Engineers Ireland returns to the National Ploughing Championships with amazing engineering attractions!

Visit the Team at Block 3 – Row 9 – Stand 205 to and discover virtual reality welding, the spacewalk experience and a Formula 1 car simulator. Explore biomedical marvels, and challenge a collaborative robot.
Meet the Mark the Science Guy and the STEPS education outreach team, and look out for daily prizes and fantastic giveaways.

Visit www.engineersireland.ie/Ploughing-Championships for more information. The National Ploughing Championships takes place in Screggan, Tullamore from 16 to 18 September.

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In this inspiring episode of Amplified: The Engineers Journal Podcast, aerospace engineer and entrepreneur Stephen Ringler, Managing Director of Space Store, shares his journey from working on NASA’s Juno mission to launching a space-themed retail and education company in the UK. Host Dusty Rhodes delves into Stephen's early fascination with space, his experiences navigating large-scale engineering projects, and the challenges of budget cuts in the space sector.

Stephen also explores the power of inclusive space education, revealing how Space Store aims to make space accessible and exciting for everyone — from schoolchildren to corporate teams. Packed with insights on testing, risk management, active listening, and keeping passion alive in a demanding industry, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in engineering, innovation, and the future of space exploration.

THINGS WE SPOKE ABOUT

• Space belongs to everyone - not just scientists and engineers.
• Testing is critical: break it until it stops breaking.
• Communication and collaboration are essential in large-scale engineering projects.
• Active listening leads to better engineering outcomes and more relevant solutions.
• Drive and passion need support - from self-talk to strong mentors.
• How space innovation directly benefits life on Earth - from MRIs to climate tech.

GUEST DETAILS

Stephen has over 20 years of experience working in the Space sector as a Pointing Precision Engineer, Programmatic Analyst, and Business Developer. With his training that began at UCLA and his vast experience and network in the Space community, his aim with Spacetime Development is to provide top-notch business development support and engineering services to high-tech companies. Stephen enjoys exploring castles and playing board games, jazz piano and drums.

MORE INFORMATION

Looking for ways to explore or advance a career in the field of engineering? Visit Engineers Ireland to learn more about the many programs and resources on offer. https://www.engineersireland.ie/

Engineers Journal AMPLIFIED is produced by DustPod.io for Engineers Ireland.

QUOTES

• "Break it until it stops breaking, and then we can send it to space."
• "The space industry belongs to everyone."
• "We bring space to Earth - that’s what we do."
• "Sometimes we solve problems that people don't have."
• "If you're ultimately trying to take human beings and put them somewhere else, everything that is part of a human being needs to be thought about taking them somewhere else."
• "If I lost either engineering or teaching, I think I would die a little on the inside."