Inspiring Tomorrow’s Engineers

Biomedical engineers improve health and healthcare using the principles of engineering. “Smart biomedical microsystems are tiny devices that monitor, diagnose or even treat medical conditions,” says Professor Benoit Gosselin. “They are ‘smart’ due to their ability to sense and process physiological signals and respond intelligently, thanks to embedded electronics, sensors and AI.” Benoit and his team are ushering in the next generation of highly personalised biomedical devices, developing devices such as smart prosthetic hands and spinal implants.

Chemical engineering:

Chemical engineering is the study of how to use chemistry and engineering to make useful products on a large scale. Chemical engineer Dr María González Alriols and applied chemist Dr Mirari Antxustegi Bengoetxea are studying how biorefinery technologies can transform agricultural waste and by-products into valuable resources that can benefit industries and the planet. “I am passionate about biorefinery processes because they enable the transformation of waste into valuable resources, promoting a more circular and efficient use of materials,” says María.

Geotechnical engineering:

Geotechnical engineering is a branch of civil engineering that studies how earth materials, such as soil and rock, behave. “Geotechnical engineering offers a fantastic balance between field and office life,” says Dr Renato Macciotta. “If you like being out in nature and assessing real things, but also enjoy flexing your analytical, technical and imaginative skills in the office, then it could be for you.” Renato is using remote sensing technologies to address the challenges of keeping train lines safe from environmental hazards like landslides in hard-to-reach regions.

Industrial engineering:

Industrial engineering involves the design, operation and continuous improvement of industrial processes, in particular optimising complex systems. “Industrial engineering can be applied to any complex system where people and technologies interact, which is intrinsically rewarding,” says Professor Jean-Marc Frayret. Jean-Marc is using advanced ‘digital twin’ simulations and other industrial engineering techniques to research how technologies such as drones, flying taxis and vertiports could move from science fiction to reality.

Infrastructure systems engineering:

Infrastructure is all around us. Roads, electricity, water, public services and health networks are all systems that keep society running. “Infrastructure touches so many parts of life, which means there are many different pathways to work in this field,” says Dr Christin Salley. “You can find a career in infrastructure systems not just through engineering, but also through public health, medicine, urban planning and other fields.” Christin is researching how community resilience efforts can be optimised through the careful and effective integration of technologies into disaster preparation and response.

Nuclear engineering:

Nuclear engineering involves finding innovative methods of harnessing the energy released by nuclear reactions. Much of this work occurs at the cutting-edge of our knowledge and capabilities. “Nuclear engineering is at the forefront of solving some of the world’s biggest challenges, such as providing clean energy, enabling space exploration and advancing medical technologies,” says Dr Austin Lo. Austin is developing a groundbreaking new technology to overcome these limitations. His innovation is paving the way for compact and long-lasting nuclear energy systems, which could open new frontiers for many industries, including space exploration.

Production engineering:

“Production engineers work at the intersection of engineering, data and business,” says Benedikt Späth. “They apply digital tools such as simulation, automation and artificial intelligence to improve production systems. Production engineering has a direct and visible impact on the real world. You are not only designing ideas – you are helping to turn them into products that people use every day.” Benedikt is using computer simulations to supercharge the process of developing new batteries.

What will you achieve as an engineer?

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