Impulse To Innovation

Impulse To Innovation episodes:

• 05.30.2024

  Season 5 Episode 4: Future-proofing the Profession - Talent Retention & Attraction in the Engineering Industry

  In 2023 EngineeringUK commissioned a report focusing on the demand for engineers and the skills they would need in the coming decade.  The report identified there were approximately 6.1 million engineering jobs (including tech roles) across all industries in 2021,...

  
• 04.18.2024

  Season 5 Episode 3: Digitising Transport - The Rise of Mobility as a Service

  With the recent acceleration of technologies such as IoT, cloud computing, and big data – people and services have become more connected than ever. In response to this increasing availability of data and digital services the transport sector is undergoing...

  
• 03.06.2024

  Season 5 Episode 2: Potential Energy - Management & Infrastructure of Clean Energy Sources

  This week (6th and 7th March) sees the IMechE host its fourth hydrogen economy conference in London. The international event will focus on infrastructure challenges as well as the storage and management of hydrogen as part of a wider ‘green...

  
• 02.05.2024

  Season 5 Episode 1: Going Beyond - The World of Metamaterials & How Their Extraordinary Properties are Set to Change Engineering

  The ever-present challenges of climate change, over-reliance on limited resources and a global demand for new technologies, is pushing the engineering community to find more innovative ways to design and manufacture products. Image Source: UK Metamaterials Network https://metamaterials.network/what-are-metamaterials/   Engineers and scientists working...

  
• 12.14.2023

  Season 4 Episode 9: Rising Demand - Addressing the Energy Needs of Africa, Asia & the Middle East

  The implementation of net zero initiatives across the globe is at the forefront of most governments and leadership authorities' strategic policies, none-more-so than China and India; two of the world’s biggest carbon emitters.   South Asia has witnessed a growth in energy...

  
• 11.06.2023

  Season 4 Episode 8: Adapting to Heat - Preparing Industry for Climate Extremes

  “Adapting industries to, and preparing them for, a warmer world will be essential for the future successful functioning of societies of all nations.” Said Dr Tim Fox, co author of the IMechE’s latest report on Climate adaption.   The report entitled 'Adapting...

  
• 10.09.2023

  Season 4 Episode 7: Paying It Forward - Leading the Institution Through Member Volunteering

  During the first week of September the Institution hosted Volunteer Week.  A back-to-back week of committee meetings and networking, enabling members from all over the world to take part in a wide range of activities. As a Chair of a Division...

  
• 08.08.2023

  Season 4 Live Episode - Formula Student 2023

  Impulse to Innovation was back at Formula Student this year to celebrate the competition's 25th Anniversary. The episode went out live on the 20th July and this podcast is an edited version of that live show. It is great to be...

  
• 06.21.2023

  Season 4 Episode 5: Levelling Up - What to Expect from the Introduction of T-Levels

  The T-level was initially mooted back in 2017 by the British government as a new, unified technical qualification which would replace the BTEC and simplify vocational education routes. After several years of development, The Department for Education (DfE) launched the t-level...

  
• 05.18.2023

  Season 4 Episode 4: Leading from the Front - Equipping Young Engineers with Essential Management Skills

  Leading and managing people, projects, or teams, requires more than a high degree of technical knowledge. Experience and education provide the foundation for success in an engineering manager's role, but it also requires a great deal of foresight and strategic...

  
• 04.26.2023

  Season 4 Special Episode: Augmenting Human Cognition – The Growth of Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning

  The idea of 'a machine that thinks' dates back to ancient Greece times, but since the advent of electronic computing and the overwhelming amount of data generated by the human race in the last 50 years, the realisation of intelligent...

  
• 04.03.2023

  Season 4 Episode 3:The Hydrogen Economy - A New Fuel for a Net Zero Future

  The UK’s first-ever Hydrogen Strategy was released in 2021 and was revised last year, as part of the Government’s commitment to a green industrial revolution.  The strategy lays the foundation for how Government will work with industry to meet its...

  
• 03.07.2023

  Season 4 Episode 2: Manufacturing a New Future - Resilience in the Face of Unprecedented Challenges

  Its safe to say that the engineering community has been under a great deal of strain over the last few years, with socio-economic and political upheaval across the global. None-more-so than the manufacturing industry. Both here in the UK and worldwide,...

  
• 02.07.2023

  Season 4 Episode 1: Strategy & Impact - IMechE’s Aspirations for 2023

  Hello and welcome to the new season of Impulse to Innovation. Believe it or not, as of the end of December 2022 we have produced 30 episodes of the podcast, reaching 98 countries with over 14 ½ thousand downloads. Thank you...

  
• 12.06.2022

  Season 3 Episode 11: Sustainable Healthcare – Creating a Net Zero NHS

  Despite the all-consuming mission of the global healthcare sector to ‘do no harm’ and protect society from illness, disease, and death it is, according to NGO ‘Health Care Without Harm’, the fifth largest emitter of global emissions on the planet. Indeed,...

  
• 11.28.2022

  Season 3 Episode 10 Part 2: Protecting the Past - Exploring Heritage Conservation Engineering

  In the second part of this month’s episode Helen speaks with Ian Clark, managing director of Ian Clark Restoration and Engtech fellow of the institution. Ian is unreservedly passionate about the restoration and preservation of our historical and technological achievements, and...

  
• 11.07.2022

  Season 3 Episode 10 Part 1: Protecting the Past - Exploring Heritage Conservation Engineering

  Our world is filled with structures, statues and artefacts that humankind has created. Throughout our history, we have utilised different materials, methodologies and technologies to help us innovate and construct ever-more complex objects. It is only in more recent decades...

  
• 10.17.2022

  Season 3 Episode 9: From Classroom to Competition - The Design Challenge

  Throughout this year Helen has attended several of the Institution’s challenge events in which students from across the UK and internationally, come together to compete for some of engineering’s most converted prizes and titles.  This month she was able to...

  
• 09.08.2022

  Season 3 Episode 8: Apprentice Automation Challenge 2022

  In this months episode Helen hosted a live show from the Apprentice Automation Challenge, held at the MTC, Coventry.   The Apprentice Automation Challenge provides a brilliant opportunity for talented apprentices to compete in an innovative design and manufacturing challenge to improve...

  
• 08.03.2022

  Season 3 Episode 7: Leading the Institution in the 21st Century - Presidents Past, Present & Future Share Their Views

  With just five months to the official end of our 175th anniversary it seemed appropriate to take some time to speak with, not just one president, but three!   While the role of President is considered an honorary position as titular head...

  
• 07.07.2022

  Season 3 Episode 6: The Railway Challenge 2022 - A New Generation of Engineers on the Move

  Ask most people what comes to mind when they think of mechanical engineering, and many will respond with railways and trains. Our foundations as an institution are indeed firmly built on the traditions of railway engineering, with engineers who saw themselves...

  
• 06.06.2022

  Season 3 Episode 5: ALARP - Developing a Well-reasoned Argument in Safety Engineering

  At the dawn of the Industrial Revolution, engineers devoted their efforts almost entirely to making devices that functioned reliably and profitably, but with little attention to safety. Yet frequent disasters, mainly as a result of the growing use of high-pressure steam, led...

  
• 05.03.2022

  Season 3 Episode 4: Harnessing the Power of the Sun - Developing Fusion Power at Tokamak Energy

  What if we could generate the power of our sun here on earth? Sounds like science fiction, but actually the application of complex maths and physics principles in understanding how we might generate fusion energy like that powering our sun,...

  
• 04.04.2022

  Season 3 Episode 3: Elevating Education - Why STEM Learning & STEM Ambassadors are so Important

  “The upcoming generation is full of talent, and we need to nurture it and make sure there are opportunities available to them by ensuring that our education system – from nursery through to lifelong learning – develops STEM.”   These were wise...

  
• 03.07.2022

  Season 3 Episode 2: Non-Destructive Testing - The Engineers Who Keep Our Technology From Failing

  While the IMechE is recognised as a charitable organisation, you may not be aware that it does own a number of businesses. These 'wholly owned subsidiaries' have been acquired by the institution over many years and specialise in learning and...

  
• 02.07.2022

  Season 3 Episode 1: Happy 175th Anniversary IMechE! - Looking Forward to the Year Ahead

  Welcome to the first episode of Impulse to Innovation 2022! This year the I2I podcast will be focusing on the Institution’s key themes of climate change, infection control, transport and education and how mechanical engineers help to solve the global challenges...

  
• 12.01.2021

  Season 2 Special Episode: The Future of Birdcage Walk Headquarters

  Our iconic Birdcage Walk building is 122 years old, and like many old structures it is in need of extensive refurbishment and modernisation for the Institution to continue to be able to use it and to make it fit for...

  
• 11.02.2021

  Season 2 Episode 10: Building a New Way of Living - 3D Construction Printing

  In this month’s episode, we are investigating the growth of 3D construction printing and what benefits it may offer to a world with growing populations and ever-reducing resources. Despite the collapse of construction activity during 2020 as a result of covid,...

  
• 10.04.2021

  Season 2 Episode 9: ‘Marginal Gains‘ - Engineering in Sport

  In this months episode, we are exploring the world of engineering in sport and how sports technology is not just improving the performance of elite athletes but is having an effect on ordinary fitness fans and even medicine and healthcare. Sports...

  
• 09.06.2021

  Season 2 Episode 8: Cheers to the Engineers - Process Engineering in The Brewing & Distilling Industry

  In this months episode, we focus on the brewing and distilling industry, which is part of the hygienic process industries sector, which also covers industries such as food, pharma and biotech.   Brewing and distillation have been part of our way of...

  
• 08.16.2021

  Season 2 Episode 7: The High Flyers - UAS Challenge 2021

  In this months episode, we continue the theme of the IMechE engineering challenges focusing on the unmanned aerial system or UAS Challenge. The event is held in mid-July at the British Model Flying Association’s national centre, Buckminster.  This event sees...

  
• 07.30.2021

  Season 2 Live Episode - Formula Student 2021

  Helen was joined by the IMechE's audio-visual engineer, Syed Ansar in the second of our podcasts this month which was recorded live on the 23rd July track-side at Silverstone Park. This was I2I's first live show with members listening in around...

  
• 07.05.2021

  Season 2 Episode 6: Exploring the IMechE Challanges

  This month we are posting not one, but two episodes! to celebrate the Instituion's Challenges. We have finally reached the summer and we don’t know about you, but this year seems to have gone pretty fast so far. Despite being in a kind...

  
• 06.07.2021

  Season 2 Episode 5: Visibly More Inclusive - How the IMechE is Embracing Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

  In this month's episode we discuss the IMechE's drive towards greater equality, diversity and inclusion in the engineering profession and why during Pride Month here in the UK, it is important for us to come together as a community and...

  
• 05.03.2021

  Season 2 Episode 4: Waves & Wireless - How Telecommunications is Revolutionising Society

  This month’s episode is all about telecommunications. The world of wireless comms has come a long way since Bell and Tainter first conceived the photophone in 1880.  Today, we are literally surrounded by radio waves and it is believed that from...

  
• 04.05.2021

  Season 2 Episode 3: Resilience Engineering - Protecting our World from Threats

  In this month’s episode we explore how we keep society safe, what effect remote working has had on the way we manage and monitor our infrastructure and what engineers are doing to protect safety critical technologies from cyber-attacks.   We are constantly...

  
• 03.01.2021

  Season 2 Episode 2: On Track for New Travel - Decarbonising & Automating our Railways

  In this month’s episode we are focusing on Railways and rail technology and how one of the world’s oldest forms of mass transit is changing the way we think about climate change.  We also discuss automation and how the heavy rail industry may one day...

  
• 02.01.2021

  Season 2 Episode 1: Looking Skyward - How Satellite Technology is Changing Our View of Space

  In this month’s episode we turn our attention skyward, to the captivating world of space and specifically satellite technology. Humankind’s fascination with the cosmos has never really waivered, but last year saw a resurgence in interest, after a 9 year absence,...

  
• 12.31.2020

  Episode 5: Holiday Special - Fireside Chat with Colin Brown & Terry Spall

  In this I2I Holiday Special Podcast, Helen looks back on 2020 with IMechE CEO Colin Brown and President Terry Spall and discusses how the pandemic has affected the IMechE and its members, and how they have had to adapt to...

  
• 11.02.2020

  Episode 4: The Future of Electric Vehicles & Batteries

  Episode 4 – The Future of Electric Vehicles and Batteries   In this month’s episode we will be focusing on Electric Vehicles and batteries; the challenges and opportunities electrification brings and what the future holds for EV technology.    Helen talks with Williams Advanced Engineering...

  
• 10.05.2020

  Episode 3: Engineering Careers at the COVID Crossroads

  This month’s episode is brought to you by the IMechE’s Young Members Board. The YMB represents the interests of over 69,000 young members from a broad range of industries and specialisms. The YMB works to ensure that the young member’s...

  
• 09.07.2020

  Episode 2: Engineering Solutions in Healthcare

  In this month’s episode we focus on Healthcare, and how engineers and the medical technology they design and use, is changing the way we keep society living long and healthy lives.   Helen puts global healthcare demand and the medtech industry into context, discussing the size and scale of the markets and the impact technology is having...

  
• 08.03.2020

  Episode 1: Energy and Sustainability: Will the Global Pandemic Change the Way We Use Our Resources?

  In this month’s episode we focus on energy and sustainability and how the on-going global pandemic is changing the way people think about energy use, resources and materials.     Helen puts energy sustainability into context; reviewing the world’s energy consumption in 2019 and which countries are making the most effort to go...

  
• 07.20.2020

  IMechE Impulse to Innovation Podcast Trailer July 2020

  The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) is launching its first Podcast on the 3rd August 2020. On the first Monday of each month we will be posting a new themed episode with news, interviews and stories from around the world, hosted...