A wealth of educational and entertaining engineering content is available via the audio medium. Here are 10 of the top podcasts for engineers.
Last year, we presented 10 of the top podcasts for engineers. But with the plethora of audio content on offer locally and abroad, there’s always another podcast waiting to be listened to.
Here are 10 more podcasts that should be on every engineer’s playlist.
1. The Actioneers
Published by Engineers Without Borders, The Actioneers is a podcast driven by the belief that engineering is a critical enabler of the changes required to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals. There may only be seven episodes, but the talent featured has been considerable; the series talks with “socio-technical professionals who are culture-shifters and changemakers”.
As an added bonus, Engineers Australia Chief Engineer Jane MacMaster FIEAust CPEng EngExec NER and former Engineers Australia President Dr Marlene Kanga AO CPEng have each featured in an episode.
2. The Engineers Collective
Flood management, climate change, the role of technology in future-proofing cities and towns – these are just some of the topics covered by The Engineers Collective, a civil engineering podcast. It’s not all technical-minded content, though; one recent addresses how to make a difference when tackling mental health and suicide risk in construction.
3. Think Future
Think Future hears from thought leaders in sustainable building and manufacturing, delving into topics such as sustainability in built environments, financing renewables to power the grid, and digitisation’s role in achieving net zero.
Featuring in one recent episode was Engineers Australia CEO Romilly Madew AO FTSE HonFIEAust EngExec, who discussed how to address challenges such as managing Australia’s largest ever pipeline of work amid widespread, and keenly felt, skills shortages.
4. Being An Engineer
Being An Engineer is designed to collect industry knowledge and best practices for engineers – but it will also prove insightful for non-engineers, as interviewees reveal the ins and outs of working in their respective discipline. The subject matter is varied: think 3D printing one episode, nuclear submarines the next.
5. Crushing It In Construction
For anyone working or interested in construction or civil engineering, this is the podcast for you. Crushing It In Construction profiles people working specifically within the construction industry who have a story to tell or experiences to share, and aims to be a resource for both businesses and individuals; episodes highlight practical tips and tactics. It’s also an Australian production to boot.
6. Soft Skills Engineering
Soft Skills Engineering is a show for software engineers, but with a twist. It’s also an advice podcast, discussing all the “non-technical stuff that goes into the technical field of software development”. Listeners are able to submit questions, agony aunt-style, which are then discussed on air.
The hosts discuss all the things you might expect to hear on a HR podcast – leadership, hiring and retention, pay and promotions, to name a few – but adapted to a software engineering audience, making it especially worthwhile to anyone in that field.
7. omega tau
With episodes running an hour plus, the omega tau podcast, a German production but also available in English, is a deep dive into the nooks and crannies of science and engineering. Episodes examine subject matter as diverse as direct air capture, solar geoengineering and space exploration.
8. The Engineering Entrepreneur
Got a big idea for a new innovation? In The Engineering Entrepreneur Podcast, hear from engineers, designers and inventors who have successfully crafted a business around their inventions or products, truly embodying the spirit of entrepreneurship.
9. But Seriously, What is Engineering?
For some students, engineering can appear overly technical, unknowable or inaccessible. A podcast from the University of Queensland sets out to debunk the misconceptions and ask: But Seriously, What is Engineering?
Engineering students and educators alike receive time in the limelight on the podcast, which is hosted by UQ Women in Engineering student leaders.
10. In Machines We Trust
Lastly, In Machines We Trust interrogates an essential question pondered by many engineers in recent years: How will AI shift our relationship with technology?
Regardless of their field, engineers have a wealth of AI tools at their disposal. In Machines We Trust looks at some of the possibilities and many of the challenges presented by AI, covering everything from surveillance to crafting an effective AI policy, and foregrounds the voices of people making sense of it for everyone else.
Did we miss one of your favourite podcasts? Get in touch with your recommendations or leave them in the comments below.
For more recommendations from create digital, check out our round-ups of top TV shows, must-watch movies and books every engineer should read.