As we wrap up May, it has been another thoughtful and wide‑ranging month across the IET EngX community. From deep dives into engineering history and emerging technology challenges to open conversations around skills, wellbeing, and global impact, members have continued to share insight, experience and practical knowledge.
Here are some of our top highlights from across EngX in May.
Top Discussions This Month
The forums have been as active as ever, with conversations spanning cutting‑edge technology, career development, and practical engineering challenges.
A number of threads explored AI and digital transformation, including discussions such as Beyond hype: uncovering the critical research axes and future trajectories of AI‑driven digital transformation and Zero Trust was not built for generative AI pipelines. Should it be? These conversations reflect ongoing interest in how AI is reshaping systems, security, and enterprise environments.
Meanwhile, more hands‑on engineering topics continued to draw engagement. Threads such as Testing of drossel filter and Is a surge‑protected extension/power strip of any use without upfront SPDs? show our community’s strength in practical problem solving.
These conversations highlight the value of EngX as a peer‑to‑peer support network, where real experience and applied knowledge make a difference.
Featured Blog Posts
Engineering ambition, capability and skills
One of the standout pieces this month, Ambition vs Capability: Is the UK’s Space Vision Outpacing Its Engineering Talent?, explored a critical challenge facing the sector. This post from the IET Satellite Technical Network highlights concerns that demand for specialist skills such as RF engineering, FPGA development and DSP is outstripping supply, raising important questions about how the UK will deliver on its space ambitions.
From theory to implementation: industrial robotics in practice
A strong example of applied engineering came from the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Network webinar on implementing Industrial Robotics.
This blog and webinar from Alan Rossney walks us through a structured, real‑world approach to automation, covering:
- How to build a strong business case, including cost, efficiency and ROI considerations
- Key barriers to adoption, from resources to risk assessment
- A step‑by‑step implementation roadmap, from initial line walk through to testing and operation
- The importance of process optimisation before automation
A particularly clear takeaway is the emphasis on fundamentals. Start with processes that already work well, focus on simpler automation opportunities first, and ensure safety and feasibility are considered throughout.
Read the full blog and catch up with the On-demand webinar: A Guide to Implementing Industrial Robotics
Supporting engineers beyond the technical
A different but equally important theme came through in How are you feeling? How Foothold’s free tool can support your mental health. This post from the team at Foothold encouraged reflection on wellbeing within engineering culture and highlighted practical tools to help individuals better understand and manage their mental health.
Engineering for global impact
In Call for abstracts: Appropriate Healthcare Technologies for Low‑Resource Settings (AHT 2026), the focus shifted to global challenges. This post from the IET Healthcare Technologies Network invites contributions on designing healthcare technologies that work effectively in low‑resource environments, emphasising real‑world constraints such as infrastructure, funding and workforce limitations. If you're looking to submit an abstract, make sure you email it across to Lynsay Callaghan lcallaghan@theiet.org by 14th August 2026
Thank You to Our Contributors
Thank you to everyone who contributed to EngX in May, whether by starting a discussion, writing a blog, or sharing expertise in the forums. Your willingness to engage, challenge assumptions, and support others is what makes this community so valuable.
Get Involved in June!
If you have been reading but not yet contributing, now is a great time to get involved:
- Share a challenge you are working on
- Contribute your perspective to an ongoing discussion
- Write and submit a blog on a topic you are passionate about
Every contribution helps us to build a stronger, more connected engineering community.
