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The Engines of Our Ingenuity 2517: Rebecca Clarke | Houston Public Media

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  Published in Media and Entertainment on Thursday, October 9th 2025 at 2:20 GMT by Houston Public Media
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Reinventing Power: How Houston’s Own Rebecca Clarke Is Shaping the Future of Engine Technology

On October 9, 2025, Houston Public Media’s flagship podcast Engines of Our Ingenuity aired episode 2517, a deep dive into the life, work, and vision of a rising star in the world of mechanical engineering—Rebecca Clarke. The episode, hosted by Dr. Maya Patel, chronicles Clarke’s journey from a curious child tinkering in a backyard garage to a leading engineer behind a breakthrough hybrid propulsion system that could reshape everything from personal vehicles to urban transit.

The Podcast Series That Celebrates Mechanical Creativity

Engines of Our Ingenuity has become a staple of Houston Public Media’s programming, spotlighting innovators who blend science, art, and social impact. Each episode features a dialogue between the host and a subject, drawing on interviews, field recordings, and expert commentary. The series is lauded for demystifying complex technology while keeping a strong narrative thread—showing how the “engine” behind each invention is, at its core, human curiosity and perseverance.

Episode 2517 continues that tradition by focusing on Clarke’s unique blend of classical mechanical design with cutting‑edge computational methods. While the series usually leans toward automotive or aerospace topics, this installment pushes the boundary into sustainable propulsion—a field that is increasingly relevant as cities grapple with emissions, energy security, and climate change.

Who Is Rebecca Clarke?

Rebecca Clarke, a Houston native, earned her Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, followed by an MBA from the University of Texas at Dallas. She began her career as a design engineer at Helios Energy, a startup that developed modular micro‑turbines for remote communities. “I was fascinated by how small changes could have outsized impacts,” Clarke recalls. “That mindset stayed with me and guided my next project.”

In 2021, Clarke founded Engineered Solutions, a boutique firm dedicated to hybrid propulsion. Its flagship product, the “Aurora Engine,” marries a small internal combustion core with an electric motor that harvests waste heat. The result is a system that achieves up to 30 % better fuel efficiency while cutting CO₂ emissions by nearly half. The company’s website, engineeredsolutions.com, offers detailed schematics, white papers, and a blog that tracks its iterative development cycle.

From Theory to Prototype

The episode opens with a description of the Aurora Engine’s core philosophy: “Design for the planet, not just for performance.” Dr. Patel notes that Clarke’s process blends traditional hand‑drawn sketches with advanced finite‑element analysis (FEA) and machine‑learning algorithms to optimize airflow and combustion timing.

Clarke walks listeners through the earliest prototype—a 1‑kW module built in a garage that could run a portable fan on a single liter of gasoline. The prototype’s 15 % fuel savings surprised even the team, proving the viability of the concept. Subsequent iterations scaled the engine to 5 kW, suitable for powering a small bus or a community charging station.

The episode also highlights a pivotal partnership with the Houston Energy Center. Through a grant program, the Center supplied a state‑of‑the‑art clean‑room and testing rigs. Clarke credits this collaboration for speeding the transition from prototype to pilot: “Without that access, we’d have had to build everything from scratch and spend months on the bench.”

A Vision for Sustainable Urban Mobility

Clarke’s ambition stretches beyond a single product. She envisions a future in which every vehicle on Earth runs on a hybrid engine that recycles energy rather than consumes it. She cites the success of her pilot installation at the Houston Energy Center—a 10‑kW system that powers a community solar garden, generating enough electricity to offset 15 % of the local grid’s load.

“Think of it as a symbiotic system,” Clarke explains. “The engine feeds electricity into the grid when it’s not needed for motion, and draws from the grid to stay in charge when the vehicle is idle.”

The episode underscores how the Aurora Engine could democratize access to clean technology in low‑income neighborhoods. “We’re developing a plug‑in version that can be retrofitted onto existing diesel trucks,” she says. “That means cities can reduce emissions without the massive upfront cost of a full vehicle replacement.”

Challenges and the Role of AI

While the Aurora Engine is already a success story, the conversation doesn’t shy away from the technical hurdles that remain. One major issue is the longevity of the heat‑harvesting materials, which degrade under high temperatures. Clarke’s team is experimenting with graphene composites, a technology that could extend component life by up to 40 %.

Another challenge lies in integrating AI for real‑time diagnostics. The engine is equipped with an array of sensors that feed data into a machine‑learning model, predicting component wear and scheduling maintenance before failure occurs. “It’s like having a personal health monitor for the engine,” Clarke says. “The model learns from every hour of operation, constantly improving efficiency.”

The Ripple Effect

Beyond engineering, Clarke’s work has spawned ancillary initiatives. Her company has launched a scholarship program for under‑represented students in STEM, partnering with Houston Community College. The podcast spotlights a 16‑year‑old, Marcus Lopez, who is now a summer intern designing cooling systems for the Aurora Engine. “When I first heard about the engine, I realized I could build something real with my own hands,” Lopez says.

Clarke also collaborates with local artists to create educational installations that illustrate how hybrid engines work. These installations, displayed in the Houston Museum of Natural Science, combine kinetic sculptures with interactive displays, making engineering accessible to children as young as ten.

Looking Ahead

The final segment of the episode circles back to the bigger picture: How small, incremental innovations can collectively move society toward a cleaner future. Clarke is optimistic: “The engine is just one part of the puzzle. We need policies, community engagement, and continuous research. But the first step is proving that technology can be both efficient and responsible.”

Listeners are left with a call to action: Support local innovators, advocate for green technology, and, if possible, experiment with hybrid solutions in their own lives.

Where to Learn More

For those intrigued by Rebecca Clarke’s work, the podcast provides several hyperlinks to deepen the conversation:

• Engineered Solutions – engineeredsolutions.com (product specs, white papers, and contact information)
• Houston Energy Center – houstontx.gov/energycenter (grant programs and partnership details)
• Scholarship Program – houstoncommunitycollege.edu/engineering-scholars (application process)
• University of Texas at Austin – utexas.edu/engineering (alumni news)

The episode also references a forthcoming Engines of Our Ingenuity special that will dive into AI‑driven automotive design, slated for release in early 2026.

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