The INCOSE Podcast

Ep 8: Bryan Watson - Bio-Inspired Systems & $99 Student Access for IS 2027!

How can Amazon River turtle eggs, ant colony behavior, and submarine operations help us design more resilient systems? In the latest episode of the INCOSE Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Bryan Watson, Assistant Professor of Systems Engineering at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, founder of the Biologically Inspired Design-for-Resilience (BID4R) Lab, and Chair of the INCOSE Technical Program Committee. Key takeaways from their conversation include: ✅Lessons from the Nuclear Navy: How Dr. Watson's eight years as a submarine officer shaped his understanding of socio-technical resilience and real-world complex systems. ✅Bio-Inspired Resilience: How functional abstraction allows us to translate natural survival behaviors—like turtle egg communication and ant task reallocation—into robust algorithms for drone swarms and supply chains. ✅IS 2027 Preview: Insights into technical programming for Washington, D.C., plus details on the new $99 Student Access-Only Registration Tier (lottery opening this fall!). Whether you’re interested in autonomous swarms, system-of-systems architecture, or bridging academic research with industry practice, this episode is packed with practical insights. 🎧 Listen and follow wherever you get your favorite podcasts!

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Ep 7: Chapter Impact & Leadership with Tony Lindeman 

“I like to use the word tinker. That's really what we’ve got to replace failure with—tinkering—because we have to instill curiosity and imagination." In our latest episode, we sit down with Tony Lindeman, ESEP-Acq, PMP—former Marine Corps helicopter pilot, NASA/DoD systems engineering veteran, and Chair of the INCOSE Chapter Advisory Committee (CAC). In this wide-ranging conversation, Tony breaks down: 🔹 How the CAC ensures the voices of 70+ chapters reach the Board of Directors 🔹 Strategies for chapter growth and leadership succession 🔹 Why investing in students and early-career pros builds the future of systems engineering 🎧 Listen now wherever you get your podcasts or on the INCOSE Podcast webpage. https://www.incose.org/resources-publications/member-communications/the-incose-podcast/ #INCOSE #INCOSEPodcast #AssociationManagement #SystemsEngineering

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Ep 6: Creating a Healthier Relationship with Technology with Amber Case

Is your technology supporting your life, or just interrupting it? 🤔 In our latest episode of the INCOSE Podcast, we’re tackling a question that affects every one of us: How can we cultivate a healthier relationship with technology when everything is constantly competing for our attention? We are joined by Amber Case, cyborg anthropologist, author, and founder of the Calm Tech Institute. Amber brings a fascinating perspective on why so much of today’s technology feels exhausting and how we can shift toward a design philosophy that respects the human experience. In this episode, we explore: ✅The rise of Calm Tech: Why technology should be designed to be intuitive and invisible when in use, acting as a pass-through tool rather than a constant interruption. ✅The "Sensory Deprivation" of current design: A look at why we feel more depleted using flat-screen interfaces compared to physical tools that engage our senses and our back brain. ✅Certification for the future: Amber shares insights into the Calm Tech Institute’s work in certifying products that are imaginative, durable, and delightful, prioritizing long-term utility over short-term engagement. If you’re looking to reclaim a little more of your attention, this conversation offers actionable insights into designing a more human-centered future. 🎧 Listen to the full episode on the INCOSE website or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. #INCOSE #SystemsEngineering #CalmTech #HumanCenteredDesign #INCOSEPodcast #TechnologyEthics

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Ep 5: Rethinking Complexity with Dr. Laura Cabrera

New Episode Alert! 🎧 Rethinking Complexity with Dr. Laura Cabrera Whether you are designing complex architectures or just trying to get your kids to take out the trash, you are navigating a "wicked problem." But how aware are you of how you think? In our latest podcast episode, INCOSE sits down with Cornell researcher and author Dr. Laura Cabrera to strip away the academic jargon and make systems thinking practical for leaders and engineers alike. Key highlights from the episode include: 💡The 34,000-Person Study: Why human problem-solving teams consistently struggle with seeing relationships and taking alternative perspectives. 💡The DSRP Framework: How mastering Distinctions, Systems, Relationships, and Perspectives gives you a diagnostic toolkit for complex projects. 💡Ditching the "Root Cause" Myth: A brilliant 10-hole leaking roof analogy that proves why complex webs of causality require multi-pronged solutions, not linear thinking. Before you operationalize your next big project, tune in to discover how building a better mental model can bring clarity to your team and get your work closer to reality. 👉 Listen now on the INCOSE website and your favorite podcast platform! https://www.incose.org/resources-publications/member-communications/the-incose-podcast/ #SystemsEngineering #SystemsThinking #INCOSEPodcast #INCOSE

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Ep 4: Julia Mullaney - The Power of Engineering Quality, Data, and Facing Reality

In our latest episode, we sit down with Julia Mullaney, co-founder of Exceptional Difference, award-winning engineer, and leadership expert. From her standout career at IBM to working alongside the legendary Watts Humphrey at the Software Engineering Institute, Julia brings an incredible, data-backed perspective on bridging the gap between engineering theory and daily project realities. In this candid conversation, we talk about: 👉 The "Invisible" Savings of Quality: Why investing in early design and code reviews actually saves hundreds of hours—flipping the script on the misconception that quality is expensive. 👉 Managing Schedule Pressure: How technical leaders can find the courage to face reality, establish realistic commitments, and protect engineering standards. 👉 Coaching vs. Rescuing: Why the best mentors focus on building long-term capability within their teams rather than stepping in to "fix" every problem. 👉 The AI Boom: Her take on the rapid acceleration of AI, and why architectural wisdom and design thinking matter now more than ever. Julia also shares invaluable advice for the next generation of engineers—and women entering technical leadership roles—on leading with value, relying on data as your protector, and embracing discomfort to fuel growth. 🎧 Listen to the full conversation now on the INCOSE website or your favorite podcast platform! https://www.incose.org/resources-publications/member-communications/the-incose-podcast/ #SystemsEngineering #SoftwareEngineering #TechnicalLeadership #WomenInSTEM #INCOSEPodcast #INCOSE

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Ep 3: David Schrunk - Fixing Laws: A Systems Approach

Why do societal problems like poverty and crime persist, even when countries pass laws to solve them? We often think the legislative process—drafting a bill, debating it, and enacting it—is the ultimate solution. But David Schrunk, President of the Science of Laws Institute, argues that we have it backwards. In the latest INCOSE Podcast, David explores why the traditional lawmaking method used in many nations fails to define problems, measure outcomes, or ensure effectiveness. What if we treated legislation like any other complex system? From Japan’s "Agile Governance" framework to new policy-engineering initiatives in Mongolia, countries around the world are beginning to explore how we can apply systems engineering rigor to the "system of systems" that is modern government. Learn more at www.scienceoflaws.org Listen to the full episode to hear how systems engineering can serve as a universal tool for better governance. 🎧

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Ep 2: Jimmie McEver - Complexity, Cyber Risk, and Mission Success

Are we designing systems, or are we truly thinking in systems? In the second episode of the INCOSE Podcast, we sit down with Dr. @Jimmie McEver, the Principal Scientist in the Cyber Operations Mission Area at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.  With over 20 years of experience at the intersection of national security and cyber operations, Dr. McEver brings a unique "back door" perspective—rooted in physics and public policy—to the systems engineering community. Key Takeaways from the Conversation: ✅Mastering the art of zooming between high-level stakeholder needs and granular technical details. ✅Shifting focus from technical vulnerabilities to ensuring operational success in contested environments. ✅Why the next generation of engineers must move beyond rigid methods to embrace deep uncertainty and flexibility. ✅How to manage systems that are no longer just complicated, but deeply intertwined with human behavior. Whether you are navigating AI-enabled systems or managing complex systems of systems, this episode offers a refreshing framework for building robustness in an unpredictable world. 👉 Listen to the full episode here: https://www.incose.org/resources-publications/member-communications/the-incose-podcast/

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Ep 1: Michael Watson — From NASA to INCOSE on Systems Engineering’s Next Frontier

📢We are thrilled to announce the launch of The INCOSE Podcast! To kick off our very first episode, we have the distinct honor of hosting Michael D. Watson, the new President of INCOSE and a widely respected leader in the systems engineering community. In this premiere episode, Watson dives deep into the evolving landscape of our discipline, sharing insights from his 30-year career at NASA and his vision for the future of INCOSE. What’s inside this episode: ✅How the INCOSE President balances his role at Leidos with leading the international systems engineering community. ✅A look at the "elegant system" and why systems engineers own the interactions. ✅Why we need a tool bag of six different modeling types—from physics-based to system dynamics—to handle modern complexity. ✅Understanding the critical human and organizational dimensions of engineering. ✅Moving systems engineering toward a foundation of mathematical and physical science basis. 🤝A huge thank you to Weber State University for making this debut possible.