Being an Engineer

Latest Episodes:

S5E13 Paul Lee | Cities of the Future & Renewable Energy Mar 29, 2024

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Aaron Moncur interviews Paul Lee about his career in renewable energy engineering and his role in the documentary "Cities of the Future." They discuss emerging sustainable energy technologies and the challenges and opportunities in transitioning to renewable sources

Main Topics:

Space-based solar power
Vertical air taxis
Wind and solar farm technology
Hydrogen fuel cells
Smart buildings
Battery storage
Rooftop solar costs
Engineering collaboration
Cities of the future film

About the guest: Paul Lee is a renewable energy engineer in Los Angeles who is always searching for new ways to harness energy from sustainable sources. His current work involves planning resources for a 100% clean energy city as an Energy Policy Analyst with the Mayor’s Office of Energy and Sustainability of the City of Los Angeles. He has also worked on developing projects such as utility scale wind, solar, geothermal, biomass resources as well as energy storage such as batteries, pumped hydro, and other emerging technologies.

Links:

Paul Lee - LinkedIn
American Society of Civil Engineers

PDX 2026 is October 20-21 in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more and register at https://pdexpo.engineer/

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The Being An Engineer podcast is brought to you by Pipeline Design & Engineering. Pipeline partners with medical & other device engineering teams who need turnkey equipment like cycle test machines, custom test fixtures, automation equipment, assembly jigs, inspection stations and more. You can find us at www.teampipeline.us

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

S5E12 Dylann Ceriani | Prototype Injection Molding Mar 22, 2024

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Aaron Moncur interviews Dylann Ceriani about her career in mechanical engineering and medical devices. They discuss prototype injection molding, material selection, 3D printing applications, and advice for young engineers.
Main Topics:

Career journey from biomechanics to founding ProtoShop
Differences between production and prototype molding
Cost considerations and timelines for prototype tooling
Advances in medical device development and regulations
Tips for minimizing molding costs and selecting materials
Advice for advocating for yourself and learning from all experiences

About the guest: Dylann Ceriani is a distinguished figure in the field of mechanical engineering and the co-founder and principal mechanical engineer at Protoshop Inc. With a rich background in biomechanical engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, Dylann has carved a niche in the medical device industry, showcasing her expertise in product development, particularly in in-vitro diagnostics (IVDs) and orthopedics. Her career spans over 25 years, marked by a deep commitment to innovation, quality, and efficiency in engineering design. At Protoshop, Dylann leads the charge in revolutionizing prototype tooling, emphasizing the replication of production mold quality in prototypes. Her hands-on approach and strength-based leadership have not only advanced medical device product development but also inspired a generation of engineers.
Links:
Dylann Cerian - LinkedIn
ProtoShop Inc Website

PDX 2026 is October 20-21 in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more and register at https://pdexpo.engineer/

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

S5E11 Roger Labrecque | Accelerating R&D Work, 21 CFR, & How To Collaborate Effectively Mar 15, 2024

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Aaron Moncur interviews Roger LaBrecque about his career journey in medical device innovation, focusing on accelerating R&D processes while ensuring compliance. They discuss strategies for effective collaboration, problem-solving, and networking.

Main Topics:

Strategies for accelerating R&D while following regulations
Techniques for collaboration and problem-solving across functions
Approaches to innovation and patenting, and advice for networking as an engineer.

About the guest: Roger Labrecque, a distinguished figure in the field of medical device innovation. Roger boasts an impressive career marked by his deep passion for addressing unmet needs in healthcare. With a rich portfolio of over 20 patents, he is recognized for his innovative thinking and expertise in product development, from ideation through commercialization. Roger's leadership extends beyond technical skills, as he is known for fostering robust collaboration across cross-functional teams and incorporating critical insights through the Voice of the Customer process.

Links:

Roger Labrecque - LinkedIn

PDX 2026 is October 20-21 in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more and register at https://pdexpo.engineer/

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

S5E10 Derek Pietz | Industrial Automation, Losing A Million Dollars, & Successful Startups Mar 08, 2024

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Derek Pietz shares his journey from engineering student to co-founding a successful automation startup and his current role leading engineering teams at Intuitive. He discusses the challenges of starting a company, lessons learned, and trends in the automation industry.

Main Topics:

Engineering career path
Founding and growing a startup
Challenges and pivots
Prioritizing work/life balance
Designing robotic surgery equipment
Improving team morale
Communication best practices
Future of AI and vision systems in automation

About the guest: Our guest today is Derek Pietz, the Director of Automation Equipment and Test Engineering at Intuitive, a trailblazing company at the forefront of robotic-assisted surgery. Prior to his role at Intuitive, Derek has been a part of four start-up ventures including one as a co-founder. He has built and led engineering and operations teams, designed machines, run a P/L, pitched investors, obsessed over supply chain, developed sales strategies, taught robots to make pizza and fixed customer problems.

Links:
Derek Pietz - LinkedIn
Intuitive website

PDX 2026 is October 20-21 in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more and register at https://pdexpo.engineer/

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

S5E9 Jon Montcrief | Medical Device Engineering Leaders 8 Mar 01, 2024

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Jon Montcrief shares his career path in chemical engineering and process development roles in the medical device industry. He discusses challenges in manufacturing, supply chains, and the regulated medical device industry.

Main Topics:

Engineering career paths
Chemical engineering background
Manufacturing trends
Supply chain challenges
Technical and soft skills for engineers
Challenges facing medical device companies
The future of medical technology.

About the guest: Jon Montcrief, holds a bachelor's and master's degree in chemical engineering and is currently the director of process development and sustaining engineering at Becton Dickinson, where he applies his process engineering and polymer background to develop products in the medical device space. John, thank you so much for joining us today.

Links:

Jon Montcrief - LinkedIn

PDX 2026 is October 20-21 in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more and register at https://pdexpo.engineer/

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

S5E8 Aaron Call | How to Find Money for MedTech Startups Feb 23, 2024

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The episode explores Aaron Call's journey from engineer to entrepreneur, and his insights on innovation, market intelligence and the future of Medtech.

Main Topics:

Medical device development and market fit
Market research methods for disruptive innovation
Market analysis and decision-making in the medical industry
Engineering background and its impact on business decisions
Medical device industry trends, AI, and fundraising.

About the guest: Aaron Call is the innovative founding principal of Jaunt, a company specializing in market intelligence and strategic decision-making for the medical device industry. With a rich background in biomedical engineering and product management, Aaron has been instrumental in guiding both startups and established enterprises through the complex landscape of medical technology. His expertise extends to Class I and Class II medical devices, digital health technologies, and he holds patents in the medical device field. Aaron's leadership at Jaunt is marked by a commitment to empowering companies with the insights and strategies needed to succeed in the dynamic world of medical technology. Join us as we explore Aaron's journey from engineer to entrepreneur and delve into his insights on innovation, market intelligence, and the future of MedTech.

Links:
Aaron Call - LinkedIn
Jaunt Website

PDX 2026 is October 20-21 in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more and register at https://pdexpo.engineer/

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

S5E7 Matt Zachek | Medical Device Engineering Leaders 7 Feb 16, 2024

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Matt discusses his career path in medical device engineering and leadership insights. He shares how he developed a passion for understanding how things work from a young age and pursued biomedical engineering. Matt discusses developing grit and perseverance, managing stress and ambiguity in leadership roles, and balancing sustaining vs. new products.

Main Topics:

Engineering career path
Leadership skills
Managing stress and anxiety
Medical device challenges
Innovation strategies
Balancing existing vs. new products
Integrating manufacturing earlier in design.

About the guest: Matt Zachek holds a Bachelor’s degree and PhD in biomedical engineering and is currently the Sr Director of R&D at Werfen, leaders in specialized diagnostics in the areas of Hemostasis, Acute Care Diagnostics, Transfusion, Autoimmunity, and Transplant. Skilled in product roadmapping, stakeholder management, and product delivery in the medical device, pharmaceutical and diagnostic device spaces, Matt is a strategic thinker with a passion for bringing new ideas to life and a talent for fostering a culture of collaboration and creativity.

Links:
Matt Zachek - LinkedIn

PDX 2026 is October 20-21 in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more and register at https://pdexpo.engineer/

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

S5E6 Alex Anderson & Lilly Macaruso | Rivian & The Rebelle Rally Feb 09, 2024

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Alex and Lilly are engineers at Rivian who recently competed in and won the 2022 Rebelle Rally, the longest off-road navigation rally in the US. They discussed their experience in the rally, engineering behind Rivian vehicles, and women in STEM.

Main Topics:

Details of the Rebelle Rally competition and challenges
Engineering aspects that helped/hindered using an EV in the rally
Training process and balancing work/life as engineers
Relationship with their Rivian vehicle over the 8-day rally
Favorite things about Rivian vehicles and the brand

About the guests: Alex Anderson and Lilly Macaruso are both engineers at Rivian, an innovative automotive company specializing in electric vehicles, and known for its commitment to sustainability and cutting-edge technology in the EV market. They recently competed in the Rebelle Rally, which is the longest off-road rally in the United States, an eight-day, 1,600-mile test not of speed but of endurance, technical driving and precision navigation using only a map and compass.

Links:
Alex Anderson - LinkedIn
Rivian website

PDX 2026 is October 20-21 in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more and register at https://pdexpo.engineer/

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

S5E5 Tom Kress | Medical Device Engineering Leaders 6 Feb 02, 2024

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Tom Kress discusses his career path in medical device engineering and leadership. He shares insights on developing successful engineers and teams, challenges in the industry, and a vision for the future of medical devices with AI.

Main Topics:

Career paths and skills for engineers
Leadership challenges and politics in the workplace
Trends in medical device manufacturing and the future of AI
Technical skills and habits of top engineers

About the guest: Tom Kress has been in the product design & development space for over 15 years. A creative and results-oriented Engineering leader, Tom’s contributions include problem-solving, analytical, and technical skills and a strong ability to lead cross-functional teams in medical and technical industries from concept to feasibility.

Links:
Tom Kress - LinkedIn

PDX 2026 is October 20-21 in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more and register at https://pdexpo.engineer/

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

S5E4 Mark Ross | Medical Device Engineering Leaders 5 Jan 26, 2024

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We discuss Mark's career journey and lessons learned from over two decades in leadership roles. He shares insights on problem-solving, industry trends, keys to success, and advice for career progression.

Main Topics

Problem-solving skills and tools like DMAIC
Trends like outsourcing challenges and regulatory burdens
Keys to success, such as collaboration and extra responsibilities
Career advice focusing on strong job fits

About the guest: Mark Ross has been leading operations and manufacturing teams for 20 years. His recent roles include manufacturing manager at Medtronic and director of manufacturing at Endologix, where he led, coached, problem-solved, and performed continuous improvement activities in hi-tech medical devices.

Links:
Mark Ross - LinkedIn

PDX 2026 is October 20-21 in Phoenix, AZ. Learn more and register at https://pdexpo.engineer/

Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday.

Watch the show on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@TeamPipelineus

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