Sowmya Nagesh

I am a controls engineer working on modules that clean up the bad particulate matter that's in your engine exhaust.

Problem solving has interested me since I was a kid. It was a natural progression for me. Additionally my dad grew up with nothing and engineering provided him the means to a fulfilling career and life. That striped my career lane for me.

I went to school for my BS in Electronics and Communication in India.  I got my Masters in Electrical and Computer engineering at University of Illinois at Chicago.

Troubleshooting problems in Minesites and installations around the world and day to day customer interaction  while doing that. Designing new controls strategies to make my product better which in turn helps make environment cleaner.  

I get to use my skills in developing meaningful products  and help develop and mentor a pipeline of talented engineers in my community. Both of these will have a long term impact in the world we live in. It makes me happy and grateful.

Some students who I mentored in the high school bootcamp that I run have started or are starting engineering clubs of their own.  That makes me incredibly proud.

I have learned how to prioritize my work and life goals along the way. Many a time, I have to step back and reevaluate but this constant challenge has made me a better planner.

I am married to a mechanical engineer who supports me in every endeavor I take on. When we helped me build a trebuchet for a STEM outreach event, I realized that he was the guy for me. Since then we have married and have a 1 year old daughter and a 2.5 year old son.  

Short term goal would be becoming a New Product development lead and long term  , I am aiming for a technical management role.

My mother.

That B in advanced calculus or physics in the long run is still ok. Your overall development with high school internships and job shadowing and science/engineering/math/ scholastic clubs may help more than you realize.

Trivia, hiking, traveling, fantastical story telling to my son, building new engineering and science projects with husband