Rough Seas - The Marine Engineering Podcast

For centuries, sailors have looked to the stars to navigate the open seas. But can you use those same stars to chart a course through a career? By charting a course using little but the stars above, John's journey from corporate finance and to the tutelage of Johns Hopkins' NASA scientists is an inspiration. John is a best-selling author and the Director of the Abbey Ridge Observator and Eastern Canada's premiere stargazing park.  There's also a couple of surprises in this episode. Our guest turns the mic around and interviews our host, Enginuity President and Founder Ben Garvey, about his early life among artists, poets and music, that eventually inspired his path towards engineering.  And...there's also a little hidden chestnut at the back end of this episode. Enjoy the ride. ​

In this episode we follow Colonel Oldford's journey from the blackfly laden woods of New Brunswick to the NORAD command centre at Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida, and now most recently, his current post as Commander of 22 Wing.   Oldford details his extensive roles within NORAD, his transparent leadership approach, and how international defence partnerships endure regardless of shifting political climates.  

Is it nature or nurture that creates great leaders? In the case of today's guest, it's a lot of both! In this week's episode of Rough Seas Ben speaks with Lieutenant Jerome Downey. As founder of DMF Energy Inc. and as public affairs officer in the Canadian Armed Forces Reserve, Downey's journey has been rooted in integrity.  He has drawn inspiration from his family's legacy of leadership and service - and is passionate about helping the next generation cultivate that same sense of purpose and willingness to serve community and country. 

In this personal and candid interview, we join Tom Knox on his marine tech journey, beginning in radar, fibre optics, and RF testing under the tutelage of BAE Systems on the Isle of Wight, to eventually finding him as entrepreneur extraordinaire on Canada's east coast .   His philosophy regarding R & D and financing is a refreshing take on how to develop and market marine innovations. 

In this episode we're joined by Nick Macan, an engineer and executive who's spent his career in the thick of big challenges—from West African oil projects to Russian sanctions to concrete and Canadian steel mills.   Nick now leads at Algoma Steel, a company taking bold steps of swapping out coal-fired blast furnaces for electric models, cutting emissions by 70%, and powering a new era of local, sustainable steel.  He and Ben discuss why producing steel close to home matters, the challenges and opportunities of "green steel," and how strategic procurement can strengthen Canada's economy and sovereignty.   

In this episode, Robyn Warrier, Program Manager at COVE's NATO DIANA accelerator joins Ben to discuss her journey in ocean tech and commercialization. Together, they explore how dual-use innovation helps SMEs blend defence and commercial applications, offering new opportunities for growth and impact in the marine technology sector.  

Today we welcome the absolute legend that is Jim Hanlon, a true pioneer in ocean technology. While many people have struggled to commericalise cutting edge tech, Jim has made a habit of it.   With over 40 years of experience in engineering, marketing, and management across civilian, academic and military sectors, Jim has not only built an impressive career but also revolutionised how we think about collaboration and innovation in the ocean economy.  In this playful conversation he and Ben discuss the finer points of facilitating collaborative research which can best be surmised in the mantra, "Synthesizing Opportunity out of Disparate Things". 

In this episode Ben speaks with Dave Pedersen from Thales Canada about his incredible journey from paramedic to project engineer, delving deep into the challenges and rewards working in the Arctic & Offshore Patrol Ship (AOPS) and the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) programs. 

From her beginnings as a young sailor in the Royal Canadian Navy to helming COVE, Nadeau's forward thinking approach is charting new opportunities in ocean entrepreneurship.    This episode explores the many challenges and opportunities that lay below, above and at the surface of the world's oceans.  

In this episode, Ben speaks with Chief Scientist Kyle Woerner of STR (Systems Technology and Research) about his service in the US Navy, his tenure at DARPA, and bridging communication barriers between organisations and among technical teams. 

There are very few people who can distill this new age of machine learning and artificial intelligence as well as Jennifer LaPlante. In this episode, she and Ben examine what AI really means for businesses in the ocean tech sector and beyond, demystifying the burgeoning technology and putting it all into clear perspective. This conversation sets the record straight about how, where and when AI will benefit your operations. 

Magellan, Amundsen, Shackleton, Mayer.  Larry Mayer is widely recognised as one of the world's foremost scientists and explorers, playing a crucial role in shaping global climate-saving initiatives. His groundbreaking research and technological contributions have revolutionised various fields of ocean science, including marine geophysics, palaeoceanography, and marine archaeology. From an initiative to map the entire ocean floor by 2030, and his exceptional mentorship of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, Dr. Mayer humbly shares his perspective and approach to scientific ocean exploration in todays's tumultuous climate.  

Brokering peace after a 36-year civil war is a challenge reserved for a select few, that challenge is compounded when you're the first woman to do it. In this episode, Enginuity's Ben Garvey talks with Eva Martinez about the challenges of being the first female United Nations Military Observer (UNMO) and how her current role as Senior Director of In-Service Support (ISS) at Bluedrop Training and Simulation contibutes to positive change in the defence industry.

From the azure skies of Afghanistan, to Capitol Hill and the Pentagon, US Air Force pilot Colonel Erik Brine's career reads like an encyclopedia of service to international security.  While Colonel Brine's primary focus has been in aerial operations, he has expanded his expertise to undersea technology. In this episode, he and Ben talk about the future of global security, the pivot to the Pacific, and the dire need to align government, academia and private industry.   

From the fair winds and calm waters of Lac St. Louis, Quebec, Captain (Ret'd) Rich Gravel charted a 35 year career in the Royal Canadian Navy leading naval operations as Commanding Officer of Fleet Maintenance, to Naval Attaché in Washington, DC, calling many ports in between. The recipient of the United States Legion of Merit, Gravel has perenially spearheaded leadership and innovation within the public and private sectors. Today, as Director of Business Development (Naval Programs) at Thales, Rich continues to generously share his ambition for a safer world and better future. The perspective and experience he shares in this episode is invaluable. 

How do you change course?  What does it take to affect change? How do you make that change last?   From Counter Piracy to Anti-Submarine Warfare to NATO Fleet Operations, British Royal Navy XO (ret'd) Chris Gare has navigated the most sensitive theatres on the planet. In this episode he shares his inspiration and his methodologies of leading effective change. This is a masterclass and a "must-listen" for those who need to affect the status quo within a rigid framework. 

There are few people in ocean tech who command a greater audience than Justin Manley. His impact in academia, industry and most recently philanthropy is motivating innnovation at a pace not seen before.   In this inaugural episode we dive deep into the ocean tech landscape; what is currently driving innovation in the space, and how it can best be financed. Justin's humble demeanour resonates through his commitment to climate innovation and entrepreneurship best characterised by his mantra "Profit And Planet".