On Wednesday 14 May, our Brisbane Chapter hosted a compelling seminar and Q&A at Engineers Australia. Dr Sean Brady, forensic engineer and founder of Brady Heywood, delivered a thought-provoking presentation titled How Complex Systems Fail: Lessons from Boeing’s 737 MAX 8 Crashes.
Drawing on his extensive experience in investigating engineering failures, Dr Brady unpacked the systemic and organisational factors that contributed to the tragedies. He challenged the audience to move beyond a simple cause-and-effect mindset and embrace complex systems thinking — a critical skillset for engineers and asset management practitioners working in high-stakes environments.
The evening sparked engaging discussion, with the Q&A offering valuable insights and reflections from the audience.
A sincere thank you to all who attended and contributed to the success of the event. Special thanks go to chair Steve Walker, and vice chair Ella Hingston for facilitating, and Adham Elbarawy and Viktor Santesson for their excellent support managing the sign-in process and capturing event photography.
We also extend our appreciation to Nicola Gough for leading the Townsville Hub gathering. Nicola brought together local members and council office staff to tune into the live presentation and continue the conversation in person — a great example of regional engagement in action.
The presentation recording is now available in our AMBoK for AMCouncil members.
