Unprofessional Engineering

Delve into the world of welding as the hosts discuss its history and techniques, including stick welding, MIG welding, and TIG welding. Learn about different methods of holding things together before welding. Hear about MIG welding types, shielding gases, and advantages. Explore the value of trade schools and vocational education in the field of welding. Discover the necessary equipment and safety measures for welding at home.

Anyone who listens to Unprofessional Engineering probably is thinking, "Yup, James and Luke are pretty much the epitome of public speaking excellence." And you would be right. That being said, we might not be the best people to go to if you are looking to improve your own public speaking. That's where our friend Neil Thompson, founder of Teach the Geek and author of Teach the Geek to Speak, comes in. Neil Thompson is a speaker, writer, and entrepreneur. He started out his career as a product development engineer, earning bachelor’s and master’s degrees.Currently Neil has his own ideas on what makes an effective speaker, specifically for STEM professionals like himself. He has presented at SCORE San Diego, the Society for Biomaterials, and the Biomedical Engineering Society, among others. In addition to his public speaking appearances, Neil also hosts a podcast that focuses on public speaking, and he writes a weekly blog on public speaking topics. Learn More: https://teachthegeek.thinkific.com/courses/teach-the-geek-to-speak

It's here! Our first female great inventor (sorry it took so long). And how can it get any better?! Not only did Marie Curie (if that really is her name) win the Nobel Prize in Physics, but she also won it for Chemistry!! AND, her daughter bagged a Nobel Prize as well! Wow! In this episode, we walk you through her tough childhood, what got her to France in the first place, her award winning discoveries, the role she (and her daughter) played in saving lives in the World War and how her legacy lives on today.

Do you ever wonder how the weather person can get their predictions wrong half the time and still keep a job? Well, when you actually take a at all of the different science and technology that goes into those predictions, you might be a little more forgiving. Just a little. Meteorology is actually a complex field of study that requires more than just standing in front of a green screen and guessing if it will rain. I mean, some people just do that, but actual meteorologists are hardcore scientists. Satellites, radar, barometers, and even chaos theory come into play in their field of work. We take a look at everything that goes into predicting the weather, the way it was done in the past, and if we will ever get past the accuracy of Groundhog Phil.

Did you know that over 1.5 billion cell phones were purchased last year? Or that we're making over 45 tons of e-waste each year?! What is even worse, only 20% of this waste was disposed of properly. In this episode, we take a look at the options you have to recycle your electronic products, companies that will help, the current recycling process, the adverse effects that the hazardous chemicals in electronics have on your health, and how you can turn your pile of electronic junk into a fortune of gold, right at home!

We have all heard about the Challenger disaster, about something as small as a gasket failing and resulting in the explosion. But do we really know what went on in the backrooms before the disaster happened? Thanks to movie writer and director Nathan VonMinden, we get a chance to see how things shook out. Even better, TV's superman (Dean Cain) and national championship winning coach Les Miles join you for the journey! We got the chance to sit down with Nathan to learn more about The Challenger Disaster, what he learned from creating the movie, and how an engineer can turn into a director. Go check out The Challenger Disaster on demand now to get a better understanding of this piece of history.

Perhaps the most significant engineering feat in the past decade, the Mars Insight Lander has successfully landed on Mars. But what's next? We take a look at what the lander has been up to in the weeks since it made it to Mars, and the plans that NASA has for it while it hangs out on the red planet.

Why do some cities seem to have a vibrant downtown while others seem to close up after the work day is over? It is become some cities are more livable than others. What does this mean? It is a combination of being pedestrian friendly, walkable, safe, great public transportation, city housing and more. In this episode, we take a look at how euclidean planning destroyed the concept of a neighborhood and what we need to do to make cities livable once more.

As Unprofessional Engineering is liking going to win a Nobel Prize at some point, we thought it would be a good idea to investigate what goes into the process, as well as look back on the man who created the prize. From physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, peace and economics, there are countless amazing winners of the Nobel Prize. Well, not countless...more like 900 some. But still, way more brain power than one can appreciate. Learn how Alfred Nobel earned all his money to fund the prizes, how the winners are selected, and some of the biggest winners and snubs in history.

George Westinghouse is an underappreciated inventor, making major strides in the railway and electricity industries. His creation of the railway air brake was probably his greatest invention, but electricity really set him apart as an amazing industrialist. Plus, he got to take advantage of Tesla, which is pretty cool! Learn everything you've ever wanted to know about the life of George Westinghouse, right here!