Latest Insights from the EngX Community

  • Engineering the Adaptive Workspace: From Asset Maintenance to System Strategy

    Managing change in modern engineering requires a radical shift in how we look at infrastructure . For generations, the focus has been on maintaining physical buildings. Today, the true challenge lies at the intersection of workplace strategy, data-driven insights, and human centric design. As the former Head of Research and Insight at the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management (IWFM) and now working at the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) within our Local Networks, I have spent my career tracking how disruption shapes industry. The biggest disruption we face today is not a specific technology, but a fundamental change in the purpose of our workspaces. The Evolution of the Workplace The traditional office environment is no longer just a physical structure where…

    Peter Brogan
    Peter Brogan

  • Exploration vs Exploitation

    Reinforcement Learning (RL) is the branch of machine learning where an 'agent' (the actor, in an environment) learns by trying an action, observing the result, and adjusting its behaviour accordingly to achieve its goal. It is not unlike teaching a dog a new trick: the dog hears a command, tries something, and a treat either arrives or it does not, and over enough repetitions the dog works out which action gets the reward. This creates a hard engineering problem, because the agent has to decide how much to stick with actions that are already working versus how much to keep testing other options. This is a concept known as the 'exploration-exploitation trade-off'. Understandably, when you don't know what you don't know, it's tricky knowing how well you're doing and if you should change tactics…

  • Digital Detox: Is It Time to Rethink Our Relationship with Technology?

    For many of us, digital technology is woven into almost every aspect of daily life. We use it to stay in touch with colleagues, keep up with friends and family, access news, learn new skills, and manage our work. Smartphones, tablets, laptops, and wearable devices have made information more accessible than ever before. Yet while technology has undoubtedly brought enormous benefits, growing numbers of people are asking an important question: are we spending too much time connected? The idea of a "digital detox" has gained increasing attention in recent years as people look for ways to create a healthier balance between the online and offline worlds. Rather than rejecting technology altogether, a digital detox is about becoming more conscious of how, when, and why we use digital devices.…

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Latest IET EngX News

  • June Highlights on EngX: Digital twins, decarbonisation and community conversations

    June on EngX brought together a fascinating mix of future-focused thinking, practical engineering challenges and inspiring community stories. From exploring how digital twins are transforming decision-making across industries to tackling the realities of decarbonising energy-intensive sectors, members continued to share insight, experience and expertise. Alongside these technical discussions, stories celebrating engineering talent, STEM education and inclusion helped showcase the people driving our profession forward. Here’s a look at some of the content that stood out this month. Blogs worth a read Digital twins in motion: why a multi-disciplinary debate matters now Digital twins have rapidly evolved from an emerging concept into a practical engineering tool, and this blog explored…

  • AI, Engineering Skills and Real‑World Challenges: May's highlights on EngX

    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…

  • From Space Stories to Smart Systems: April on EngX

    April on EngX brought together a thoughtful mix of emerging technologies, industry insight and personal journeys. From a closer look at how 5G networks are evolving behind the scenes to fresh perspectives on the continuing influence of broadcast media, the blogs this month highlighted both the pace of change and the importance of understanding the fundamentals. Alongside these, inspiring career stories and reflections on the history of space exploration added a more human dimension, while discussions across the forums explored automation, energy systems and real‑world engineering trade‑offs. Here’s a look at some of the content that stood out this month: Blogs worth a read Massive MIMO: the brains behind 5G networks This detailed post from Soubhagya Ranjan Mohapatra explores how Massive…

    Lisa Miles
    Lisa Miles

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Latest Partner News

  • Josie Harries discusses how Domino is working to increase support for women in the workplace

    Encouraging women to choose careers in STEM subjects has been top of the agenda for many years – but what fresh ideas can you introduce within the workplace to attract and support female employees? At Domino, we are committed to improving the gender ratio in leadership roles within a business to 40% by 2030. This target, endorsed from Board level down, now stands at 25%, from a starting figure of 18%. Support networks Recently we re-launched our Women@Domino global network to promote inclusion within the business and facilitate the sharing of ideas and experiences, as well as networking, mentoring, events and training. Gender was also one of three key areas in our new Inclusion & Diversity strategy. The network is not limited to female employees; male colleagues are encouraged to participate…

  • Road to Engineering event introduces children to the world of engineering

    BAE System's Submarines Academy for Skills and Knowledge (SASK), Barrow-in-Furness successfully hosted the 6th Road to Engineering event which took place over three action-packed days. Over 200 children from the Furness area participated in the event which aims to inspire future careers in Engineering. This year's theme was 'Adapt and Change' following the British Science week theme. Supporting the event were the Institution of Engineering and Technology, the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining, Barrow District of Associate Engineers and the Royal Institute of Naval Architects who contributed valuable insight, merchandise and STEM packs for schools. Stephen Rowe, Project Director of Engineering Transformation said, "It was a privilege to attend the Road to Engineering event and…

  • H&MV Engineering appointed as principal designer and contractor for the Thorpe Marsh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS)

    H&MV Engineering has been appointed as principal designer and contractor for the delivery of the 400 kV grid connection and electrical infrastructure for the Thorpe Marsh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) – the largest of its kind in the UK and among the largest in Europe. This landmark project, led by Fidra Energy and backed by major investment from EIG and the UK Government’s National Wealth Fund (NWF), has now reached financial close with construction commencing immediately. Located on the site of the former Thorpe Marsh coal-fired power station in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, the 1,400MW / 3,100MWh facility will be capable of exporting over 2 million MWh annually, supplying clean energy to approximately 785,000 homes. Once operational in mid-2027, it will be three times larger than…

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Latest articles from E+T Magazine

  • Ground lasers could wirelessly power drones in flight

    Drones could undertake drastically longer flights using a lightweight solar receiver that generates electricity by harnessing targeted laser energy from the ground. A team from the Civil Aviation University of China placed the device on the underside of the wings of a drone. Using heat-blocking technology, the receiver converted more of the laser’s energy into usable power. “Imagine a future where drones inspecting forests, monitoring disasters, or delivering packages no longer need to land frequently to replace batteries,” said senior author Jianhua Han. “As drones take on longer missions, battery life has become one of the biggest barriers.” The technology relies on a perovskite laser cell-thermoelectric (PLC-TE) tandem device, a type of solar cell that is optimised for lasers rather…

  • Data centres face hefty fees to secure connections to the UK electricity grid

    Data centres could be forced to pay millions of pounds to Ofgem in order to secure their spot in the queue of new connections to the energy grid. The past few years have seen the number of data centres explode due to the advent of AI technologies, which has caused strain on electricity grids around the world. According to Ofgem figures, between November 2024 and June 2025 contracted demand in the connection queue increased from 41GW to 125GW, of which 73GW was attributed to data centres. For a sense of scale, peak demand in Great Britain in 2025 was 45GW. Historically, the UK grid has operated on a ‘first-come, first-served’, basis with very long wait times. Because of this, data centre developers have resorted to speculative booking. For example, a developer might want to build one 500MW…

  • Qantas completes 24-hour test flight for non-stop Australia services

    Qantas has landed one of the longest flights to date in a commercial aircraft, with a direct trip from Melbourne to Toulouse that took over 24 hours. The flight-test aircraft, which is a variant of an Airbus A350, underwent a series of tests in June to ensure it could complete the journey. Once fully deployed, it will be able to travel a distance of almost 10,000 nautical miles, enabling non-stop flights between Sydney, New York and London for the first time. This is made possible primarily by the integration into the aircraft structure of an additional rear-centre tank that increases its range by roughly 1,000 nautical miles. The aircraft also features a new galley air-cooling system with lighter, more efficient refrigeration units designed specifically for extended flights, as well as…

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