Community Insights from IET EngX

Engineering the Adaptive Workspace: From Asset Maintenance to System Strategy

Peter Brogan — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 08:30:00 GMT

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-dri...(read more)

Exploration vs Exploitation

Patrick Capaldo — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 08:30:00 GMT

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 teac...(read more)

Making Photons Count with Lean Manufacturing

Magdalena Wywijas — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Introduction What manufacturing strategies can help improve yield and consistency in the production of advanced photonic devices? One approach is the application of lean manufacturing principles to the critical photocathode deposition stage at ET Ent...(read more)

Navigating the hidden costs of disability

Foothold — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:25:18 GMT

Engineering thrives on different perspectives and ways of thinking. Yet disabled people are still underrepresented in the profession. According to Engineering UK, 14% of people working in engineering and technology identify as disabled, compared with...(read more)

An institution with (rail) connections

IET Archives — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 17:19:45 GMT

A blog looking at the UK’s early electric railways and links with our Institution and its members by guest blogger David Knights FIET. Railway history is often dominated by the names of civil and mechanical engineers. As the “new” t...(read more)

Bo Yang: A Story of Mentorship and Growth

IET Volunteering Team — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 14:45:23 GMT

Mentorship is often discussed as a tool for early career development yet its value does not diminish as engineers become more senior. Bo Yang’s experience through the IET mentoring programme shows how guidance from an experienced volunteer can ...(read more)

Volunteer Spotlight: Alan Rossney

IET Volunteering Team — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Alan’s path into engineering began with a spark of childhood wonder. One of his earliest memories is watching Star Wars: A New Hope and seeing Luke Skywalker repair R2‑D2. The idea of being skilled enough to fix a robot without even checking a ...(read more)

WISE (Women into Science and Engineering) Young Professionals Committee Spotlight

IET Volunteering Team — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 08:00:00 GMT

For more than a decade, the WISE Young Professionals Committee (WYPC) have been driving practical change for women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). In 2024 the committee celebrated ten years since its original formation, marking ...(read more)

Support for carers in engineering

Foothold — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

During Carers Week 2026, we’re recognising how vital carers are and sharing the ways we can support you. This year’s theme, ‘Building Carer Friendly Communities’, is about creating spaces where carers are&n...(read more)

Looking back: the 1926 launch of The Electrical Age for Women

IET Archives — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 08:28:25 GMT

By Daniel Belteki, Graeme Gooday and Anne Locker Introduction What was so special about June 1926? It wasn’t just that Britain was emerging from the extraordinary near paralysis of a General Strike the previous month, nor that a Conservative go...(read more)

Building More Than Robots: How ShockSoc Rebuilt a Hands-On Engineering Community

Emily Hadlum — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

This academic year has been one of rebuilding, growth, and hands-on engineering for ShockSoc, the Leeds Electronics and Electrical Engineering Society. From the beginning of the year, our aim was to make the society more active, accessible, and pract...(read more)

Sustainable Transport:Mapping Accessibility in UK Cities

Phil Snuggs — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:30:00 GMT

Mapping Accessibility in UK Cities The lecture was presented by Duncan Smith, Associate Professor in GIS and Visualisation at the Bartlett Centre for Advanced Spatial Analysis (CASA), UCL. The lecture, held on Wednesday 13th May 2026, took place at ...(read more)

A brief history of the Sperry 1412 Computer

IET Archives — Tue, 26 May 2026 16:11:17 GMT

Guest blog by Peter M Hills DipEE MSc CEng MIET The Sperry 1412 computer’s design was first postulated at Sperry Gyroscope’s Bracknell R & D department in 1967. The prototype appeared in 1968. Given that computer systems of the time ...(read more)

Ambition vs Capability: Is the UK’s Space Vision Outpacing Its Engineering Talent?

Tori Rooke — Fri, 22 May 2026 08:37:17 GMT

With growing investment in sovereign capability, resilient communications, and next-generation connectivity—including Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTN) and advanced Satcom—the UK’s ambition is clear. However, ambition alone does not d...(read more)

How are you feeling? How Foothold’s free tool can support your mental health

Foothold — Thu, 14 May 2026 09:33:46 GMT

"How are you feeling?" It’s a question so many of us avoid giving the real answer to. "Fine, thanks", we tend to answer. The problem is, when you live in a culture or environment where being open about your emotions is rare,...(read more)