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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.
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Roma Agrawal is an engineer, author and presenter who is best known for working on the design of The Shard, Western Europe's tallest tower. She studied at Imperial College London and the University of Oxford. Roma has given lectures to thousands at universities, schools and organisations around the world, including TEDx talks. She has also presented numerous TV shows for the BBC, Channel 4 and Discovery, and hosts her own podcast, Building Stories.
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/
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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
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.
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Barry Kennedy is the CEO of Irish Manufacturing Research (IMR) and is responsible for setting the strategy, objectives, goals and direction of the company. He is responsible for the overall centre and staff. He also owns modelling and setting of the company’s culture, values, and behaviour. He is responsible for building and leading the senior executive team and for allocating capital to the company’s priorities; for example, deciding where IMR spends its time and resources.
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
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.
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Donal McDaid manages Arup’s Transport and resources Group in Ireland, which is primarily focused on our Roads and Urban Streets, Rail, Aviation, Maritime, Energy and Water Businesses. There, he leads a diverse, highly motivated team of 300 professional planners, engineers and management consultants.
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
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.
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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/
EirGrid Website - https://eirgrid.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
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.
KEYWORDS
#engineering #renewable #grid #womeninengineering #eirgrid
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.
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With degrees from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (MS, Ph.D.), NYU (MEng), and Columbia University (BS, BA), Prof. Debra Laefer has a wide-ranging background spanning from geotechnical and structural engineering to art history and historic preservation.
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
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.
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Sinéad O'Sullivan is an Aerospace Engineer. She formerly led strategy at Harvard Business School’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness with Professor Michael Porter and is currently a Professor of Aerospace Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology. Formerly a Research Fellow at MIT’s College of Computing and MIT Sloan as well as a Human Spaceflight mission designer for NASA and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Her work focuses on the intersection of technology, innovation, geopolitics, and national security. She sits on the board of the European Space Policy Institute, is a frequent contributor to the Financial Times, and is Board Member of IMMA - the Irish Museum of Modern Art. She was also recently nominated as a fellow of Engineers Ireland.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sineadcosullivan
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Come meet the Engineers Ireland Team at the National Ploughing Championships on September 17th to 19th and have a blast at our Space Station.
We will have three incredible experiences at the Engineers Ireland 'Space Store', ran by former NASA Engineer Steve Ringler - who will be down at the Ploughing Championships with our team.
You can immerse yourself in the cosmos with virtual reality adventures using state-of-the-art headsets, try on a replica spacesuit, or get a hands-on experience with real space rocks, including pieces of the moon.
Join us at Block 2, Row 11, Stand 169 for an unforgettable journey through space and engineering.
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Sineads book “Good Ideas and Power Moves” is due to be published September 2025.
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
I got to spend time with the engineers at NASA, and it just put this very kind of human, normal person face on this career that seemed totally inaccessible. - Sinéad O’Sullivan
There are a ton of really smart engineers that are solving these problems at any given time. But the problem really, I think, lies with the bureaucracy of how we fund science, how we create policy around that. - Sinéad O’Sullivan
I feel like to be creative, you have to let that child part grow up with you, like if you really want to be good at doing these types of jobs, don't let people tell you they're dumb ideas. - Sinéad O’Sullivan
To be a great engineer, you need to be around great engineers. - Sinéad O’Sullivan
My entire career has been curiosity driven for the simple reason that if I'm really interested in it, I'm going to work hard enough at it to be successful in it. - Sinéad O’Sullivan
Engineering is really about learning a way of thinking, and it's one that allows you to understand nuance, complexity, and difficult challenges that you can apply to literally any other career. - Sinéad O’Sullivan
KEYWORDS
#engineering #nasa #career #space #mission #taylorswift #robots
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.
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Eamon Stack is an award-winning serial social entrepreneur. He co-founded Range Therapy in 2020, responding to the climate change crisis by focusing on reducing energy emissions, one of the big three human causes. Range Therapy offers second-life EV battery packs to upgrade older EVs and to offer substantial energy storage solutions at an affordable price for homes, farms and small businesses.
Eamon’s background is in software engineering, with 35 years development experience in the nonprofit sector. He was founder and former CEO at ENCLUDE for 18 years. This charity is focused on building the ICT capacity of the Irish Charity Sector.
https://ie.linkedin.com/in/eamon-stack-25a3242
https://rangetherapy.org/
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
After high powered use of a battery in a car for 15 or 20 years, they have another 20 years of life available to them as energy storage. - Eamon Stack
That's what's wonderful about the transition from an energy system where we just burn and waste fossil fuels to one that is perfectly circular and completely sustainable. This is really very good news for everybody in the system. - Eamon Stack
The Environmental Protection Agency might view a second life battery out of a car as a hazardous waste. That's a problem we need to deal with, this is a national asset. - Eamon Stack
It's a whole new world, and it's an exciting new world where there's a potential. The Holy Grail here is storage, we make tons of power, where can we store it at a price that makes sense. - Eamon Stack
KEYWORDS
#batteries #energy #cars #electric #engineers #grid #power #recycling #sustainability
The water sector needs the help of engineers to develop plans and innovative solutions for the maintenance of one of our most essential commodities.
Today we hear of all the challenges facing the sector, from inefficient leaky infrastructure to an urgent focus on sustainability thanks to the rapidly changing climate.
Our guest has been a leader in this area for 25 years since founding his company in Loughrea, and has had success not just here in Ireland but across Europe and to the USA. He is Group Managing Director of Glanua, Karl Zimmerer.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
● Working with water as a valuable resource and commodity
● The history of Glanua and the group MD’s career path
● Innovation to meet customer needs and regulatory standards
● Balancing supply, sanitation and sustainability in improving treatment plants
● Where to improve water knowledge as an interested engineer
GUEST DETAILS
Karl Zimmerer is Group Managing Director of Glanua. Karl has over 25 years experience in the design, construction and operation and maintenance of water and wastewater infrastructure throughout Ireland, with over 15 years in a Senior Management position. Karl’s professional qualifications include an Honours Degree in Structural Engineering and a Master Degree in Project Management.
Karl is a founding member of Glanagua LTD and has successfully developed the business into one of the leading companies in the water sector in Ireland, providing a full range of services throughout the industry.
https://ie.linkedin.com/in/karl-zimmerer-4b73a319
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
It is a very expensive resource that is absolutely essential to life. - Karl Zimmerer
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
Engineers are naturally creative, from problem solving to designing and planning. But when you combine that with visual creativity, it leads to unique and beautiful things.
Today we meet an Irish engineer who is using his engineering skills and artistic flair to design some of the most impressive structures across the world, including a very well known New York tourist attraction.
Our expert guest has worked in over 20 countries across the globe and is passionate about the architectural response to the climate crisis. He is Principal and Founder of VOLUTA, Eoin Casserly.
THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT
● Engineering as a passport to the world
● Working through design limitations with efficiency
● Complex design with user experience in mind
● The architectural response to the climate crisis
● Chartered Engineer of the Year award and its benefits
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.
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.
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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.
www.skanstec.com
MORE INFORMATION
Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/
Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.
QUOTES
I've always had a passion for engineering and particularly a passion for business, and I think both work very much hand in hand, particularly in an Irish context. I think Irish engineers are quite good at being innovative and have a way about doing business that seems to be quite successful in many parts of the globe. - Declan Wynne
Engineering becomes more and more important in terms of what we're trying to achieve at a national level and at a global level in terms of decarbonisation, and the digital transition that we're experiencing. - Declan Wynne
The world is changing, and we've got to act, we've got to adapt. - Declan Wynne
Irish engineering businesses are dominating across Europe. It's a huge opportunity for engineers. - Declan Wynne
The data centres are absolutely fundamental to decarbonisation. We can't decarbonize without data centers. Ireland's challenge at present is power. It's not data centers in my own view, and that's something that we're proud to be involved in. - Declan Wynne
KEYWORDS
#engineering #decarbonisation #opportunity #datacentres #business #sustainability
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