In this episode, we get into the nuance of the difference of being a beginner and beginning something new. We talk with Benjamin Gaston, the college’s Dean of the School of STEM, someone who has a complex brief that includes oversight of multiple departments and many employees, both faculty and staff. Benjamin is an engineer by training and trade and taught for the college before moving into administration, first as Chair of Engineering and now as dean.

We talk about being a true beginner at a hobby (he recently learned to ride a motorcycle from the CCE part of the college) and beginning new projects as an expert. What’s it like to oversee complex and far-reaching projects at the college? We talk about the Mav in Space program that Benjamin organized that sent MTC student research to the International Space Station and an important new partnership with Scout Motors.

We also talk about Robert Pirsig’s classic, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Leadership and responsibility take a lot of patience and emotional regulation just like learning does. We ask questions about how to keep one’s cool, find the best path forward and how to find the Zen in the midst of urgent activity while staying true to the mission.

Stream the episode here or listen through Apple Podcasts or Spotify.