Structural Intelligence Podcast
Structural Intelligence Podcast
Podcast Description
Welcome to the Structural Intelligence Podcast — where engineering meets innovation. Hosted by Owen Keenan, this show dives into how AI, automation, and digital tools are transforming engineering. Each episode features real stories from leading professionals, practical insights, and bold ideas shaping the future of the built environment. If you're passionate about smarter workflows, powerful tools, and the next evolution of engineering, you're in the right place.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
This podcast focuses on themes such as AI in engineering, automation advancements, and digital tools' impact on workflow efficiency, with episodes like Behind the Boorloo Bridges discussing real-world projects and the nuanced role of automation in overcoming design challenges.
Welcome to the Structural Intelligence Podcast — where engineering meets innovation. Hosted by Owen Keenan, this show dives into how AI, automation, and digital tools are transforming engineering. Each episode features real stories from leading professionals, practical insights, and bold ideas shaping the future of the built environment. If you’re passionate about smarter workflows, powerful tools, and the next evolution of engineering, you’re in the right place.
In this episode, Owen Keenan sits down with Brooks Smith, Chartered Structural Engineer, open-source contributor, and Head of Engineering R&D at ClearCalcs.
Brooks shares his unconventional career journey, from testing software at Ansys to conducting forensic investigations at the Empire State Building, before moving into cold-formed steel design and engineering platform development. Together, they explore how the engineer’s toolkit is evolving, from spreadsheets and hand calcs to cloud-based systems, AI-driven workflows, and data-informed design standards.
Whether you’re a design engineer, software-savvy practitioner, or just curious about the future of engineering, this episode dives into the mindset and tools shaping our profession.
⏱️ Episode Timestamps:
0:00 – Introduction
1:20 – Brooks Smith’s background
5:40 – Open-source projects and programming journey
7:20 – Transition into structural engineering
10:20 – Evolution of engineering tools over time
17:50 – How tools have improved practice
22:01 – Defining AI in the context of structural engineering
26:25 – AI’s role in structural design workflows
29:17 – What is emergent design?
31:36 – How innovation shapes standards and practice
33:47 – ClearCalcs tools and what’s next in development
38:30 – AI host summary and closing thoughts🔗 Resources & Mentions:
🔧 ClearCalcs
https://www.clearcalcs.com/?utm_source=owenkeenan&utm_medium=partnerships&utm_campaign=podcast-feature
👤 Brooks Smith – LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/in/smithbh
💻 Open-source tools
anaStruct (GitHub)
pyCUFSM (GitHub)
📽️ CFSEI Presentation Slides (2024)
Google Slides
📄 CFSEI Abstract
Read the Abstract
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