Hardware Podcasts

S7E20 Mahantesh Hiremath | How to Influence Public Policy As An Engineer

Being an Engineer · 8 May 2026 · 52m · Episode 20

What this episode covers

Dr. Mahantesh Hiremath, former President of ASME and veteran engineer in aerospace and infrastructure, discusses his career transitions from civil engineering to space systems and his role in shaping public policy. He explains how mastering first principles of physics allowed him to pivot between industries like deep underground, offshore, and space environments, while emphasizing the importance of doing more than asked to build trust and recognition. Hiremath details his tenure as the first Asian/Indian President of ASME, focusing on expanding its global footprint and establishing new technical divisions for robotics and space technology. He also shares insights from his time as a Congressional Fellow, comparing the optimization challenges of engineering with the political constraints of Capitol Hill, and advises engineers on influencing policy through professional societies.

Most relevant to

established companies

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
ASME, Space Systems Loral, SC Solutions, Lockheed Martin, Apple, Pipeline Design & Engineering
Also
Santa Clara University, Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, IEEE, PDX Expo

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Manufacturing Happy Hour · 47m

    Exploring the Intersection of Government and Business with ndustrial.io COO Natalie Birdwell

    Natalie Birdwell, COO of ndustrial.io, discusses her unconventional career path from sales engineering at Rockwell Automation to the public sector and back to the startup world. She details her time as Executive Director of the North Carolina Coal Ash Management Commission, explaining the complex political and regulatory challenges of managing coal ash cleanup after a Duke Energy incident. Birdwell also shares advice for professionals transitioning from large corporations to startups, highlighting the need for adaptability and a hands-on approach in resource-constrained environments.

    Leadership, teams & culturePolicy, trade & tariffs
    7 chapters

  • Let's Combinate · 52m

    007 - "Beyond The Obvious" with Miiri Kotche

    Dr. Miiri Kotche, Associate Dean at UIC College of Engineering and former Validation Engineer, discusses her transition from industry to academia, emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and clinical immersion for biomedical engineering students. She details her Fulbright Scholar experience at VTT in Finland, focusing on translating user needs into engineering design requirements, and describes her current leadership of the MAD Lab and STEM outreach programs like BEST. Kotche highlights the challenges of teaching during the pandemic and the value of exposing students to real-world clinical workflows to identify unmet needs.

    Careers & educationMedical & health devices
    8 chapters

  • EE Times Current · 33m

    How to Build an Engineer

    Kristina M. Johnson, President of the Ohio State University and the inaugural recipient of the IEEE Mildred Dresselhaus Medal, discusses her career in optoelectronics, academia, and government service. She explains her philosophy on engineering education, advocating for 'STEAM' (adding arts to STEM) and inverted curricula that start with design projects to motivate students. Johnson also details her work in clean energy, including co-founding the hydropower startup Enduring Hydro, now part of Eagle Creek Renewable Energy.

    Careers & educationEnergy & climate tech
    6 chapters

  • Embedded.fm · 43m

    21: The Tent Is Flat and Everyone Is Wet

    Rob Mitchell, recently transitioned from systems engineering to management at Lightro, discusses his unconventional career path from technician to manager at companies like LeapFrog, Palm, and Validus. He details the challenges of writing performance reviews for senior engineers and the difficulty of shifting from peer to boss, particularly with former colleagues like Phil King. Mitchell emphasizes the importance of product management, hard deadlines in consumer hardware, and leveraging professional networks over formal degrees for career advancement.

    Leadership, teams & cultureCareers & education
    6 chapters

  • Global Medical Device Podcast · 39m

    How Being Strategic During A Career Transition Can Yield The Best Opportunities

    Aaron Moncur, owner of Pipeline Design & Engineering, joins host John Spear to discuss his transition from employee to entrepreneur after being laid off in 2009. Moncur explains how he narrowed his firm's focus to custom test fixtures and automated equipment for medical device companies, citing a client's improvement in Measurement Systems Analysis (MSA) first-pass success rates from 50% to nearly 100% as a key value proposition. The conversation covers the psychological aspects of career changes, the importance of mentorship through organizations like Entrepreneurs' Organization (EO), and the technical challenges of delivering complex engineering projects on tight schedules.

    Careers & educationDesign for manufacturing & NPI
    5 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by Being an Engineer. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.