Being an Engineer

Elif Miskioglu | The Science of How to Build Engineering Intuition

Send us Fan Mail Elif Miskioğlu is an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at Bucknell University and a scholar of engineering education. She holds a B.S. in Chemical and Biological Engineering with a genetics minor from Iowa State University, along with an M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University. At Bucknell, she has taught courses including separations, senior design, technical and professional communication, mass and energy balances, and thermodynamics. Elif’s early technical research focused on bacterial biosensors capable of screening pesticides that target Anopheles gambiae, the mosquito species associated with malaria transmission. That work, combined with exposure to infectious disease and epidemiology, shaped her interest in the broader context surrounding engineering problems: who they affect, how solutions are used, and what engineers need to understand beyond the purely technical details. Today, Elif’s scholarship centers on how engineers develop from novices into experts, with a special focus on engineering intuition. Her work explores how engineers learn to judge whether a solution is reasonable, predict outcomes, make decisions under uncertainty, and connect formal analysis with experience-based judgment. In 2025, she received a five-year, $650,000 NSF CAREER Award for her project “It’s Not Sorcery, It’s Skill,” which investigates how professional and personal experiences shape the way engineers use intuition in practice. What makes Elif’s work especially relevant to practicing engineers is her commitment to bridging the gap between education theory and day-to-day engineering practice. She is not only studying how engineers think; she is working to help educators and industry leaders better cultivate the judgment, communication, and problem-solving habits that young engineers need to become effective professionals. LINKS: Elif Miskioğlu LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elif-miskio%C4%9Flu-649b7135/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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Antonio Valadez & Nate Post | Building Better Engineers Through Better Leadership

Send us Fan Mail Nate Post and Antonio “Tony” Valadez bring decades of combined experience leading engineering, manufacturing, continuous improvement, and new product introduction efforts within the medical-device industry. Nate currently serves as Director of New Product Introduction at Edwards Lifesciences, where his career has progressed through manufacturing leadership and NPI roles. Outside of medical devices, he is the founder of Blue Collar Blades, where he handcrafts knives and other tools—a side of his career that combines engineering curiosity, craftsmanship, and entrepreneurship. Tony has spent roughly 30 years in manufacturing, with extensive experience in manufacturing engineering, process improvement, design transfer, validation, lean manufacturing, and engineering leadership. After holding senior engineering leadership roles across the medical-device industry, he recently founded Nexcellence Engineering Solutions, where he provides consulting and training services to regulated manufacturers. But the connection between Nate and Tony goes deeper than a shared industry. Earlier in their careers, Tony managed Nate during his time in R&D pilot manufacturing. Nate remembers Tony telling him that his job as a leader wasn't to change Nate's leadership style to resemble his own, but to help refine it and bring out the best version of the leader Nate already was. That philosophy left a lasting impression and became part of the reason Nate wanted to introduce Tony to the Being An Engineer community. In this conversation, Nate, Tony, and Aaron explore engineering leadership through the lens of an actual mentor-mentee relationship: how leaders recognize potential, give people meaningful opportunities, build trust, provide difficult feedback, and develop the capabilities their organizations will need in the future. They also discuss why technical organizations can’t separate people development from business performance—and how engineers can become leaders without losing the qualities that made them effective engineers in the first place. LINKS: Nate Post LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nate-post/ Antonio “Tony” Valadez LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antonio-valadez-946621356/ Guest website: https://nexcellence-engineering--91l1gak.gamma.site/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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Jacob Evink | From CAD to Mechanical Curiosity: Student Engineer Spotlight

Send us Fan Mail Jacob Evink is a mechanical engineering student at Western Michigan University with interests in mechanical design, robotics, manufacturing, and product development. Rather than waiting until graduation to begin practicing engineering, Jacob is actively developing projects that allow him to apply CAD, prototyping, electronics, and mechanical problem-solving to real-world challenges. His industry experience has already exposed him to several sides of the product-development process. During an engineering design internship, Jacob created and modified CAD models, prepared manufacturing drawings, supported prototype development and testing, participated in design reviews, and collaborated with cross-functional engineering teams. He now works in a high-volume injection-molding environment, where he operates production machinery, performs quality inspections, and troubleshoots problems that can affect production. Outside of work and school, Jacob is building an online engineering community by sharing his projects and lessons publicly. His content includes not only successful results, but also the mistakes, failed ideas, and repeated iterations that are often responsible for the greatest amount of learning. Jacob also serves in a leadership role as a founding member of a fraternity chapter at Western Michigan University. As he continues through his engineering education, he is developing a perspective that combines technical curiosity, hands-on manufacturing experience, leadership, and a willingness to learn in public. LINKS: Jacob Evink LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacob-evink-b67b12353/ Jacob Evink Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gruff.makes?utm_source=qr Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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Robert States | How Engineers Can Thrive in Corporate R&D

Send us Fan Mail Robert States is Vice President of Technical Services at Cormica Medical Device & Pharmaceutical Testing, where he supports clients across medical device, pharmaceutical, and combination product testing. His work spans development strategy, risk management, testing strategy, process development, supply chain optimization, and regulatory-minded technical problem solving. Cormica’s announcement of his appointment highlighted his role in strengthening global technical services across UK, US, and EU laboratories. Before joining Cormica, Rob spent more than 20 years at Stress Engineering Services, where he held leadership roles across medical device and pharma, consumer products, strategic client engagement, and consulting. Stress Engineering’s medical and pharmaceutical practice focuses on product design, analysis, testing, failure analysis, material science, packaging, manufacturing support, reliability, and regulatory-grade engineering solutions—areas that align closely with Rob’s career-long focus on helping organizations solve difficult technical and business problems. Rob’s technical foundation is in plastics engineering, supported by an MBA from Ashland University and a BS in Plastics Engineering from Penn State. Over his career, he has worked across companies including Procter & Gamble, Newell Brands, Stress Engineering Services, Accelitek, and now Cormica. His experience gives him a rare perspective that bridges hands-on engineering, product development, failure remediation, consulting, business strategy, and executive-level technical leadership. A central theme of this conversation is how engineers can thrive in corporate R&D environments. Rob wants to explore the intersection of budgeting, project success, layoffs, and business performance—and how engineers can use that understanding to make better decisions, protect their careers, and create more value for their organizations. Rather than treating corporate realities as distractions from engineering, Rob sees them as forces engineers can learn to understand and navigate. LINKS: Robert States LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/plasticpro/ Cormica Website: https://www.cormica.com/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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Michael Brooks | How BayCath Medical Is Rethinking Catheter Development

Send us Fan Mail Michael Brooks is the founder and CEO of BayCath Medical, a Silicon Valley medical-device company specializing in the design, development, and contract manufacturing of catheter-based products. BayCath was created to give startups and fast-moving R&D teams a more collaborative manufacturing partner—one capable of supporting rapid prototyping, iterative development, pilot production, and smoother transfers into manufacturing. Michael launched BayCath after seeing catheter development lead times grow and watching delays interfere with customer timelines. His vision is to create an environment where engineers, physicians, and manufacturing specialists can work closely together, explore multiple solutions, and make informed design decisions without wasting valuable time or capital. Before becoming a founder, Michael held program management, engineering, and manufacturing roles throughout the medical-device industry. Across those positions, he gained experience in braided and coiled catheters, material selection, process development, design for manufacturing, validation, manufacturing transfers, fixture development, supplier management, and regulatory support. He also led high-priority customer programs, helped establish project-management processes, and coordinated complex work across technical, operational, and customer-facing teams. Michael earned his bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of California, Davis, along with a minor in technology management. His career has placed him at the intersection of hands-on engineering, customer communication, program leadership, and entrepreneurship—giving him a valuable perspective on what it takes to move medical-device ideas from early prototypes toward production and, ultimately, patient care. LINKS: Michael Brooks LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micbrooks10/ BayCath Website: https://www.baycath.com/ Innovation Week: https://www.baycath.com/workshops MedTech Bay Area Networking LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/medtech-bay-area/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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Tony Kelbert | Authenticity, Engineering, and the Business of Manufacturing

Send us Fan Mail Tony Kelbert is a mechanical engineer, manufacturing strategist, and Chief Burrito Officer at AeroGrowth, an organization focused on helping precision manufacturers pursue and win the right aerospace and defense work. Drawing on experience from both the OEM and supplier sides of the industry, Tony helps manufacturers better understand positioning, quoting, customer relationships, and the realities of selling into complex aerospace supply chains. Tony began his engineering career at a defense vehicle manufacturer, where he designed lightweight, durable components for severe-duty military vehicles, managed mass properties for a weight-sensitive program, and led a team of designers. He later spent several years at a major aerospace company, designing medical oxygen systems for transport aircraft and lightweight structural components for VIP aircraft interiors while serving as a liaison between engineering and manufacturing. His career eventually expanded beyond traditional product design. Tony moved into manufacturing business development, worked as a senior mechanical engineer at a product development firm, and became a venture advisor focused on manufacturing. These experiences gave him a broader view of how technical capabilities, customer selection, pricing, sales, and company culture affect the long-term health of a manufacturing business. Tony is also the managing partner of goodthink labs, where he uses engineering analysis, experiments, storytelling, and occasional unnecessary inventions to make technical subjects more engaging. He earned his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Minnesota and now brings together engineering experience, business strategy, curiosity, and humor to help manufacturers build businesses worth owning. LINKS: Tony Kelbert LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonykelbert Tony Kelbert website: https://aerogrowthllc.com/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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S7E33 Sam Thomason | The Black Magic of Nano-Machining

Send us Fan Mail Sam Thomason’s career sits at the intersection of technical sales, manufacturing automation, Japanese business culture, and advanced machining. With more than 14 years of experience in CNC machinery, factory automation, and industrial robotics, Sam has worked across the U.S., Japan, and Australia helping manufacturers evaluate and adopt technologies that improve productivity, safety, and competitiveness. He is currently National Sales Manager for Shibaura Machine Company, America’s Nano Processing division, where he is responsible for U.S. sales strategy and customer development around the UVM Series ultra-precision machining platforms. His work involves helping engineering, R&D, tooling, and executive teams define applications, validate processes, and qualify advanced nano-machining capabilities for industries such as optics, photonics, medical devices, semiconductor-adjacent manufacturing, and high-precision moldmaking. Shibaura describes the UVM Series as high-precision machining centers built around high-speed, high-quality machining with high-precision aerostatic bearing spindles, with applications in precision molds, automotive lighting, lenses, smartphone frames, LED packaging molds, and precision parts machining. Before joining Shibaura Machine, Sam held roles in automation, robotics, machine tools, and business development with organizations including Workr Labs, Yuasa International, Konica Minolta Australia, SE4, and TAKAMAZ. His early career included working in Japan as an application engineer and technical sales/cutting engineer at TAKAMAZ, giving him a practical foundation in CNC programming, machining applications, and communicating technical details across cultures. Sam’s background also includes robotics and teleoperation, including work with SE4 in Tokyo, where he helped demonstrate latency-resilient robotic teleoperation software and even supported a live international demo operating a dual-arm robot in Tokyo from Abu Dhabi despite more than 30 seconds of video lag. That experience gives him a broad perspective on where automation is headed, from industrial robotics to ultra-precision machining. For this conversation, Sam wants to focus on non-traditional machining topics such as non-machining, diamond turning, and hard milling. His perspective should be especially valuable for engineers who want to understand where conventional manufacturing assumptions break down, when ultra-precision equipment changes the process equation, and how technologies like diamond turning and hard milling can open new possibilities in optics, tooling, molds, medical components, and advanced manufacturing. LINKS: Sam Thomason LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-thomason/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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S7E32 Steven Szymeczek | From Taking Things Apart to Teaching Engineers How to Build

Send us Fan Mail Steven Szymeczek joins the podcast to share a career shaped by curiosity, hands-on learning, and a willingness to explore new opportunities. He traces his path from taking apart gadgets as a child to manufacturing crop-duster components early in his career, designing aircraft interiors, and eventually launching his own product development business. Steven and Aaron discuss the realities of moving from engineering into entrepreneurship, including learning how to communicate with customers, build a dependable network of manufacturing partners, price projects appropriately, and avoid overextending yourself to win the wrong work. Steven also shares the story of an early product-development client whose invention eventually appeared on Shark Tank, along with the lessons he learned about translating an entrepreneur’s vision into a manufacturable product. The conversation also explores the rapid evolution of additive manufacturing, from the unreliable desktop printers of the early days to today’s fast, accessible systems. Steven explains the differences between technologies such as Multi Jet Fusion and selective laser sintering, why polymer powder-bed fusion is becoming more accessible, and how rapid prototyping enables engineers to fail early, learn quickly, and improve designs faster. Finally, Steven describes his work at Boise State University, where he teaches additive manufacturing and leads a product development lab that gives students experience working on real client projects. From 3D-printed combat robots to medical devices and entrepreneurial product concepts, Steven is helping the next generation of engineers build practical skills, embrace experimentation, and enter their careers with meaningful hands-on experience. LINKS: Steven Szymeczek LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-m-szymeczek-0a33608a/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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S7E31 Stanley Leong | Engineering Your Finances: A Former Electrical Engineer’s Guide to Building Wealth

Send us Fan Mail Stanley C. Leong brings an unusual and highly relevant perspective to the world of engineering career development: he started as an engineer, then built a second career helping engineers manage the wealth and financial complexity that can come with technical success. He earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from Cornell University before working in chip design roles at IBM and Agilent Technologies. That early engineering background still shapes how Stanley approaches financial planning today. As a private wealth advisor and founder of Wisdom Pointe Wealth Advisors, he focuses on working with engineers and executives at high-tech companies, using what his Ameriprise profile describes as an analytical and process-driven approach to financial planning. His expertise includes areas that are especially relevant to technical professionals, such as concentrated stock positions, workplace benefits, retirement income planning, tax-aware strategies, and behavioral finance. Stanley is also the author of Engineering Your Finances: The Tech Professional’s Roadmap to Financial Success, a guide written specifically for high-earning technology professionals. The book draws from his own experience in the tech industry, including the volatility he witnessed firsthand after being laid off shortly after buying his first home — a moment that helped shape his understanding of risk, planning, and financial resilience. For the Being An Engineer audience, Stanley’s story opens up a practical and often under-discussed conversation: how engineers can apply the same discipline they use in product development, systems thinking, risk analysis, and optimization to their own financial lives. His career is also a compelling example of how technical training can translate into a completely different profession while still remaining central to the way someone thinks, solves problems, and serves others. LINKS: Stanley C. Leong LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stanleycleong/ Engineering Your Finances website: https://www.engineeringyourfinancesbook.com/ 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. 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

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S7E30 Steve Riley | Small Improvements, Big ROI: Lessons from the Factory Floor

Send us Fan Mail Steve Riley brings a unique perspective to Being An Engineer because he is not an engineer by title, but he has spent his career working directly in the environments where engineering, operations, manufacturing, and continuous improvement have to come together. His background spans plant leadership, program management, operations management, engineering management, injection molding, medical products, carbon fiber manufacturing, dental equipment, and Lean/5S implementation. Steve is currently Chief Organization Officer at Bespoke, a company that helps continuous improvement professionals achieve tool control through custom shadowboards and tool organization systems. Bespoke’s work is focused on making 5S and Lean practices easier to sustain in real production environments, where missing tools, unclear standards, and inconsistent follow-through can quietly erode productivity over time. Earlier in his career, Steve held leadership roles at Innovative Composite Engineering, Forest Dental Products, Freeport-McMoRan’s Kinetics Metal Injection Molding operation, GM Nameplate, Nypro, and Precision Laboratory Plastics. Across those roles, he has worked close to the factory floor in areas such as program launches, operations leadership, high-volume molding, medical device manufacturing support, and press-side automation. For this episode, Steve wants to focus on continuous improvement and ways to make projects deliver long-term ROI. That is a valuable angle for engineers because many technical projects succeed in the short term but fail to become part of the organization’s daily operating system. Steve’s perspective centers on leadership behavior, standards, team ownership, and practical systems that keep improvement alive after the excitement of the initial project has worn off. A recent Lean Solutions Podcast episode featuring Steve highlighted this exact theme: Lean breaks down when standards become optional, and leadership behavior often matters more than the tools themselves. LINKS: Steve Riley's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevejriley/ Bespoke website: https://bespoketooltrays.com/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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PDX 2026 Tickets Are 50% Off August 3–7

Send us Fan Mail PDX 2026 is October 20-21 in Phoenix, AZ. Attendee tickets are 50% off August 3-7 only. Learn more and register at https://pdexpo.engineer/ Subscribe to the show to get notified so you don't miss new episodes every Friday. 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

S7E29 Heylands Lowry| Building an Engineering Culture of Continuous Improvement

Send us Fan Mail Heylands Lowry is a globally experienced continuous improvement and operational excellence leader with deep expertise in Lean manufacturing, Six Sigma, and organizational transformation. Over the course of his career, he has helped companies across medical devices, aerospace, and manufacturing build sustainable systems that improve efficiency while strengthening culture and employee engagement. Known for his ability to connect with people at every level of an organization, Heylands focuses not just on process improvement, but on creating lasting behavioral and cultural change. Most recently, Heylands served as Director of Continuous Improvement at Intuitive, where he developed and deployed company-wide Lean and Six Sigma training initiatives that reached hundreds of employees across multiple events and workshops. His work included embedding DMAIC methodologies and Lean principles into core business processes while mentoring cross-functional teams on strategic improvement initiatives. One notable achievement involved reducing a surgeon payment cycle from three months down to fewer than five business days. Prior to Intuitive, Heylands spent nearly fifteen years at Edwards Lifesciences, where he held leadership roles focused on business excellence and Lean deployment. During that time, he led numerous high-impact initiatives, including productivity improvements, throughput increases, inventory optimization, and multimillion-dollar Six Sigma projects. His contributions earned him repeated recognition as Top Talent within the organization, a distinction reserved for fewer than ten percent of employees. Earlier in his career, Heylands led process improvement initiatives at Panasonic Avionics Corporation and served as a Six Sigma Champion at ITT Industries, where he was selected as one of only 48 employees out of 9,000 for advanced Six Sigma leadership training. Across these roles, he helped organizations streamline operations, prioritize high-value projects, and create scalable infrastructures for continuous improvement. In this conversation, we explore what it really takes to sustain continuous improvement efforts inside large organizations, why cultural buy-in matters more than most leaders realize, and how engineers and technical professionals can become more effective problem solvers, mentors, and change agents inside their teams. LINKS: Heylands Lowry LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heylands-lowry-64211a99/ Heylands Lowry website: https://www.intuitive.com/en-us Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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S7E28 Justin Rittenhouse | What Engineering School Doesn’t Teach You About Industry

Send us Fan Mail Justin Rittenhouse is a mechanical engineer, educator, and industry leader whose career sits at the intersection of advanced engineering analysis, manufacturing innovation, and mentorship. With a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and degrees in Aerospace Engineering, Justin has built a strong technical foundation in structural mechanics, computational methods, and advanced simulation tools such as FEA and DEM. His academic journey is complemented by hands-on expertise in programming, material testing, and product development. Professionally, Justin has spent more than 11 years in industry, including roles with Fortune 500 companies, where he has led projects from early concept through commercialization. His experience spans designing custom cable assemblies for defense and commercial applications, developing automated testing systems using embedded hardware like Arduino, and leading the creation of high-efficiency manufacturing lines that significantly improved throughput. In addition to his industry work, Justin has a strong passion for teaching and mentorship. He has served as both an assistant professor and instructor of mechanical engineering, where he taught CAD, FEA, manufacturability, and material testing, while also leading senior design programs and advising student engineering teams. His ability to translate complex technical concepts into practical, real-world understanding has made him a valuable guide for aspiring engineers navigating their early careers. Justin is also the author of Secret Keys to a STEM Degree, where he shares actionable strategies for succeeding in demanding technical programs—focusing not just on studying harder, but on thinking differently, avoiding common pitfalls, and building the habits that lead to long-term success. Drawing from his own experiences, including overcoming personal challenges such as being born with a cleft lip and palate, Justin brings a deeply human perspective to engineering—one rooted in resilience, growth, and continuous improvement. Today, Justin is driven by a mission to help engineers better understand what the profession truly looks like, how to transition effectively from school to industry, and how to build confidence in the face of uncertainty. His work bridges theory and practice, offering practical insights that engineers can apply immediately to their careers. LINKS: Justin Rittenhouse LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-rittenhouse-phd/ Justin Rittenhouse website: https://justinrittenhousephd.com/ Buy Justin’s book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/04FtX62u Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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S7E27 Daniel Kurnianto | The Engineering Journey Behind the World's First Electronic Coffee Tamper

Send us Fan Mail Daniel Kurnianto has built his career at the intersection of mechatronics, lab automation, product management, and hands-on mechanical design. With more than 19 years at Formulatrix, he has led and contributed to the development of high-precision life science instruments, including crystallography and liquid-handling platforms used in research and pharmaceutical environments. His experience spans full product lifecycle work: concept development, detailed engineering, injection-molded consumables, motion control, fluidics, manufacturing, assembly, field support, and global customer deployment. At Formulatrix, Daniel’s work has included products like the NT8 Drop Setter and the F.A.S.T. Liquid Handling Platform, where he has combined deep technical fluency with product and team leadership. His background includes micro-scale injection molding, positive displacement liquid handling, fluidic manifolds, precision mechanisms, embedded systems, and DFMEA/GD&T-driven design reviews. That combination gives him a rare perspective: he is not only thinking about whether a design works in CAD, but whether it can be manufactured, assembled, maintained, supported, demonstrated, and improved over time. Outside of Formulatrix, Daniel is the inventor and founder of BOSeTAMPER, a handheld automatic electronic espresso tamper designed and engineered in Boston. The product is described as compact, battery powered, portable, and designed to deliver consistent, repeatable tamping pressure without requiring baristas or home users to apply that force manually. BOSeTAMPER won a Red Dot Product Design Award in 2024, and the public BOSeTAMPER site now highlights the availability of the new 3rd Generation 58mm PRO model with wireless charging and a travel case. For this episode, Daniel will take us inside the engineering journey behind the new 3rd Generation BOSeTAMPER. Rather than just talking about the finished product, the conversation will explore what changed from earlier versions, why some designs that look impressive on paper may not be the right designs for production, and how Daniel thinks about simplifying a product so it becomes faster, cheaper, and easier to machine, assemble, ship, and support. Daniel also brings a provocative engineering point of view from his work in high-end lab automation: in some systems, he cares more about precision than accuracy. That idea opens the door to a deeper discussion about real-world instrumentation, repeatability, customer expectations, cost, manufacturing reality, and how experienced engineers decide what matters most when a product has to survive outside the lab, outside the CAD screen, and in the hands of real users. LINKS: Daniel Kurnianto LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielkurnianto/ BOSeTAMPER website: https://bosetamper.com/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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S7E26 Paul Vizzio | From Prototype to Product: How Paul Vizzio Engineered RemieDog Into a Real Hardware Business

Send us Fan Mail Paul Vizzio is a seasoned hardware engineering leader with deep expertise in building complex electromechanical systems and scaling them from early prototypes to full production. Currently serving as Director of Hardware Engineering at Proteus Motion, Paul led the end-to-end development of a patented 3D resistance training system that has been deployed in more than 400 locations across the U.S. and Canada. His leadership spanned the full product lifecycle—from system architecture and CAD design to manufacturing, supply chain development, and field deployment—culminating in a dramatic cost reduction to approximately 20% of the original prototype while improving assembly efficiency and scalability. Paul’s career reflects a strong ability to operate at both the startup and production scale levels. He has built and led cross-functional teams, driven design-for-manufacturing initiatives, and delivered production-ready systems on aggressive timelines, including bringing initial production units to market in under a year. His work consistently focuses on simplifying complexity—whether through system architecture decisions, supplier strategy, or thoughtful engineering tradeoffs. In addition to his work at Proteus, Paul is the founder of RemieDog, a direct-to-consumer hardware brand, and Vizeng, a consultancy that helps startups accelerate product development from concept to production. Through these ventures, he has worked hands-on across prototyping, injection molding, supplier sourcing, and go-to-market strategy—giving him a well-rounded perspective on both engineering and business execution. Paul is also deeply committed to the broader engineering community. He co-organizes a New York–based hardware meetup with over 14,000 members, serves as a visiting lecturer at Cornell Tech, and has been recognized as one of ASME’s Top 25 Early Career Engineers. Across all his work, Paul brings a practical, execution-focused mindset to hardware development—bridging the gap between ambitious ideas and real-world, manufacturable products. LINKS: Paul Vizzio LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-vizzio/ RemieDog website: https://remiedog.com/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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S7E25 Yesenia Avellaneda | Engineering, Medicine, and Manufacturing Leadership

Send us Fan Mail Yesenia Avellaneda is an engineering leader whose career sits at the intersection of innovation, operations, and impact. Currently a Senior Project Engineer within Global Operations at Abbott, she has built a reputation for turning complex ideas into scalable, high-performing manufacturing systems. From leading New Product Introduction (NPI) efforts to executing international production transfers and launching entirely new facilities, Yesenia thrives where strategy meets execution. Her work has had measurable impact. She has led capital projects exceeding $5 million, driven production efficiency improvements, and implemented Lean manufacturing and Six Sigma methodologies to enhance quality and throughput. In one role, she helped boost line productivity by 200%, all while overseeing teams of 60+ personnel and ensuring compliance with rigorous FDA and regulatory standards . Her ability to align cross-functional teams—from product development to operations—has made her a key driver of successful product launches and operational excellence. Yesenia’s academic foundation reflects her human-centered approach to engineering. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Human Physiology from the University of Oregon and later completed a master’s in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Portland. This unique combination allows her to bridge the gap between clinical needs and engineering solutions—an essential skill in the medical device industry. Beyond her technical and leadership accomplishments, Yesenia is deeply committed to giving back. As Regional Vice President for SHPE Region 6 and a longtime advocate for underrepresented communities in STEM, she actively works to create inclusive pathways for future engineers. She’s also an experienced speaker, sharing insights on leadership, career growth, and navigating STEM as a first-generation professional. In this conversation, Yesenia brings a rare perspective—one that combines hands-on engineering, large-scale operational leadership, and a mission-driven approach to making a broader impact in both industry and community. Yesenia’s microphone had a slight delay during recording, so you may notice some minor timing lags throughout the conversation. We apologize for the delays and appreciate your patience. LINKS: Yesenia Avellaneda LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yesenia-avellaneda/ https://shpe.org/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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S7E24 Larry Copponi | The Most Important Skill To Get Hired As An Engineer

Send us Fan Mail For more than 40 years, Larry Copponi has been working at the intersection of engineering talent and product innovation. Today, he serves as Vice President of Staffing Solutions at Spanner Product Development, where he helps companies across industries assemble the engineering teams they need to bring complex products to life. Larry’s work spans sectors including consumer electronics, robotics, renewable energy, life sciences, and medical devices. His team specializes in placing highly skilled professionals—mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, product designers, industrial designers, and quality engineers—into organizations that are racing to transform ideas into real-world products. By deeply understanding both the technical landscape and the people who power it, Larry plays a critical role in helping companies scale their engineering capabilities. Before joining Spanner, Larry spent more than 14 years as Division Manager at Pro Source Inc., supporting companies with contract engineering talent and CAD professionals to keep product development projects on schedule. Earlier in his career, he helped build recruiting and sales teams at TriMech Solutions, where he launched new recruiting initiatives focused on engineering and technical sales professionals. Across decades in the recruiting and staffing industry, Larry has built a reputation for understanding the real needs of engineering organizations—matching the right talent to the right challenges and helping companies deliver products to market faster. His career offers a rare vantage point on how engineering teams evolve, how companies compete for talent, and what separates organizations that build strong technical cultures from those that struggle to grow. In this conversation, Larry shares lessons from decades of working alongside engineering leaders, insights into the hiring challenges facing technical organizations today, and practical advice for both companies looking to build great teams and engineers navigating their careers. LINKS: Larry Copponi LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-copponivpstaffingsolutionsspannerpd/ Spanner Website: https://www.spannerpd.com/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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S7E23 Jordan Kapitanoff | Screw Manufacturing, LEAN Processes, and Investing for Engineers

Send us Fan Mail Jordan Kapitanoff is a mechanical engineer by training and a transformation leader by practice. A graduate of Kettering University with a BSME and an MBA from Aurora University, Jordan built his career at the intersection of engineering, operations, and culture change. Over the years, he has consistently stepped into roles where systems, teams, and processes needed elevation — and delivered measurable results. At Bison Gear & Engineering, Jordan moved from Application Engineer to Innovator, and later to Supervisor of Quality Innovation and Sustainability Engineering Manager. There, he led initiatives grounded in A3 problem solving, DMAIC, and lean thinking — not just to fix problems, but to transform how teams approached quality and continuous improvement. He also launched a new innovation and product development consulting division inside the organization, demonstrating an entrepreneurial drive even within established companies. His leadership continued to evolve at G&W Electric and later at tmax Group, where he served in operations excellence and operations management roles. Across these organizations, Jordan focused on production management, lean process improvement, and aligning communication across departments — recognizing that operational excellence is just as much about people as it is about process. Today, Jordan is channeling that experience into entrepreneurship. As Co-Founder of CoForge Technologies LLC and Head Coach at Thinking Kap Personal and Career Coaching, he works at the convergence of operational performance and personal leadership development. With a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from Villanova University and service as a board member of The Association for Manufacturing Excellence (AME), Jordan continues to advocate for systems thinking, continuous improvement, and empowering professionals to take ownership of their growth. LINKS: Jordan Kapitanoff LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-kapitanoff-5b821817/ CoForge Website: https://www.coforge.com/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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S7E22 Amelia Howe | Developing Medical Device Injectrodes for Pain Reduction, & Project Management Best Practices

Send us Fan Mail Amelia Howe is a biomedical engineer and R&D project manager whose career spans startups, research labs, and established medical device companies. She currently leads cross-functional development programs at COLTENE, where she coordinates teams across engineering, quality, regulatory, and manufacturing to bring new medical devices from concept to international launch. Amelia’s journey into engineering began with a pivotal shift early in her academic career. While studying at The University of Akron, she transitioned from nursing to biomedical engineering after discovering the field through biomechanics research. Working in Dr. Brian Davis’s lab, she contributed to innovative research on shear forces and biomechanics, helping analyze how human movement affects pressure and stress on the body. After graduating summa cum laude, Amelia joined Neuronoff, Inc. as its first employee. In the fast-moving startup environment, she wore nearly every hat imaginable—conducting research, developing prototypes, establishing quality systems, and contributing to core patents. She played a key role in the early development of the Injectrode neuromodulation technology while helping build the company’s quality management system toward ISO 13485 compliance. Over time, Amelia gravitated toward project leadership, recognizing that even highly talented engineers need structured coordination to ensure complex products make it through development. She moved into project management roles, overseeing multiple technical programs simultaneously and aligning engineering, regulatory, and business teams around clear timelines and milestones. Today, in addition to her role at COLTENE, Amelia is launching Chrysalis Business Consulting, where she provides project management and business development support to medical device startups. With both an engineering background and an MBA from Quantic School of Business and Technology, she brings a rare perspective that blends technical depth with strategic business insight. LINKS: Amelia Howe LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ameliaehowe/ Company website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/chrysalis-business-consulting-llc/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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

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S7E21 Rod Scholl | Pro Tips from 30-Year Analyst For Accurate Simulations (FEA & CFD)

Send us Fan Mail Rod Scholl is the Founder and Principal Analyst at Epsilon FEA, an engineering services company he launched in 2008 to specialize in advanced numerical analysis and simulation-driven problem solving. With nearly two decades at the helm, Rod has built Epsilon FEA into a trusted partner for companies tackling challenging structural, thermal, and dynamic performance problems across a wide range of industries. Before founding Epsilon FEA, Rod spent over a decade at PADT, Inc. as a Specialist Engineer in Analysis. There, he led and executed FEA projects using the ANSYS toolset, supporting everything from early-stage R&D concept exploration to highly regulated FAA and DOT-certified analyses. Rod not only delivered simulations — he helped organizations implement FEA strategically, advising on licensing, training, internal resource development, and competitive advantage through simulation. Earlier in his career, Rod worked at Honeywell Aerospace, where he analyzed and redesigned turbine engine components using closed-form calculations, ANSYS FEA, and life prediction tools. His work resulted in improved component life, material cost savings, and enhanced manufacturability — grounding his simulation expertise in real-world hardware performance. Rod holds a BSME in Engineering Mechanics from Arizona State University and has built his career around one central belief: simulation is most powerful when it’s applied with engineering judgment. Through Epsilon FEA, he continues to help engineering teams reduce risk, improve product performance, and make confident, data-backed decisions. LINKS: Guest LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/epsilonfea/ Guest website: https://epsilonfea.com/ Aaron Moncur, host 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. 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