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<div style="text-align: center"># 7 Holy Steps to the Mech/Tron Experience</div>

 

**Knowing what you know now, what would you do differently as an undergrad?**

Looking back, I think it would’ve been really cool to join more hands-on engineering application clubs during my studies, like Formula SAE or any of the robotics clubs available. At that time, the only option I had was probably the Formula SAE Club.

 Being part of these clubs would have given me the chance to put into practice what I was learning in my courses. I could have seen the concepts in action without the stress of worrying about grades or assessments that are forced upon us. It would have been an exciting experience to see the theories come to life through practical projects.

 

**What have been your biggest challenges as a lecturer at the University?**

Time management.

There are so many things that demand attention, from administrative tasks to organising my own courses, and of course, the never-ending stream of emails to respond to, it can feel overwhelming at times. In fact, I'm drowning in emails right now. 

It's important to me to give everything I do a hundred percent attention. I strive to avoid rushing through tasks and sending out inaccurate or incomplete information. However, this requires a significant amount of time and keeps me incredibly busy. Balancing various responsibilities can be challenging, but I prioritise giving each aspect the attention it deserves to ensure a positive experience for everyone involved.

 

**You teach Part I, II and III. Which one is your favourite? 👀**

You can’t pick [laugh] and It's not about parts! 

In Part I, the students are all excited and eager to attend lectures. I really enjoy seeing their engagement during class—it makes the lectures more interactive and enjoyable.

For Part II, these students are fresh to mechanical and mechatronics. They're all enthusiastic and trying to get a hang of everything. It's great to see their curiosity and willingness to dive into the subject.

For Part III, things get really interesting. I can have more advanced conversations with these students, and it's intellectually engaging. We get to discuss topics that align with my own research and interests. It's a stage where they go deeper into the stuff that I truly love.

 

**In your opinion, what do you think is the most important course Mech/Tron students take?**

When it comes to what's most important in mechanical and mechatronics engineering, there's no single answer—it all depends on where you want to end up. These fields are so broad, and what matters most varies based on your interests.

Let's say you're really into composite materials and all that cool stuff. In that case, the mechanics of materials courses would be super important for you. On the other hand, if you're more into energy efficiency in buildings etc, focusing on the thermo-fluids and thermal engineering courses would be a big help. 

I could go on and on, but personally, I think design takes the cake in terms of importance. That's where you get to put all that theory into practice through design projects. It's where the knowledge you've gained actually becomes a part of your skills. Just studying something for a course means you'll probably only remember it until the exam. Once the exam is over, most of it just vanishes out of your memory. But when you work on design projects, trust me, you'll remember it for a long time. It sticks with you in a way that regular studying doesn't.

 

**If you had one piece of advice to give to students seeking an internship, what would it be?**

Keep your options open. Your concern about engineering job experience counting towards practical hours, especially between part two and part three, may not be as restrictive as you think. In some cases, an actual engineering internship is not necessary. You could explore opportunities in related fields, such as working in a factory or a similar environment that involves tasks related to engineering. ([Practical Work - The University of Auckland](https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/engineering/current-students/undergraduate/practical-work.html) )

While I advise you to verify this with Jonathan Stringer (our Practical Work Committee department representative), I can share my personal experience. During my transition from part two to part three, I worked in a factory where my role was to assemble projectors. You see, I was just mindlessly assembling lights…But although I wasn't directly involved in design or engineering work, the experience provided valuable insights into manufacturing processes, which proved beneficial in the future. So, don't limit yourself to exclusively seeking engineering positions, especially if you're transitioning from part two to part three. Most engineering companies prefer to hire third-year engineering students or above, and landing an engineering-related position at this stage would be very lucky.

On the other hand, the [Summer Research Scholarship](https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/study/scholarships-and-awards/scholarship-types/undergraduate-scholarships/summer-research-scholarships.html) can also be an excellent opportunity to gain insight into the research field. If you have even a mild interest in research, I encourage you to explore and apply for summer research scholarships. Keep an eye out for upcoming advertisements for these opportunities. Again, there is preference towards third year or above for these scholarships.

 

**If you had to teach a class about something completely unrelated to your field of expertise, what would it be and why?**

I think it would be cool to have a course on LaTeX writing. We could learn about using LaTeX for creating professional reports. It's not exactly engineering, but it's definitely relevant for scientific documentation. It might not be my area of expertise, but it's a valuable skill to have for academic reports.

In the real world, when you graduate or work in a consultancy, you might not come across LaTeX that often. However, learning it can still benefit you by improving your academic work and enhancing your ability to communicate effectively in a scientific setting.

 

**What are your 7 holy steps for students when they enter their academic career?**

I can’t come up with 7 on the spot [laugh], but when it comes to grants and funding, grab every opportunity that comes your way. Don't hesitate to seek out collaborators within your department, across departments, and even across faculties. Cast your network as wide as possible, because the more connections you have, the more chances for exciting collaborations to pop up.

Now, let me clarify that I'm a professional teaching fellow, and my main focus is teaching. This is different from a lecturer position on the research track, so this is from what I observe rather than what I've done. But basically, keep applying for grants. Keep applying and don't be disheartened with rejection. Most grants get rejected because there's a limited pot of money that must be distributed across many different academics and universities. 


People of MECHA: Hazim Namik

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*   **Outside of your career what do you like to do in your free time?**

Outside of my 9 to 5, I like to play badminton, travel, cook, read and blog. During the third lockdown in Auckland, having run out of ideas on things to bake and make, I craved a more creative outlet. It was during this time that I started my blog - Girl in Mech ([girlinmech.com](http://girlinmech.com/)). Girl in Mech is my portal to share my pitfalls, progression and learnings, in the hope of creating a community. The blog, combined with my weekend travels consumes most of my free time.

 

*   **What are some of the issues facing women in industry and how can people in Mech/Tron make industry a more equitable space?**

I would say the biggest issue that women face in professional environments, especially ones that are typically male dominated, is not a getting a safe environment to nurture their growth. By ‘safe environment’, I mean having a space where they feel valued as an individual, with their unique set of skills and having a support system that helps them overcome the insecurity and hurdles that come with being the anomaly.



*   **If there is any advice you could give your uni self what would it be?**

As the saying goes; it’s about the journey, not the destination. Once you graduate, grades are a thing of the past. Unless you are planning to do further studies, as a graduate engineer, you start off with a clean slate. From that point, you cannot piggy back on your grades to progress. You have to put in the hard yards to grow your technical and soft-skills, in order to grow. So while in uni, focus on the learnings, not the grades. It is the learnings that will act as foundation for you to build a successful career on.

 

*   **How can people find out more about what working in the industry is like? **

The best way to find out more about working in industry is through networking – no one knows a field better than those have committed years to it. Attending networking events, like the ones MECHA and Engineering New Zealand organize, is a good starting point. I might also add a plug for the Girl in Mech blog here, where I share my personal experiences in working in industry.



People of MECHA: Aathira Nair



**What companies did you work at and what did you do there?**

Ben’s first internship was working at Gallagher, performing a range of tasks to provide support for the senior engineering staff. This included report writing, presentations, material testing, building/designing test rigs and operating a range of different testing equipment. 

Ben’s second internship was done at Aeroqual, where they specialised in making and designing air quality sensors. Here, Ben helped to install an industrial furnace and gained a lot of experience working with Raspberry Pis, something he’d never done before in University. Two of biggest takeaways was to be prepared and open to working on projects outside your comfort zone in industry but to always remember to ask for help if you need to. Working at a smaller company was definitely an experience Ben enjoyed, and although you might have a bit less range in the work you do, you do make a more noticeable impact within the company. 

**Any advice for other students wanting an internship?**

`How to get an internship:`

*   Don’t feel ashamed of using contacts to get a job. Remember, it’s not nepotism if everyone’s doing it

*   Getting an internship can be a long process, but don’t give up hope even if it’s already mid-November. It’s never too late to start

*   Be your “Best Self’ in your interviews

`Once you’ve gotten the internship:`

*   Socialise with your co-workers. Internships are more than just the work you do, but the people you do it with. Take the time to talk to your colleagues. 

    *   You can learn so much from them and it makes work that much more enjoyable

*   Remember to take notes and pictures of the work that you did if you’re allowed to. It’ll help you so much when you’re writing your practical work report.



People of MECHA: Ben Hemara

People of MECHA: Harvey Merton & Lizzy Grant

**What companies did you work at and what did you do there?**

Over her three years, Sam worked at Fulton Hogan, I3, and Beca and covered a range of work there.
At Fulton Hogan, she worked mostly in the civil and mechanical engineering departments, with lots of on-site visits, risk assessments and paperwork relating to safety permits. One of the key projects Sam worked on here was for the Wellington Metro Upgrade Project, helping to develop railway lines from Upper Hutt to Wellington.

Moving into I3, this focused primarily on innovation work within a hospital. Sam worked on Data Analysis for the Radiology department to help improve their current system, involving a lot of creative thinking, data collection and collaboration with other radiologists in the hospital.

In her third internship, Sam worked for Beca in their building services department. Here, she learnt to develop not only her technical skills, such as Revit modelling, but was also presented with opportunities to build her soft skills. One of the highlights was the sustainability innovation project, where interns would choose one of the UN Sustainability goals and develop a product to help address it. Workshops and mentors were provided throughout the project, providing a practical context into which interns could develop professionally.

**What tips do you have for students wanting to find an internship?**

*   Networking events are key, building connections and your professional network

*   Make sure your cover letters are unique and personal to you

*   Avoid making your CV too long, try to only put what’s relevant in it

\-   If you don’t have previous industry experience, use the space to outline your strengths and weaknesses, even if they’re in non-workplace contexts

*   Be yourself during your interviews

\-   Elaborate on your passions, your personal stories

\-   Be humble and polite

\-   Don’t be afraid to ask questions

\-   Let the company know what you contribute to them and how you can help them

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7msDWsM4HWE


People of MECHA: Sam Young

**Tell us a bit about yourself as a person**

I grew up on farms where I learnt to work really hard. This trait is what kept me through university. Besides study I worked 30 hours a week at University and a fabrication company to gain experience. I valued the experience to the detriment of my academic results. In hindsight, I think I was better off with the experience however I knew I could have gotten better results. I chose mechanical engineering to learn all the fundamentals on how to design a machine from start to finish. This includes CAD, materials, mechanics, thermodynamics, to manufacturing.

What was your biggest challenge looking for a grad role while in your last year of University? And how did you overcome it?
I applied for 10 graduate roles and got three interviews and three offers. I thought initially that this hit rate was disappointing, however after talking with everyone I found it to be higher than most others. In hindsight I would have applied for more roles and I wouldn’t have been as disheartened.



**What is a typical day like at NZ Steel? What do you enjoy the most about working there?**

I’m working in one of the critical areas of NZS which means there’s a lot going on. I enjoy having a variety of work from maintenance to reliability engineering but most especially 3D modelling and design. It’s satisfying seeing your design be manufactured and put into action.

A typical day includes a lot of talking with people. This includes getting advice from engineers, suppliers, trades and operations. Other than working on projects, I head into the plant often and have plenty of meetings.



**What do you think is the most important soft skill students should pick up outside of academics?**

Pick up a sport or hobby that involves other people. Getting along with people is essential.



**If you get to go back to your final year of University, how would you spend the time differently than before?**

I took the advice of previous students and lived it up, so no regrets. It was challenging yet fun, my motto was “work hard play hard”.



**Let’s say 2021 is the year of a zombie apocalypse, what would you be able to offer as an engineer?**

I would be able to make steel which at some point will be an extremely valuable product.


People of MECHA: Alma Ormsby

Jaynie first worked at JN Medsys in Singapore, within their product development department. More specifically, it was focused on digital PCR machines, researching how to improve the stability of the equipment, to factors such as light resistance. As a smaller company, the internship was very independent and self-reliant, but provided a very rewarding experience. 

Last year, Jaynie worked as an intern at Honeywell, focusing on Infrastructure in Commercial Security and ICT. Here, there was a much stronger emphasis on building professional soft skills, and more guidance was given at the larger company. Beyond just technical, Jaynie learnt a lot about what engineers do on a day to day, like documentation, attending meetings and working in teams. 

**Do you have any tips for helping to get an internship?**

Preparation is key

*   Invest some time researching into available engineering companies

    *   Don’t be afraid to use personal contacts

    *   Check out both big and small companies

    *   A really good source are directories from professional engineering groups out there, such as HERA, MEG and ENZ

*   Have your CV and Cover letters prepared early on

*   Don’t be afraid to cold email companies with your interest for an internship there 

Make sure you practise:

*   Psychometric testing

*   Group assessments

*   Interviews 

    *   Take opportunities to practise for these in a realistic setting

    *   Attend speed interview nights hosted by ENZ, it’ll go a long way in just making you more comfortable being yourself in front of others 

*   Assessment Centres

![](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0piBx6y6S0)

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0piBx6y6S0 ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0piBx6y6S0)


People of MECHA: Jaynie Ng

**Outside of your career, what else do you enjoy doing in your free time?**

The beauty of doing something you love is there is no boundary between “career” and “free time”.  I am at my happiest when I am creating a new design, or building something I have designed. Why would I want “time off” from happiness? Seriously.

**When was the moment you realised you could potentially break a world record? **

Electric vehicle records are somewhat easy to break. There aren’t that many people competing (yet) and if you pick a category where there happens to be no record, (or a very slow record) then you just have to make a decent run down the course and you have a world record. Overall records are a different story. You are then running “head-to-head” against a mature technology, with a century of very clever and talented folks, many with very deep pockets, and the completion get significantly harder.

When Li-Ion batteries came on the scene, however, any race that lasts more than 10 seconds, but less than 10 minutes, could be won with an electric powered vehicle. All you need is the knowledge to design and build a decent vehicle, plus the budget to buy the components. A simple “back of the envelope” calculation shows you that the power-to-weight ratio of an electric drive train tops a conventional internal combustion (petrol) engine by a wide margin.

We held the overall motorcycle sidecar land speed record for several years. It was 360 km/h for some time. We broke that record in 2014, moving the mark to 387 km/h, and then 434 km/h later that year. We realized it was low hanging fruit for some time before that. We just had to gather the budget and components to make it happen.

The overall motorcycle record will be a whole different battle. It is currently at 605 km/h, and while we think my new 1,000 horsepower streamliner motorcycle Green Envy has the power to beat it, the planets have to line up for it to happen. I expect it to take several years and multiple attempts to get there. The planned debut was this year, but all races were unfortunately cancelled due to the pandemic. The good news is that I have another year making it even faster.

 

**To develop your motorcycles, what inspiration did you draw from other people’s work?**


You never start with a blank page. As a good engineer, you survey what solutions have worked well, and what solutions have not worked well, before you even put pencil to paper. I studied every land speed streamliner motorcycle I could find. There are not all that many. Perhaps 100 in history? There is no book about “How to build a land speed motorcycle” unfortunately.

If I were to pick one motorcycle that had the most influence on the design of the KillaJoule and the Green Envy, I would say that Mike Akatiff’s “Ack Attack” most closely resembles my vehicle. The Ack Attack holds the top speed of all motorcycles, so it is a proven design and an obvious choice to imitate. Mike Akatiff and his driver Rocky Robinson have been very helpful to us and have always been more than happy to give advice and share information.

**What’re your views on the current state of the environment and how engineering students can begin to address it?**


We have tons of challenges ahead of us, and engineers will play an instrumental role. I always say that engineers are superheroes, and we really are. Singers and rugby players aren’t going to save the planet, engineers are!

Being an engineering student is a great position to be in, and I sometimes wish I was a student again. You have the opportunity to learn the latest technology as well as absorbing all the accumulated knowledge of mankind. With regards to sustainability, you can integrate sustainability aspects in pretty much every assignment if you want to (any sensible lecturer will very appreciate that ;-)

I have lately spent a lot of time trying to find ways to decrease the incredible waste we see in the world. I am myself guilty of using quite a bit of plastics for 3D printing, and I want better alternatives. While recycling certainly isn’t a silver bullet, we would be a whole lot better off if we could use recycled plastics for applications such as 3D printing. One of our lockdown activities has been to design a 3D printing filament extruder based on existing open source designs. I can’t wait for the remaining components to arrive so we can start making our own 3D printing filament. That would make Green Envy even more “green”. 

**Outside of your engineering projects, what has been your biggest challenge? **


Of course, there never seems to be enough time to do everything that I would like to do. However, while I have been fortunate to have some loyal sponsors to help, “chasing money” is something I am not very good at. At least it feels that way. If we even had a slightly bigger budget, we could go a lot faster. 

**Do you have any advice for teenage girls who are on the fence about studying engineering? **


Go for it! There is absolutely nothing to lose. As an engineer, you can work in pretty much any field. Health care, aerospace, agriculture, manufacturing, teaching, fashion design. You name it, there will be an engineering position! In the unlikely event that you realise that you really, really don’t want to do engineering, you can always change track. In fact, any university degree that involves a significant amount of maths lets you quite easily switch tracks.

I truly enjoyed engineering school, even if it was hard work. If I were to do it all over again, I would spend even more time working on my maths skills before my first semester started. Make sure your algebra and trigonometry is fresh in memory. If you can’t draw the unit circle in your sleep, you need to go to KhanAcademy.org and brush it up (I used Khan Academy myself to prepare for several of my maths classes, it helped a lot). Having a strong foundation in maths will make you sail through all the other engineering topics!

**With all your travelling experience, what would you say is your favourite place in the world?**
That’s easy – New Zealand! No joke. With a PhD in Mechanical Engineering I could get a job in pretty much any country, but my husband Bill Dubé and I chose New Zealand. We love the nature, the climate, the ingenuity, but most of all, we love the people! The kiwis must be the nicest people on the planet. We have never felt so welcomed anywhere else. We are definitely here to stay!

![](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e828670b31553093df0a6a1/1590467429902-VIAVVWOMZFA8CJRTCQ2A/Screenshot\_4.png?format=1500w)


People of MECHA: Dr Eva Hakansson

**Tell us about yourself. What do you enjoy doing in your free time?**
I joined the RNZAF in 2005 basically straight from high school. I was an Avionics Technician, which is basically an auto electrician, but for aircraft. This RUS allowed me to leave the hands on technical world behind into the engineering management world where I’ve been ever since.

In my spare time, I take care of all the little projects around the house that I can with all this engineering knowledge. Cars, motorbikes, house modification etc. In my down time I’m a big PC gamer, and enjoy good trail hikes/runs with my partner.

**What was your most valuable experience from the program?**
I was already a technician in the RNZAF but went to university under the same conditions as fresh candidates would be. The school holidays were spent at work on a RNZAF base becoming familiar with various units. My most valuable experience was in this time, when I was sent to places that I ordinarily would not have been posted to. For example, the Defence Technology Agency R\&D labs where I got to use my degree in a project for NIWA and Defence.

**What advice would you have for University students who are interested in the program?**
My advice would be that candidates need to be realistic in their expectations. Use the RUS organisers or recruiters to organise interviews with the best range of people you can. The job of an RNZAF Engineering Officer is varied, and candidates can expect to be used as workshop managers, or auditors, before using their degrees in a design office. 

**What skills or experiences did you learn from the program that you think are difficult to learn in University?**
The University experience teaches you the fundamentals and background info of “why”. Why use that material, why the system works, why that structure holds etc. The RUS experience should put you out into the workshops, and organisations to see “how”. How is damage going to fixed, how is this problem going to be solved. It’s a wildly different world operating on pragmatism and constraints that aren’t present in an exam question.

**What has been your biggest challenge so far, either within or outside of the program?**
My biggest challenge has been finding my feet in all the things that come with management that I was not expecting. Things like budgeting for units, welfare of staff, and leadership in times of crisis. The military is unique in that there are so many others things outside of your core job or trade that you are expected to be able to do. It can make for a fun, varied career, but you have to be open to it.

**What are your goals and aspirations from now onwards?**
My aspirations are to continue to progress through this organisation. As I’ve mentioned before there isn’t anything like this job anywhere. I will admit that it’s not for everybody, but I love it. The RUS set me down a different career path from when I originally joined and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.


People of MECHA: Cody Clarke

**What encouraged you to enter academic research and teaching as a career?**


The nature of academia means that you tend to enter it for the research (by doing a PhD) and the teaching element grows as you progress. For me, the reason for entering research was a combination of my own curiosity and the freedom to concentrate on answering questions that nobody else has answered. Once you have tried answering these kinds of questions, communicating the answers with other people is just as, if not more, important. This is something I enjoy, and has a lot of parallels with teaching, as you are trying to get across information that is new to the audience in a way they will hopefully understand and remember.

**What do you love doing outside of work?**


I am quite a keen cook and have mostly been focussing on perfecting British Curry House-style curries during the lockdown. Besides that, I enjoy watching my cat doing typical cat things. Once the lockdown finished, I was able to meet up with my niece and nephew again and resume my other great love, confusing toddlers.

**What have you found to be your most difficult challenge so far, either in your professional or personal life?**


Losing a previous job during the last financial crisis was a big challenge both from a personal and professional perspective for several reasons. Besides the more generic issues with being unemployed for 7 months (financial, psychological etc.), there were specific problems with having resources to keep up with the rapidly evolving nature of current research (e.g. you do not have access to the latest articles, you are not in the same environment for stimulating discussion of ideas etc.). I eventually got another research position in a seemingly unrelated field; wear of abradable turbine seals, rather than inkjet printing and printed electronics. It turned out that a lot of the techniques that were commonly used in the latter could be applied to the former; and looking into how this could be done was very rewarding.

**Your favourite moment when you were a student at University?**


As an undergraduate, we used to make trivial and slightly ludicrous bets/challenges with each other about assessed presentations. These would be along the lines of somehow fitting a certain prop or phrase within the presentation. While we were never sure if the lecturers were in on it, it was still gratifying when I managed to get the highest mark in the year for theming a talk about the use of textile fibres in load bearing structures around the TV series ‘Happy Days’.

\*\*If you were allowed to make anything using a 3d printer, what would you make? \*\*
This answer to this question changes every day. It could be something generally worthy and possible (e.g PPE), something that addresses a particular problem I have at the moment (e.g. something to attach to my windows so I can install some ersatz double glazing) or something not really possible (e.g a vaccine for COVID-19). While it slightly depresses me to say it, I am currently in an office with a draughty window, so will probably go with the middle one.

**What are some of the new innovations happening in additive manufacturing?**


While it may have only come to the public attention relatively recently, 3D printing technology has not really changed that much over the last 20-30 years. Most of the innovation comes in the form of making the technology easier (e.g. automated generative design for additive manufacturing) or in applying the 3D printing techniques to new materials. For me, one of the most interesting areas for innovation is the use of multiple materials in a single object.


People of MECHA: Dr Jonathan Stringer

My name is Phil Marshall, I am 50 years old, live in Auckland and am an Electrical Engineer with undergraduate and PhD degrees from Auckland University. 

After completing my undergraduate degree, I worked for a year at BHP New Zealand Steel before returning to Uni to pursue a PhD. My PhD research was in radio engineering, which led me into the telecommunications industry.

After I finished my PhD, I worked for TCNZ (now Spark) before taking on a network engineering role with Bell Atlantic International, in Mexico and Indonesia. In 2000 we moved to Boston and I took on a role as an industry analyst at a company called Yankee Group. This was a career shift for me. Instead of building things, I was now working with companies to help them develop commercial strategies for new products and technologies.

I have essentially remained an Industry Analyst ever since and am now the Chief Research Officer for two companies; Tolaga Research, which I co-founded in Boston in 2009 and Topio Networks, a San Francisco company that I joined as a founding member in 2020.

**What made you want to become an engineer? And what inspired you to continue your study into postgrad?**

I have always enjoyed building things and making things work. In sixth form (Year 12) I planned to leave school to do a trade but was talked out of it. I stayed on at school and when I went to Uni, Engineering was the most logical thing for me to do. 

Once I got to Engineering school I realised that it would give me the opportunity to make a career out of what I enjoyed doing. After finishing undergrad, I worked alongside several research engineers at NZ Steel. This gave me a glimpse into R\&D and I was hooked.

**What led you to create your own company?**

I decided to create a company when I found a solution to a problem that had persisted throughout my role as an Industry Analyst. I have worked with startups for most of my career and always enjoyed the energy and enthusiasm that they exude. So, it wasn’t a difficult decision for me to pursue a startup when the opportunity arose.

Here’s the background.  Part of my role as an Industry Analyst is to build market forecast models to predict the viability of new technologies. Typical models are rudimentary and tend to over inflate hype-cycles. In the 2006 timeframe many of my clients were interested in a new communication technology called WiMAX. I knew that there were problems with WiMAX but couldn’t produce a convincing argument with conventional modeling techniques. When I looked around for a better modeling solution, I came across System Dynamics. Systems Dynamics is widely used in social sciences and operations research, I decided to apply it to Industry Research and model the WiMAX market as a system. Since it worked, I co-founded Tolaga Research in 2009 to commercialize the modeling methodology that we created.

**Have you got any advice for current engineering students who may want to set up a company of their own some day?**

A start up is hard work and there is a lot of uncertainty and risk. That said, it is a ton of fun and exciting to be part of something new and innovative. But to be successful, you need to be passionate about what you do. You need to be persistent, but also adaptable, recognizing that your initial ideas are most likely wrong. It was for this reason that some companies like Facebook and Google launch minimum viable products, to test the market and fail fast without investing in ‘dud’ products. At Tolaga we started with System Dynamics. It didn’t work that well and we ended up pivoting and finding much more success with other modeling techniques that leverage Natural Language Processing.

When you start a company, pay close attention to who you hire. It is the employees rather than the original product idea that will normally determine the likelihood for a startup to succeed. Don’t just go out and hire your friends. A startup has limited resources and you need to hire people who are good at the things you’re not good at.

Cash Flow is always a challenge with startups, be frugal and the sooner you can get to revenue, without compromising the company’s reputation, the better. If you need to go out and raise capital be measured and selective in your approach. For example, it is wise to prioritize investors with helpful industry connections and experience. It is also important to carefully evaluate the cost of raising capital against alternatives that might prove more effective in bringing the company to viability.

**What skills have been really important for your career? Is there anything that students might not know about? **

Throughout my career I have found that interpersonal skills are more important than anything else. This is particularly the case when working in operationally challenging environments and in other countries where customs and cultures are different.

My engineering training has been tremendously valuable. It has not so much been about the subjects and courses that I took at engineering school, but the systematic analytical methods that I learned and have continuously applied throughout my career.

Understanding finance and the commercial aspects of businesses is a skill that I think all engineers should have. I don’t have any formal training in this regard, but I have learned the skills on the job.

**Since you work with startups creating new technology, what are the most interesting new things being developed? **

This is such a great time to be in engineering, with virtually every field being a hive of innovative activity.

Many startups are augmenting and reinventing systems to leverage Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning capabilities – which is thrilling and terrifying at the same time.

The convergence of cyber and physical systems is creating numerous startup opportunities. Examples include factory automation with Industry 4.0, autonomous vehicles, smart homes and buildings, and immersive end user experiences that use augmented and virtual reality and the tactile Internet.

Many industry pundits believe that the innovation we will see over the next five to ten years will dwarf those associated with the microprocessor and Internet. I think they are right.

 


People of MECHA: Dr Phil Marshall

**Outside of your career, what do you enjoy doing in your free time? **

Going on adventures with my family, cycling, surfing, fixing things, thinking/reading/blogging, playing and inventing board games. No I don’t have heaps of free time, I just do very little of these things at the moment unfortunately!



**What have your experiences been like working in the industry and how did it differ from what you learnt in University?**

I’ve loved working in product and process development as a mechanical engineer. Following projects through from initial stages to seeing 1,000,000+ pieces sold is pretty awesome. There has been a lot of learning on the job, so much of the specific theory learnt in university has been squeezed out of my head by new, more job specific, knowledge. However, having a good foundation in physics, maths and design does help! Especially when you need to make fast decisions based only your gut feel or ‘back of the envelope’ calculations. Another general observation is that generally things are more fluid in industry than the structure and theory of University.

 

**Do you have any advice for anyone just starting out in their professional careers?**

Be comfortable with being uncomfortable. You won’t always feel that you have the skills or confidence required for a job, but those are the best opportunities for learning and growth. So take those uncomfortable opportunities when they arise, but hand in hand with this advice is: **don’t be afraid of asking for help and seeking guidance from those with more experience!** People are usually more than happy to share their expertise.

 

**What have been your biggest challenges, as both an engineer at FPH and a lecturer at the University? **

The biggest challenges have generally involved bringing together multi-stranded design projects. It can be very difficult to hold and assess all the different requirements of a project in your head at once. This is where good documentation and reviewing your design with team members/clients/suppliers is vital. Which also leads to: communicating complicated engineering details in a fast-paced environment is also challenging! I’m just starting out here as a lecturer, but so far it looks like setting assessments will be a big challenge.

 

**Favourite or proudest moment in your life**

I have to say that my marriage and the development of my two kids (3 and 1 yrs old) bring me a huge amount of satisfaction, so they beat any career accomplishments.

**Best lockdown hack**

Music, crank it. I’ve loved jamming [this album about NZ’s native birds.](https://open.spotify.com/album/6BxQyawItzVzzX0UIIUyhJ) Gives a feeling of being out and free like a bird without having to leave the house ! Extra helpful with young kids around. Bonus tip: play Kākā in the morning for a confidence boost and Kererū to set the mood for mealtime.


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Our Blog

People of MECHA: Hazim Namik

People of MECHA: Aathira Nair

People of MECHA: Ben Hemara

People of MECHA: Harvey Merton & Lizzy Grant

People of MECHA: Sam Young

People of MECHA: Alma Ormsby

People of MECHA: Jaynie Ng

People of MECHA: Dr Eva Hakansson

People of MECHA: Cody Clarke

People of MECHA: Dr Jonathan Stringer

People of MECHA: Dr Phil Marshall

People of MECHA: Dr Stephen Kavermann