If You Were An Engineer
By Primary Engineer
If You Were An EngineerAug 12, 2021
S2E10 Keeping the James Webb Space Telescope running with Elysia Starr
As it continues to beam back incredible images of the universe, it’s clear the James Webb Telescope is revolutionising our understanding of the cosmos. But there’s still so much more to see, so it’s integral it keeps on running for years to come. That’s where Elysia Starr and her team come in. Elysia is the Fault Management Lead for the JWST. In this episode she tells us what’s involved in maintaining the Webb, she tells us about some of the most innovative tech that’s gone into the creation of the telescope, and she explains what excites her most about the project.
James Joseph from the School of Science and Engineering at the University of Dundee tells us about the prototype his team has been working on for the If You Were An Engineer competition - Bianca’s sunlight machine.
Thanks to Zach and Megan from Sacred Heart Primary School in Bellshill in Scotland for sharing their engineering ideas with us.
And if you have an answer to any of our problems from the series send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward.
Your host is Ollie Guillou. Head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S2E9 The Car Crash Detective with Ross Beesley
Forensic collision investigator Ross Beesley is basically the Sherlock Holmes of car accidents – an expert in spotting unusual signs and figuring out how an accident happened. In this episode he tells us about the skills and techniques he uses to get to the bottom of a case, he explains some of the more unusual signs that can clue you into what’s happened, and he explains how he uses computer simulations in his work.
Patricia Ashman from Coventry University tells us about a proto-type she worked on for the If You Were An Engineer competition called the Wheelchair Swing.
Thanks to Shay and Mia from Sacred Heart Primary School in Bellshill in Scotland for sharing their engineering ideas with us.
And if you have an answer to our problem send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward. This week, Ollie Folayan wants you to figure out a way of feeding Isaac’s fish twice a day, every day, while he’s away from home.
Your host is Ollie Guillou. Head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S2E8 Space missions and martial arts with Naziyah Mahmood
Whether it’s hunting for pirates by launching missions into space, or expressing herself through martial arts, Naziyah Mahmood’s passion knows no bounds. As an astrophysicist, aerospace engineer, equalities expert and so much more, Naziyah has a lot of advice to give. She shares the fascinating story of her life and career.
Spencer and Sam from Edge Hill university tell us about a design they’re working on for the If You Were An Engineer competition - Leonardo’s Anti-Waste Fridge.
Thanks to Chloe and Connor from Victoria Junior School in Cumbria for sharing their engineering ideas with us.
And if you have an answer to our problem send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward. This week it comes from Patricia Ashman: Can you create a device that will allow Patricia to collect waste from the river on her paddleboard, without having to constantly bend down?
Your host is Ollie Guillou. Head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S2E7 From evil genius to diversity champion with Ollie Folayan
Although his love of chemical engineering was initially inspired by the work of an evil genius, Ollie Folayan’s values have certainly changed since. Ollie is a chemical engineer and Head of Process at Optimus Plus in Aberdeen. Not only does he tell us just how impactful the work of a chemical engineer is, he also discusses his role as the founder of the Association for Black Engineers.
Patricia Ashman, associate head of future transport engineering at Coventry University, tells us about a prototype she worked on for the If You Were An Engineer competition called the self-stirring coffee mug.
Thanks to Ellie and Isabella from Victoria Junior School in Cumbria for sharing their engineering ideas with us.
And if you have an answer to our problem send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward. This week it comes from Keith Scobie-Youngs from The Cumbria Clock Company: How can we make a mechanical clock that doesn’t need lubrication, so it never wears out?
Your host is Ollie Guillou. Head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S2E6 Lifelong learning for a future of innovation with Alice Bunn
“By 2030, 85% of the jobs we will do are unknown today”. Alice Bunn, CEO of the Institution for Mechanical Engineers shares this fact, as she tells us about the importance of lifelong learning, and how IMechE aims to improve the world through engineering. Alice also talks about her unlikely and unplanned career in the space industry - which has been going for 20 years now!
Elsie’s super-charged wheelchair, the ‘Roller Rider’ is under the spotlight this week. Peter Marshall is leading Anglia Ruskin University’s prototype team that’ll be turning Elsie’s idea into reality. He tells us about the design and why he instantly fell in love with it.
Thanks to Elena and Erin from Ballymena Academy who shared their engineering idea with us.
And if you have an answer to our problem send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward. This week it comes from Bruce from Howden Compressors: “Whilst we are drilling, we’ve had problems with the drills overheating and breaking. What can we do to stop this happening?”
Your host is Ollie Guillou. Head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S2E5 Royal International Air Tattoo Special
A special episode of the podcast recorded at the Royal International Air Tattoo 2022, at RAF Fairford.
As aircraft soar overhead a busy Techno Zone and Inspire Stage, we hear from many of the exhibitors who pitched up for the event, including ejector seat manufacturers Martin Baker, the aerospace division of Rolls Royce, and a glider pilot whose hobby sounds both frightening and incredible in equal measure.
We also meet Justine Morton OBE, Director of the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, who gives us a glimpse into the history of RIAT, and tells us about her fascinating career path.
Mark and George from the Civil Aviation Authority join the mix, before we chat to Haydn Jakes who was awarded an MBE for his achievements as an aircraft engineering apprentice.
In keeping with the rest of the series, we hear from some of the university teams tasked with turning the winning ideas from the ‘If You Were An Engineer’ competition into working prototypes. We’re joined by Andrew Firth from Edinburgh University, and Tim Woolman from the University of Southampton.
And, as always, we share the engineering ideas of children - this time with thanks to the Brownies.
If you have an answer to our problem send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward. This week it comes from George at the Civil Aviation Authority: “How can we reduce the noise footprint, both in the aircraft and outside of the aircraft, especially for the people on the ground?”
Your host is Ollie Guillou. Head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
A Primary Engineer Production with the support of the RAFCT.
S2E4 Launching the James Webb Space Telescope with Carl Starr
We’ve all marvelled at the images of deep space and distant galaxies, but what did it take to get the James Webb Space Telescope into orbit? One man who can answer that question better than any other is Carl Starr, who up until recently was the Mission Operations Manager for the JWST. In this episode he explains what it was like building the team in the early days of the telescope’s design process. He tells us about the emotionally charged moment when the telescope first beamed back blobs of light. And he explains why he’s left the project now to work for Millennium Space Systems.
Alice’s Magic Cover is our prototype of the week. Simple but genius, this piece of kit is a reusable way of covering a child’s earrings up during PE lessons or while they sleep. We hear from Anne Nortcliffe from Canterbury Christ Church University.
Thanks to the children from Lisnasharragh primary school in Northern Ireland, who shared their engineering ideas with us.
And if you have an answer to our problem send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward. This week it comes from Andrew from National Grid: “How can we regenerate nature after construction work finishes?”
Your host is Ollie Guillou. Head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S2E3 Combining Baking and Engineering with Andrew Smyth
Not only is he an aerospace engineer for Rolls Royce, Andrew Smyth is also a bakineer - first of his kind! Bringing together his passions for both engineering and baking, Andrew coined the term, and is now on a mission to create cakes that are both delicious and fully functional. In this episode he explains how the two worlds are actually linked more closely than you’d realise, he tells us about the incredible creations that have come out of his Netflix series Baking Impossible, and he shares his experience baking a rotating cake for Prince William.
Francesca’s Unicorn Health Bot is the prototype star of this week. As the name suggests, it looks like a unicorn, but it also serves an important function in hospitals, monitoring the vital signals of young patients. We hear from Francesca, and from proto-type team member David Knapton from The University of Sunderland.
Thanks to the children from Homefield Prep and St Mary’s College in Derry, who shared their engineering ideas with us.
And if you have an answer to our problem send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward. This week it comes from Carl Starr, from Millennium Space Systems: “How can we make bread in space?”
Your host is Ollie Guillou. Head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S2E2 Sending Spacecraft to Orbit with Ciara Mcgrath
As an expert in astrodynamics and space mission design, Ciara Mcgrath has the exciting job of making sure spacecraft are sent into orbit in the most efficient and sustainable way. In this episode she tells us about the importance of satellites, from the work they do monitoring the global climate, to the impact they have on our daily lives - like how they make it easier to buy your groceries.
Sairah’s biogas unit is our prototype spotlight this week. It’s a piece of kit that turns waste food and organic materials into useful gas. We hear from the team at Glasgow Caledonian University, who are bringing the design to life.
Thanks to the children from Lisnasharragh primary school in Northern Ireland who shared their engineering ideas with us at the start of the show.
And if you have an answer to our problem send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward. This week it comes from bakineer Andrew Smyth: “On a hot summer’s day, there is nothing more frustrating than having my ice cream melt before I’ve eaten it. How can I keep it cool in the bowl, so I have plenty of time to enjoy it?”
Your host is Ollie Guillou. Head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S2E1 Repairing Big Ben with Keith Scobie-Youngs
As the founder of the Cumbria Clock Company, Keith Scobie-Youngs and his team have repaired and restored some of the most famous clocks in the country - including those at Salisbury Cathedral and Hampton Court Palace. In this episode he tells us about a very exciting recent project, fixing Big Ben, the world-renowned clock from the Palace of Westminster in London.
Charlie’s voice-activated storage unit - the Auto-Kallax - is our prototype of the week. We hear from Charlie about her idea, and from Strathclyde University’s Tom and Fraser, who are bringing the design to life.
Thanks to the children from Heasandford Primary School who shared their engineering ideas with us at the top of the show.
And if you have an answer to our problem send your thoughts to info@leadersaward.com or comment on Twitter @Leadersaward. This week it comes from Cummins: When turbochargers are fitted to an engine, they get very hot, and sometimes melt other parts of the engine. How can you stop that from happening?
Your host is Ollie Guillou. Head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S1E10 Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal Results
It's time to celebrate! We're closing season 1 of the podcast in style, announcing the winners of the Primary Engineer MacRobert Medal. Meet the host of expert judges who had the incredibly difficult job of choosing our winners - so torn they ended up awarding multiple gold and silver medals. Also hear the excited reactions of the gold medallists who received the news of their win live on the podcast. And wait til the end for a special message from Primary Engineer founder Susan Scurlock MBE. If you’d like to get in touch, follow us on Twitter @Leadersaward, and head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S1E9 Sarah Haslam; Road Flash; Relaxer 3000 Pebble
Her unwavering determination to encourage the next generation of engineers, and to promote STEM careers to girls, earnt her an MBE - Sarah Haslam is the perfect role model. As Chief Program Engineer at Ford Motor Company she’s worked around the world in places like Russia, Turkey, Thailand and South Africa. In this episode she tells us what it takes to design a brand new Ford Fiesta, and she tells us about her career defining moment. We also hear from brother and sister duo Chloe and Marc who both dreamt up impressive inventions for this year’s competition. Andrew and Christopher from Ulster University tell us how they brought Caelan’s ‘Road Flash’ to life - an invention that promises to reduce accidents on our roads. And we have another incredible lineup of children offering up their engineering ideas including Ellie, Layci, Lily, Mirren and Aaron. If you’d like to get in touch, follow us on Twitter @Leadersaward, and head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S1E8 Merritt Moore; Jayne Hunt; Whale of Litter
Tasked with judging entries to this year’s Leaders Award competition, Jayne Hunt from Lexisnexis Risk Solutions Group has been blown away by the ingenuity of the young inventors. Jayne has shared her creative feedback on many entries, and in this episode highlights some of her favourites, including an AI tennis racket, a braille clothes tag and an anti-bullying watch. We also meet the quantum physicist that dances with robots. Merritt Moore has done the seemingly impossible, bridging the gap between science and art, excelling in both physics and ballet. In this episode Merritt tells us about her amazing and unique career journey, and explains why robots make the perfect dance partners. Nicola, Cameron and Orla from the University of Strathclyde explore the process of turning Lacey Murphy’s ‘Whale of Litter’ into a working prototype. And Isi and Imogen from James Allen’s Girls’ School tell us about their climate-saving engineering inventions. If you’d like to get in touch, follow us on Twitter @Leadersaward, and head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S1E7 Luke Bisby; Rollover Bench; Mechanical Bird
‘The Chair of Fire and Structures’, a title straight out of Lord of the Rings! Luke Bisby is probably the only person in the world with that title - he’s an academic engineer, working at the University at Edinburgh. Luke explains why his days are mostly spent in the lab with various building materials, either getting them hot or setting them on fire, exploring the critical nature of his work in avoiding catastrophic building fires. We hear from Owen Howard, an entrant to this year’s Leaders Award competition, who’s hoping for a win with his electric car themed design. Gemma Houston tells us how she and her team at the University of Strathclyde brought Grace’s ‘Rollover Bench’ to life. And Amelia and Martha from James Allen's Girls' School share their ideas to combat air pollution and protect the environment. If you’d like to get in touch, follow us on Twitter @Leadersaward, and head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S1E6 Laura Bücheler; Electric Blanket; RAF Judges
From video games to prosthetic limbs, Laura Bücheler’s work offers solutions to problems in all areas of life. Laura is director and co-founder of ‘GHOST – feel it’, which uses haptic technology to simulate the feelings of touch and motion using artificial intelligence. Laura explains the many uses of this type of human-machine interface, and how it has the ability to change the world. We also hear about Mary Mulligan’s ‘Electric Blanket’ which offers homeless people a solar-powered way to keep warm. We meet three members of the Royal Air Force Youth and Stem team, who’ve judged around 8,500 Leaders Award competition entries - they tell us about some of their personal highlights. And Arnav and Philip from Homefield Prep School tell us about their engineering ideas too. If you’d like to get in touch, follow us on Twitter @Leadersaward, and head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S1E5 Vincent Giampietro; Flat Pack Wind Turbine; Magic Knife
Playing video games with your mind - one of the amazing ways Vincent Giampietro finds out what’s going on in our brains. Vincent is a neuroscientist and in today’s engineer spotlight he explains what happens in our brains when we learn a new skill, how we can learn to modify our brains in real-time, and gives us an insight into many more of his fascinating experiments. We also get to meet Douglas MaCartney, the student who dreamt up the innovative ‘Flat Pack Wind Turbine’, and we hear from members of the Glasgow Caledonian University proto-team who have been working for the past three years to turn his idea into a reality. And we hear about a ‘Magic Knife’ and a ‘Crop Sensor’ from students Rhys and Barron. If you’d like to get in touch, follow us on Twitter @Leadersaward, and head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcasts to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S1E4 Iulia Motoc; Super Hearing Set; The Virus Killer
At first she was just taking apart her parent’s favourite radio, but that curiosity grew into a passion for helping people - through robotics! Iulia Motoc is a robotics engineer and technical consultant for Leyton. She tells us how the Nao Robot inspired her career, explains why engineering is the DNA of the world, and discusses the future of artificial intelligence. We also hear from Issy Radley, a young engineer who took inspiration from her dad to invent the Super Hearing Set - and we meet Dr Stefan Bleeck who was part of the University of Southampton team that turned the set into a working prototype. And then we share two engineering ideas from students at Raynes Park High School - Tienna’s app for pets and Gaia Lai’s Virus Killer. If you’d like to get in touch, follow us on Twitter @Leadersaward, and head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcast to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S1E3 Oliver Joris; Extending Sink 6000; Bug Detector
He’s taken them up mountains, through the desert, and even to the Arctic Circle - Oliver Joris has put Ford’s cars to the test under every extreme imaginable. Olly gives us an insight into the amazing bits of kit he gets to play with as part of his role as senior calibration engineer for Ford Motor Company, and tells us about some of the breathtaking views he’s seen along the way. We also hear from Dr Malcolm Klaus and Sean Wogan from Kingston University who have worked on numerous Leaders Award prototypes. In this episode they highlight some of their favourites, including the Extending Sink 6000, the Bike Sucker, the Trampoline Phone Charger and the Truggy. And it doesn’t stop there, we also get to hear about Katie’s ingenious plans to provide homes for the wildlife, and also about an innovative bug detector. If you’d like to get in touch, follow us on Twitter @Leadersaward, and head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcast to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S1E2 Ella Podmore; Beach Cleaner 3000; Hydro Paddle
It all began when she was passing car parts around the dinner table, and it culminated in a dream role working for McLaren. Ella Podmore is a materials engineer at McLaren automotive, and spends her day breaking things apart in the laboratory - sometimes she even gets to take the cars out for a spin! Ella tells us about her job, shares an important message about female representation in engineering, and explains why it’s important to be tenacious. We also hear from young engineer-in-the-making Daniel Kitley, who’s on a mission to save the planet with his Beach Cleaner 3000. The planet-saving theme continues when we meet the Glasgow Caledonian University team tasked with creating Heather’s Hydro Paddle, and when we meet Arabella and Maria, who both have innovative ideas to tackle pollution and climate change. If you’d like to get in touch, follow us on Twitter @Leadersaward, and head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcast to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
S1E1 Matthew Dickinson; SMA Jacket; Shopping Trolley for the Elderly
It was the second time Matthew Dickinson had been tasked with turning a child’s idea into a working prototype, so he was no stranger to the If You Were An Engineer competition. But he never expected what would happen next. Matthew tells us how the SMA jacket, a seemingly simple idea, has changed the entire trajectory of his career. We also hear from Krystyna Marshall, the young woman behind the concept. On top of that, we hear the engineering ideas of Jacob and Caitlin from Pitteuchar East primary school, and meet Louise and Beth who were part of the University of Strathclyde proto team that brought Aiden’s Shopping Trolley for the Elderly to life. If you’d like to get in touch, follow us on Twitter @Leadersaward, and head over to our website www.leadersaward.com/podcast to access loads of bonus and behind the scenes content.
Trailer
This brand new Primary Engineer podcast is a celebration of engineering; inspiring children, parents and teachers alike. Hear from engineers at the top of their game, discover the limitless ideas of young engineers in the making, and meet the teams turning those ideas into reality.