Create the Future

Hyperloop is a revolutionary high-speed pod-based transportation concept that can take passengers from point “A” to point “B” quicker than the speed of sound.

In this episode of the Create the Future podcast, we speak with Dr Siavash Sadeghi, Propulsion and Levitation Technical Lead for Hyperloop Transportation Technologies—one of the world’s leading hyperloop companies. We discuss what makes hyperloop one of the most environmentally friendly methods of transportation, hear when the technology might be realised, and explore the engineering that underpins magnetic levitation—notably the 2022 QEPrize-winning innovation, NdFeB permanent magnets.

New episodes of Create the Future: An Engineering Podcast every other Tuesday. www.qeprize.org/podcasts

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Clare Elwell is a professor of medical physics and director of the Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Group and Biomedical Optics Research Laboratory at University College London. Her current research combines physics and engineering to develop novel optical systems for monitoring and imaging the brain. Clare currently leads the Brain Imaging for Global HealTh (BRIGHT) research project, investigating the impact of malnutrition on early infant brain development.

In this episode of the Create the Future podcast, we speak with Clare about the engineering that underpins functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)—notably the 2019 QEPrize-winning innovation, LED lighting. We discuss the benefits of portable fNIRS equipment, hear why multidisciplinary teams are essential for innovation, and discover why Clare’s research project in The Gambia was the first study of infant brains in Africa.

New episodes of Create the Future: An Engineering Podcast every other Tuesday. www.qeprize.org/podcasts

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Christine Bland is an aerospace electrical engineer, artist, and photographer. For over 30 years she’s worked for Lockheed Martin, designing electronics for NASA spacecraft including the Spitzer telescope, Phoenix Mars lander, Mars rovers (Spirit and Opportunity), Mars orbiters (Grail, Juno, Odyssey and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter), and deep space probes (Stardust and Genesis). Since 2009, Christine has led the development of electronic hardware for NASA’s Orion spacecraft, designed to take humans farther into space than ever before. Christine is also a keen advocate for diversity and inclusion in education and STEM for trans people, with the National Organization of Gay and Lesbian Scientists and Technical Professionals naming her the LGBTQ Engineer of the Year in 2014.

In this episode of the Create the Future podcast, we speak with Christine about her incredible journey from Apollo 11-inspired child to launching her own work into space. We hear how an inclusive workplace culture and pride group helped her come out as trans in 2011, how she now champions LGBTQ equality in STEM, and discuss the importance of mentoring to ensure diversity in engineering. We talk all things problem solving, collaboration, and find out what it meant to be awarded NASA's prestigious Silver Snoopy Award.

New episodes of Create the Future: An Engineering Podcast every other Tuesday. www.qeprize.org/podcasts

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Dr Merritt Moore is a STEM advocate, quantum physicist, and professional ballerina with a penchant for connecting technology and the arts. A robotics enthusiast who one day dreams of dancing in space, Merritt explores her dual interests by using Artificial Intelligence to choreograph routines for her dance partner, an industrial robotic arm.

In this episode of the Create the Future podcast, we explore Merritt’s fascinating endeavour to fuse performance with collaborative robotics and hear why she believes STEM and art are inextricably linked. We learn about the importance of perseverance, discuss her work as artist-in-residence at Harvard ArtLab, and—as one of the 20 finalists for SpaceX’s dearMoon mission—why Merritt’s dream of dancing around the Moon is closer than you think.

New episodes of Create the Future: An Engineering Podcast every other Tuesday. www.qeprize.org/podcasts

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In this episode of the Create the Future podcast, we ask acclaimed biomedical engineer and policy adviser, Guru Madhavan, “how do engineers think?”

Along the way, Guru tells us how he started down the path of investigating the engineering mindset, why he advocates for engineers to engage with the arts, and how he applies his systems engineering background to his work. We discuss the origins of the word “engineering”, hear about the similarities between evolution and innovation, and learn what it means to be a barefoot engineer.

New episodes of ‘Create the Future: An Engineering Podcast’ every other Tuesday. www.qeprize.org/podcasts

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Susan McDonald is an award-winning mechanical and electrical engineer with over 10 years’ experience in overseeing major programmes in the power, utilities and renewables sector. Having previously led on the coordination of 12 offshore wind projects, Susan recently took a career break to help reimagine at-home COVID tests. She now applies her broad engineering and industry experience to help clients shape their net zero strategies.

In this episode of the Create the Future podcast, Susan tells us about her net zero mission and what it takes to design renewable energy solutions. We hear about her recent award-winning work to make COVID-19 testing fair and inclusive, discuss what it means to be a “human engineer”, and—being from a family of engineers herself—the importance of role models.

New episodes of ‘Create the Future: An Engineering Podcast’ every other Tuesday. www.qeprize.org/podcasts

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Data-centric engineering is nothing new, but digital twins open up a whole new world.

Digital twins use real-time data from sensors to provide a virtual representation of a physical object or system that engineers can use to monitor real-time performance, reduce maintenance costs, and predict future malfunctions.

In this episode of the Create the Future podcast, we speak to Mark Girolami, Chief Scientist at The Alan Turing Institute, about his work on the world’s first 3D printed pedestrian bridge, described as a “living laboratory”. We discuss why data-centric engineers are able to make more informed decisions, hear why digital twinning will soon likely be the biggest use-case for artificial intelligence and machine learning, and hear why the best engineers are often multidisciplinary.

New episodes of ‘Create the Future: An Engineering Podcast’ every other Tuesday. www.qeprize.org/podcasts

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An inventor, robotics enthusiast, and internet creator, Simone Giertz gained popularity with her early viral YouTube videos—employing humour and creativity to make complex engineering principles approachable for all. Originally designing “useless” robots, a brain tumour in 2018 encouraged Simone to shift her focus towards creating unique solutions to everyday problems.

In this episode of the Create the Future podcast, we speak to Simone about her "make your own" engineering journey, from flickering an LED using an Arduino board to converting a Tesla into a pickup truck. We find out why viewing engineering as play allowed Simone to overcome performance anxiety, discuss the challenges of the product development journey, and learn about the best fabrication tools for Makers.

New episodes of ‘Create the Future: An Engineering Podcast’ every other Tuesday. www.qeprize.org/podcasts

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Professor Pamela Ronald studies the genes that control resistance to disease and tolerance to environmental stress in plants, with the goal of improving food security globally. With enough rice to feed 30 million people lost to flooding every year, together with her collaborators, she has been instrumental in the development of rice that is both disease-resistant and flood-tolerant.

In this episode of the Create the Future podcast, we speak to Pamela about the 10,000-year-old history of modifying plants, from the early domestication of crops to recent developments in genomic editing. We explore why genetic modifications against environmental stressors will become more important as the climate changes, hear why engineered plants will help contribute towards chemical-free farming, and discuss the exciting future of perennial plants in biofuel production.

New episodes of ‘Create the Future: An Engineering Podcast’ every other Tuesday. www.qeprize.org/podcasts

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Leslie Gaston-Bird is a re-recording mixer and sound editor with over 30 years of audio engineering experience.

Currently specialising in mixing feature-length films, she is also a voting member of The Recording Academy (Grammys), was previously Governor-at-Large for the Audio Engineering Society, and is a member of the Association of Motion Picture Sound and Motion Picture Sound Editors. Her book, Women in Audio, features almost 100 profiles and stories of female audio engineers throughout history.

In this episode of Create the Future, we speak with Leslie about her audio engineering journey through to her recent PhD, entitled Immersive & Inclusive, which seeks to understand and address the lack of representation in immersive audio. Leslie shares tales from her Women In Audio book, and we hear how—as a classically trained pianist and electric bassist herself—creativity is at the heart of everything she does.

New episodes of ‘Create the Future: An Engineering Podcast’ every other Tuesday. www.qeprize.org/podcasts

Follow @qeprize on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.