Dr Shayne Gooch’s career spans more than three decades across trade, academia and consulting. From his early days as a fitter and turner in New Zealand’s power sector to leading the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Canterbury, Shayne has built a career grounded in both hands-on experience and deep technical understanding.

In this episode of Talking Innovation, host Jonathan Prince explores Shayne’s journey–from building his own rubbish truck as a student to engineering the large-scale kinetic sculptures designed by artist Len Lye, investigating industrial failures and developing human-centred solutions for people with limited mobility.

Together they discuss:

• The importance of practical experience in engineering education
• Why the front end of design is where most projects succeed or fail
• How systematic design thinking underpins innovation
• Bridging the gap between academia and industry
• The impact of AI on design and what it means for the next generation of engineers
• And much more!

Packed with insight, humour and hard-won lessons, this conversation captures what makes great engineering thinking and great engineers.

GUEST

Dr Shayne Gooch

Associate Professor, University of Canterbury

University of Canterbury Profile | ⁠⁠Hales & Gooch | LinkedIn

HOST

Jonathan Prince

Founding Director, Caliber Design

Caliber Design | LinkedIn