11 Aug 2023
This month we caught up with Rachael Tighe, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader of Mechanical Engineering within the School of Engineering at the University of Waikato. Hear about why she does her role and what she gets up to in her spare time.
What is your role at the university of Waikato?
I’m the Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader of Mechanical Engineering within the School of Engineering at the University of Waikato. I teach our first year Engineering Mechanics paper and a higher-level elective paper on Inspection, Monitoring and Evaluation. I currently hold a Marsden Fast Start Grant where my research looks at developing new non-destructive evaluation and material defect characterisation procedures.
A photo of Rachel. Photo: Rachel Tighe.
Is there an academic who inspired you to enter the world of academia?
There are a few, but two really stand out. Firstly, my fourth-year project supervisor, Dr Lawson, was a laid-back academic who awed me with his diverse knowledge about a range of subject areas that he ‘effortlessly’ brought together to make complex systems make sense. Secondly, my PhD supervisor and subsequent collaborator, Professor Barton, who I saw show unwavering passion for her undergraduate teaching as well as her research and research team. Both of these academics took the time to work with me, challenged me, and made me think more critically. They showed me what academia could look like from creating new ways to understand things a little bit better so that information can be used to support industrial advances, to working with our next generation of engineers and researchers.
What’s the best thing about teaching engineering students?
A really rewarding moment is when a concept clicks and the student suddenly ‘gets it’ and you can see their sense of achievement. Or when a student offers an alternate analogy or example and you know they’ve really understood what you’ve been trying to get across. The research and design projects with our fourth years and post graduate students are the most fun.
How do you explain the Washington Accord and international mobility to your students?
I think of the WA as the measuring system that we develop our engineers against. When our graduates meet these standards, including attributes and knowledge profile, they become internationally mobile. International mobility was one of the reasons I became an engineer, and an academic, so to me it’s important that we not only develop engineers to meet these standards for their work in Aotearoa, but also so that they are recognised globally and can be internationally mobile if they choose.
A really rewarding moment is when a concept clicks and the student suddenly ‘gets it’ and you can see their sense of achievement.
How do you incorporate sustainability concepts into your teaching?
In my first-year mechanics teaching, this is about making the best use out of materials by understanding loading scenarios. In the higher-level inspection teaching it’s about incorporating the value of inspection and maintenance into design decisions, facilitating safe operation and potential for safe life extension of components.
Why are you a member of Engineering New Zealand?
I’ve always been a member of professional bodies and since moving to New Zealand, I’ve been a member of Engineering New Zealand. I value the diverse disciplines of the membership and different perspectives. I’ve been to Engineering New Zealand events and met interesting people from outside my own area. Even just reading the EG magazine presents interesting perspectives on topics and issues relevant to Aotearoa and the wider engineering industry.
If you could meet any engineer in the world, who would it be and why?
Why can I only meet one?! One of my favourite parts of my job is that I collaborate across different industries and countries and meet a wide range of amazing engineers and I’m lucky enough to get to work with some of them and graduate others.
What is your favourite piece of engineering in Hamilton?
There is a load of great engineering across the Waikato but something really iconic and significant to me are the bridges across the Waikato River. I come from Newcastle Upon Tyne in the UK, a city of bridges, so I enjoy walking the Te Awa river trail, taking in the bridges across the Waikato River as to me this reminds me of home.
What do you do in your spare time?
I enjoy tramping, camping and spending time outdoors exploring New Zealand’s stunning backcountry.
