11 year history). Prof. Laefer has authored over 160 peer-reviewed publications, been awarded 4 patents, and has supervised 15 doctoral and 20 Masters theses. Among many honors from IEEE, ISPRS, and other professional societies, the most notable is perhaps the 2016 commissioning and hanging of her portrait by the Royal Irish Academy as one of eight researchers selected for the Women on Walls project to celebrate Irish women in science and engineering. https://www.linkedin.com/in/debra-f-laefer-09510a11/ MORE INFORMATION Video mentioned in the podast of High Density Laser Scanning (LiDAR) Data Dublin is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEi2Wo7Bcuk 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 We didn't devise a sensor, we didn't even improve the sensor, but we took a fundamentally engineering approach to it. We took this more systematic approach of; let's reverse engineer the process, figure out what we want to get and figure out how to use the sensor to obtain that data. - Dr. Debra Laefer This technique has been used in fields as far from civil engineering as breast cancer research. So that not only has it been transferred to other LIDAR applications, but people have used it for other remote sensing and medical imaging datasets. - Dr. Debra Laefer It's good to make mistakes, and it's good to have senior engineers check them. - Dr. Debra Laefer As crazy as your idea may seem, a lot of the time the best ideas are initially too far ahead of the curve, so don't give up on them. - Dr. Debra Laefer KEYWORDS #buildings #data #dublin #engineers #civilengineering #lidar #computationalmodel | |||
| Reaching for the Stars | Sinead O’Sullivan NASA | 02 Sep 2024 | 00:42:53 | |
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
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sineadcosullivan MORE INFORMATION 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.
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 | |||
| Making Power Go The Distance | Eamon Stack Range Therapy | 04 Aug 2024 | 00:35:36 | |
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
GUEST DETAILS 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 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 | |||
| Water for the Future | Karl Zimmerer MD Glanua | 01 Jul 2024 | 00:29:55 | |
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 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
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
It 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 | |||
| When Art & Engineering Collide | Eoin Casserly VOLUTA | 03 Jun 2024 | 00:30:04 | |
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 GUEST 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. | |||
| Decarbonisation Challenge | Declan Wynne MD Skanstec | 06 May 2024 | 00:30:50 | |
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
GUEST 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. 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 | |||
| From Engineer to Entrepreneur | Tara Dalton CEO Altratech | 02 Apr 2024 | 00:36:06 | |
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
GUEST DETAILS 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://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 | |||
| Record Breaking Wind Power | Noel Cunniffe CEO Wind Energy Ireland | 04 Mar 2024 | 00:37:46 | |
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
GUEST DETAILS 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 | |||
| The Secret Life of 999 | Michael Kelly BT | 05 Feb 2024 | 00:44:33 | |
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
Michael 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 | |||
| Why Irish Engineers Dominate | Michael Lohan CEO IDA | 08 Jan 2024 | 00:39:19 | |
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 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 | |||
| Water Challenge | Niall Gleeson CEO Uisce Eireann | 04 Dec 2023 | 00:34:57 | |
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 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 | |||
| Bridging Communities | Public Sector Engineering in Focus | 06 Nov 2023 | 00:36:23 | |
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 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 | |||
| Ploughing Forward: The Engineering Behind Agriculture | 19 Sep 2023 | 00:30:32 | |
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 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 | |||
| Leaning Into Learning and Leadership | 15 Sep 2023 | 00:31:31 | |
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 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 | |||
| Engineering Is Fundamental To Enterprise | 04 Aug 2023 | 00:40:26 | |
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 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 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 | |||
| Looking Up and Looking Out | 17 Jul 2023 | 00:28:39 | |
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 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. -- 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 | |||