Inventive Podcast: Mixing Engineering Fact & Fiction
Engineering is full of stories. It’s about people facing challenges and digging deep to overcome them. Unlike conventional action heroes, however, it is not how far they can jump or climb that saves the day. It’s how they apply scientific knowledge and practical expertise. The Inventive Podcast uses storytelling to encourage listeners to dream about Engineers and what they do.
Inventive is led by Trevor Cox at the University of Salford. NUSTEM have developed curriculum support materials around the personalities and stories featured in the podcast, which you’ll find below.
Inventive website
Inventive at Spotify
Inventive is funded by the EPSRC and led by the University of Salford. The podcast is produced by Overtone Productions. Find out more about the team behind it.
Season 1
- Shrouk El-Attar, electronics engineer, refugee, LGBT rights campaigner.
- Roma Agrawal, structural engineer, author and broadcaster.
- Sophie Robinson, aerospace engineer.
- Askwar Hilonga, chemical engineer and social entrepreneur.
- Greg Bowie, manufacturing engineer.
- Ruth Amos, inventor & entrepreneur.
Season 2
- Sian Cleaver, spacecraft engineer.
- Joshua Macabuag, search and rescue engineer.
- Enass Abo-Hamed, CEO and entrepreneur & Manjot Chana senior systems integration engineer
- Larissa Suzuki, Head of AI and Data.
- Jack Haworth, Electrical Engineer.
- Trevor Cox, Acoustics Engineer.
Teaching resources
The Inventive podcast is intended for a broad audience. NUSTEM have developed resources to extend its use into the secondary classroom. There are case studies, posters, and worksheets exploring both the engineering concepts and the stories told in the series.
Just like the podcast, we’ve taking a cross-discipline approach. Some of our worksheets are suited for science lessons, others for English.
You can find an overview of the secondary classroom resources here.
Careers Posters
There are twelve careers posters, each showcasing one of the engineers in the series. They include an interesting quote from the engineer, and a brief description of how they use three of the NUSTEM Attributes in their professional life.
You can now download all the posters as a single set (3.5Mb PDF).
English Resource Packs
The English resources look in more detail at the fiction written for the podcast series. There are six resource packs in total. Each pack comes with a teacher guide which includes information about the engineer and writer, links to podcast clips for use in class, and an outline of the activities with approximate timings. Each pack contains about 3 – 5 hours of material.
Four of the resource packs are aimed at students aged 11 – 14. There is a theme of dystopian and utopian literature running through these packs. We suggest that they are used in the following order:
- Roma Agrawal – The Night Builder by C M Taylor
- Greg Bowie – Healing the Fractured by Emma Newman
- Enass Abo-Hamed and Manjot Chana – Data is Truth & Truth Data by George Sandifer-Smith
- Larissa Suzuki – My City is not a problem
Two of the resource packs are aimed at students aged 14 – 18 due to the complexity of the writing or the topics included. These are standalone resources.
- Jack Haworth – Ingenious by Katrina Porteous
- Shrouk El-Attar – Human Being As Circuit Board, Human Being as Dictionary by Tania Hershman
Guided Reading for pupils aged 9 – 11.
This worksheet provides readings and differentiated questions for pupils about six of the engineers. Engineering Changemakers
Subject worksheets
Each science worksheet is based around the engineer featured in the podcasts. They cover a range of subjects, with a focus on the sciences. Each worksheet also includes an introductory teacher sheet with links to clips from the podcast to play in class, and suggested answers to the questions.
The worksheets could be used as homework, or as consolidation activities. Three of the worksheets combine two different science topics which are related.
Arriving in the UK as an asylum seeker, Shrouk is now an electronics design engineer, activist, and belly dancer. In 2018 the BBC named her as one of the 100 most influential women in the world, and in 2020 she won the Women’s Engineering Society Prize for her STEM engagement work.
Inspired by Shrouk’s interview, Tania Hershman has written Human Being as Circuit Board, Human Being as Dictionary which combines fiction, poetry and non-fiction.
Resources
- Print and display our Shrouk poster (PDF).
- More about Shrouk in our Case Study.
- About Shrouk’s employer, Elvie, in our employer database.
Worksheets
- Physics worksheet: KS3 Magnets and Electromagnets (PDF)
- English Resource pack (KS4/5): Human Being as Circuit Board
- Teacher Guide (PDF)
- Student Booklet (PDF)
Audio clips
Download here, or click the embedded player below.
- Clip 1 – Miniaturisation (2’11 mp3)
- Clip 2 – Shrouk’s Early life and work (9’45 mp3)
- Clip 3 – Tania’s introduction to her story (2’29 mp3)
Roma grew up in the US and India, before coming to the UK to do A-levels in maths, physics and design & technology. Only during her physics degree was she drawn to engineering: she ended up working on the iconic London building The Shard as a structural engineer.
Listen to the podcast to find out more about her story, the challenges she’s faced, and her fondness for getting hands-on with concrete.
Along with Roma’s interview is a delightful short story written by CM Taylor called The Nightbuilder which explores another aspect of concrete.
Resources
- Print and display our Roma poster (PDF).
- More about Roma in our Case Study.
Worksheets
- Physics worksheet: KS3 Forces (PDF)
- English Resource pack (KS3): The Nightbuilder
- Teacher Guide (PDF)
- Student Booklet (PDF)
Audio clips
Download here, or click the embedded player below
- The Shard (3’39 mp3)
- Concrete (1’59 mp3)
- The Nightbuilder (21′ 38 mp3)
Aerospace engineer and self-confessed mermaid Sophie works on vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft. But not just any ordinary VTOL – electric ones. She’s part of a team working towards what they hope will be the first electric, zero emission aircraft most of us fly on.
Inspired by Sophie’s interview, Tony White has written The Hotwells Cold Water Swimming Club, a semi-biographical story which explores Sophie’s hobby.
Listen to the podcast to find out more about Sophie’s story, the ethical dilemmas she’s faced at work, and … swimming.
Resources
- Print and display our Sophie poster (PDF).
- More about Sophie in our Case Study.
- Sophie’s employer, Vertical Aerospace.
Worksheets
- Chemistry-Physics Worksheet: This KS3 science worksheet includes questions about CO2 from human activity and forces.
Audio clips
Download here, or click the embedded player below
- Clip 1 – Aircraft design (1’07 mp3)
- Clip 2 – Benefits and limitations (4’22 mp3)
Tanzanian engineer Hilonga grew up in a village with limited electricity and clean water. After completing a PhD in South Korea, he’s returned to Tanzania to run a social enterprise helping local communities across Africa to install and run water-purifying nanofilters.
Sarah Franklin has written a moving short story Clean me a river based on Hilonga’s interview.
Listen to the podcast to find out more about Hilonga’s story, his motivations, and how he hopes his example will inspire other children to work towards engineering solutions and social good.
Resources
- Print and display our Hilonga poster (PDF).
- More about Hilonga in our Case Study.
- Hilonga’s business, Gongali Model.
Worksheets
- Chemistry Worksheet: KS3 Mixtures (pdf)
Audio clips
Download here, or click the embedded player below
- Clip 1 – Growing up (2’20 mp3)
- Clip 2 – Education (3’57 mp3)
- Clip 3 – Filter (0’24 mp3)
Greg’s path into engineering took the apprenticeship route, where he learned to solve problems practically – skills which have served him well in his job as a manufacturing engineer for a company making polymer and composite materials for medical applications. Materials Greg and his team develop are used to support bones as they heal, in patients worldwide.
Alongside Greg’s interview is ‘Healing the Fractured‘ a story by Emma Newman. She has written about a dystopian future in which the trauma plates that Greg designs could provide hope for those fighting tyranny.
Resources
- Print and display our Greg’s poster (PDF)
- More about Greg in our Case Study.
- Greg’s employer, Invibio.
Worksheets
- Chemistry Worksheet: KS3 Properties of Materials (PDF)
- English Resource Pack: (KS3) Healing the Fractured
- Teacher Guide (PDF)
- Student Booklet (PDF)
Audio clips
Download. here, or click the embedded player below
- Clip 1 – Trauma plates (3’31 mp3)
- Clip 2 – Apprenticeship (3’07 mp3)
Ruth nearly missed the chance to experience engineering as a career, having almost become lawyer. But in school she was challenged by her teacher to design a mobility aid to help people using stairs; her solution won her her first engineering award, at the age of 15. These days she and her colleague Shawn spend their time bringing kids inventions to life!
Alongside Ruth’s interview is a story by Jacqueline Yallop. Titled Swish, it’s about a girl named Meena and her pair of wings…
Resources
- Print and display our Ruth’s poster (PDF)
- More about Ruth in our Case Study.
Worksheets
- This KS3 science worksheet is linked to the Working Scientifically strand of the National curriculum. Students will compare the personal qualities that they share with inventors like Ruth, and have a go at problem solving.
Audio clips
Download here, or click the embedded player below
- Clip 1 – Inventions (2’43 mp3)
- Clip 2 – Mobility aid (2’28 mp3)
Sian always dreamed about working in space, and now she’s in charge of building part of the spacecraft which will take a new generation of astronauts to the Moon.
Alongside Sian’s interview is a story in rhyme by award-winning rapping scientist Jon Chase.
Resources
- Print and display Sian’s poster (PDF).
- More about Sian in our Case Study.
- Sian’s employer Airbus.
Worksheets
- Physics Worksheet: KS3 Space physics (pdf)
Audio clips
Download here, or click the embedded player below
- Clip 1 – European Space Module (2’50 mp3)
- Clip 2 – Project management (2’14 mp3)
- Clip 3 – Describing module (1’00 mp3)
- Clip 4 – Jon Chase rap (1’10 mp3)
Joshua volunteers as search and rescue engineer for SARAID, a group of volunteers, that helps finding people trapped in collapsed buildings. He has to relies on his instincts and fundamental principle of maths and physics to help others.
Alongside Joshua’s interview, Nina Allen’ story “Forces and Loads” uncovers more than people trapped in the rubble of an earthquake.
Resources
- Print and display Joshua’s poster (PDF)
- More about Joshua in our Case Study.
Worksheets
- Physics Worksheet: KS3 Forces (pdf)
Audio clips
Download here, or click the embedded player below
- Clip 1 – Urban rescue (1’34 mp3)
- Clip 2 – SARAID policy (1’46 mp3)
- Clip 3 – Earthquake and hurricane (1’03 mp3)
Both Enass and Manjot work for H2GO Power, a company founded by Enass, and dedicated to capture and store hydrogen, as a clean source of energy.
Alongside their interview, writer George Sandifer-Smith‘s short story highlights one of the biggest challenges in the climate change movement – people!
Resources
- Print and display Enass’ poster (PDF)
- More about Enass in our Case Study.
- Print and display Manjot’s poster (PDF)
- More about Manjot in our Case Study.
Worksheets
- Chemistry/Physics worksheet: KS3 The atmosphere and energy resources (PDF)
- English Resource Pack: (KS3) Data is Truth & Truth Data
- Teacher Guide (PDF)
- Student Booklet (PDF)
Audio clips
Download here, or click the embedded player below
- Clip 1 – No electricity (1’07 mp3)
- Clip 2 – Smart cities (2’35 mp3)
- Clip 3 – H2GO (1’37 mp3)
- Clip 4 – Integration engineer (1’17 mp3)
From Big Data to Artificial Intelligence, Larissa believes that there is room for improvement towards making our cities smarter and investing in developing interplanetary internet to help future space missions.
She also advocates for the need of increasing the diversity of people working in engineering and computer science.
Alongside Larissa’s interview, Author Tim Maughan’s short story, My City is Not a Problem, focuses on the first AI system built for the public sector. It appears to know how to solve London’s problems better than its politicians.
Resources
- Print and display Larissa’s poster (PDF)
- More about Larissa in our Case Study.
Worksheets
- Computing worksheet: This KS3 worksheet looks at data protection and privacy in the context of smart cities.
- English resource pack (KS3): My City is Not A Problem, Tim Maughan
- Teacher Guide (.pdf)
- Student booklet (.pdf)
Audio clips
Download here, or click the embedded player below
- Clip 1 – Diversity (1’42 mp3)
- Clip 2 – Smart cities (2’15 mp3)
- Clip 3 – How I was assembled (2’01 mp3)
- Clip 4 – Engineers as doctors for the world (2’05 mp3)
Jack speaks passionately about his unusual route into engineering and all the advantages his apprenticeship brought to his current position as an electrical engineer at Sellafield. This nuclear site is benefiting from two robots that Jack has help developed that can cope with high levels of radiation.
Jack’s interview is interwoven with Katrina Porteous‘ poem, which explores engineering’s impact on society and the possibilities for interaction between human consciousness and machine learning.
Resources
- Print and display Jack’s poster (PDF).
- More about Jack in our Case Study.
- More about Jack’s employer Sellafield Ltd.
Worksheets
- Physics worksheet: KS3 Light waves (pdf)
- English Resource Pack (KS4/5): Ingenious
- Teacher Guide (PDF)
- Student Booklet (PDF)
Audio clips
Download here, or click the embedded player below
- Clip 1 – Current work (4’18 mp3)
- Clip 2 – Robot (1’37 mp3)
- Clip 3 – Hierarchy of Education (2’58 mp3)
Trevor saw acoustic engineering as the perfect combination to bring together his passions for physics and music. In the final episode of the Inventive podcast, the tables have turned and Trevor gets interviewed by previous guest, Ruth Amos. He shares how fascinating and complex the science behind sound is, and a few different applications of engineering sound.
Science fiction writer Stephen Cox draws on Trevor’s research into improving how music sounds through hearing aids, for his story “The Magic Flute.”
Resources
- Print and display Trevor’s poster (PDF).
