
Hi, I’m Danny Dreelan — a Mechanical Engineer and certified fitter with a PhD in Mechanical & Materials Engineering. I swapped academia for Australia’s mining industry to gain hands‑on skills, financial freedom, and a broader perspective. My work spans shutdown maintenance, heavy equipment repair, and data‑driven automation tools that make engineering tasks faster and smarter. I thrive at the intersection of theory and real‑world application.
Areas of Expertise
- Mechanical & Materials Engineering — Design, analysis, and optimisation
- Mining Shutdown Maintenance — SAG/ball mill feed chute, liner changes, hard skirt adjustments
- Safety Leadership — SWMS, JSEA, and permit-to-work compliance
- Data Science — Python automation, analytics, machine learning
- Tooling & Fabrication — Grinding, cutting, welding prep
Education & Certifications
- PhD in Mechanical & Materials Engineering — University College Dublin
- Master's in Mechanical Engineering — University College Dublin - 1st Class Hons (4.0GPa)
- Bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering - University College Dublin - 1st Class Hons (4.0GPa)
- Certificate III in Engineering – Mechanical Trade - intech Institute of Technology (Australia)
- High-Risk Work Licenses — Rigging, Dogman, EWP, Forklift
- Confined Space & Working at Heights (current)
Latest Blog Posts
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Gmail to Google Calendar Automation
August 05, 2025
Interactive Notebook
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Why I Switched from Academia to Mining
July 13, 2025
After years immersed in academia and computer-based work, I made a decision that raised more than a few eyebrows: I put down the research papers and picked u...