Non Linear Engineer Podcast

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Hello, welcome to the Non-Linear Engineer podcast, the Podcast that records Tony and Jose’s conversations with interesting engineers. We aim to inspire those who are currently in their engineering journey, or who want to get into the engineering field with new ideas. We interview fascinating engineers and fight stereotypes.

Episodes

  1. 5 MAR

    NLE12: Diego’s Engineering Journey: From Venezuela to Steam Systems in Argentina and Spain

    Jose and Tony interview Diego about his path in engineering and migration. Diego, a mechanical engineering graduate from Venezuela, moved abroad in 2017, first to Argentina seeking automotive work but joining Spirax Sarco in the steam and heat-transfer industry. He describes working in thermodynamics-driven steam systems across many industries, first as a project coordinator managing turnkey boiler and steam distribution projects from design through installation and commissioning, then later moving to Valencia, Spain. After a year in a fast-paced startup environment, he returned to Spirax Sarco as a field service engineer, troubleshooting boilers, instrumentation, and commissioning onsite with fewer resources and greater customer pressure. He shares a stressful boiler level-control commissioning case ultimately traced to a design sizing issue, and reflects on cultural differences, reinvention, flexibility, resilience, and advice to keep a vision while staying open to unexpected opportunities. 00:00 Meet Diego 00:47 Early Engineering Spark 01:59 Leaving Venezuela 05:03 Landing First Job 06:21 Steam Industry Basics 08:38 Mechanical Skills Applied 10:40 Back to Spain 14:05 Project Manager Life 18:25 Two Countries One Company 20:32 Reinventing Yourself 24:08 Startup Teaser 24:39 Startup Laundry Franchises 27:14 US Expansion and COVID Crash 28:48 Startup Business Model Talk 29:52 Engineering When Things Fail 32:11 Boiler Commissioning Nightmare 35:55 Root Cause Design Sizing 39:22 Career Advice Stay Flexible 41:44 Always Explore Opportunities 42:52 Thanks and Wrap Up   Music credit: DaFuq!?Boom! - YouTube   Show Notes NLE012 - Linkedln   Listen on: Apple Podcast Spotify Amazon PodBean

    45 min
  2. 06/09/2025

    NLE11: Dr Joseph Gibbons: An Expert's Journey in Renewable Energy and Research (from Environmental Engineering to Lunar Regolith)

    In this episode, Tony and Jose sit down with Dr Joseph, a principal technical advisor and advisory lead for Natural Power Ireland, to discuss his extensive background in energy and environmental engineering. Joseph shares his academic journey from undergraduate studies focused on converting natural energy into electricity, to his work in consultancy and asset management in the UK's energy sector. He delves into his groundbreaking postgraduate research on using lunar soil to create reflective surfaces for solar PV systems, which gained recognition from the European Space Agency and led to a PhD. Joseph explains the intricacies of due diligence in renewable energy projects and reflects on the importance of passion in one's career #continue to our LinkedIn   00:00 Introduction and Greetings 00:19 Jose's Professional Background 01:24 Early Career in Energy Consultancy 02:06 Transition to Asset Management 03:06 Academic Pursuits and Teaching 03:34 Postgraduate Research and PhD Journey 04:06 Lunar Regolith Research 07:13 Teaching and Lecturing Experience 08:12 Challenges and Rewards of Teaching Mathematics 15:16 PhD Research and Its Impact 15:58 Lunar Regolith as a Construction Material 27:17 Complexities of Scientific Research 28:57 Reflective Surfaces and Solar PV Systems 35:24 General Misconceptions About Science 39:24 Efficiency in Engineering and Its Implications 42:15 Rebound Effects of Energy Efficiency Policies 47:39 Historical Context of Climate Change 51:14 Challenges in Renewable Energy Development 56:59 The Role of Due Diligence in Renewable Projects 01:08:40 Career Advice and Personal Reflections 01:23:42 Concluding Thoughts and Reflections   Music credit: DaFuq!?Boom! - YouTube   Show Notes NLE011 - Linkedln   Listen on: Apple Podcast Spotify Amazon PodBean

    1h 28m

About

Hello, welcome to the Non-Linear Engineer podcast, the Podcast that records Tony and Jose’s conversations with interesting engineers. We aim to inspire those who are currently in their engineering journey, or who want to get into the engineering field with new ideas. We interview fascinating engineers and fight stereotypes.