What I Do I am currently a project engineer (PE) / principal investigator (PI) in Research and Technology (R&T) for an Aerospace Nacelle manufacturer. I manage and run material and process development projects to improve current airplane parts (lower cost, lower weight, better performance, higher efficiency, replacement of hazardous materials, automation equipment). I create and run test programs to test the new materials and processes, and document results in an engineering report to show the customer that the new proposed material or process is equivalent or better to the certified aircraft. I am also the chair of the Women in Aviation Employee Resource Group (ERG), helping to plan events that can connect employees in networking, development and engagement.
Why Engineering? I have always been interested in both math and science, so I wanted to put those together and ended up with Chemical Engineering. I actually started as a Music major in college until I took a Careers in Music class, along with Calculus and Chemistry for general education requirements, I decided I enjoyed the science and math classes and career options more.
School Days California State Polytechnic University, Pomona - Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (2010) University of California, Riverside - Master of Science in Material Science and Engineering (2014, while working at UTC / Collins funded by Employee Scholar Program) University of Redlands - Master of Business Administration (2018, while working at UTC / Collins funded by Employee Scholar Program)
My Day At Work Managing test programs from requirements test plan authoring, writing manufacturing planning for building test panels, overseeing the laboratory build of test panels and answering questions, working with external test lab to test specimens, analyzing data and writing RHR reports. Work with the laboratory to assess demonstrator prototype parts and document processes. Hold project tollgate reviews for both technology and manufacturing with leadership and various departments.
Best Part Getting to influence new materials and processes, getting to work with many talented people to come together and make airplanes, working on developing airplanes and technology of the future.
Proud Moments I won a STEP Ahead Women in Manufacturing Emerging Leader award in 2017 and was honored at an awards ceremony in Washington DC.
Challenges Biggest challenge is finding the work / life balance, and making sure you don't take work or stress from work home with you at the end of the day. It is easy to work too many hours and forget about the other items in life you need to balance along with work. It's okay to leave the office with work on the table, it will be there tomorrow!
My Family I was born and raised in So Cal, growing up in Chino Hills. I am married with one dog (6 year old Australian Shepherd / Lab mix) and a 9 month old baby.
Dreams and Goals Short term I'd like to move up to management, and long term potentially senior leadership in a technical / engineering based role.
Inspiration My mother inspired me to work hard in college and become a working mother like herself. She is college educated and both of my parents worked full time while I was growing up. My mother always had the housework and cooking complete and still had time to attend our softball games or band practices even though she worked a lot. I owe a lot of my dedication and ambition to her.
Want to be an Engineer? Engineering can be a lot of different things. There are many industries and many job types that you can go in to, and daily activities range from working in a lab to on a computer or in a machine shop. Keep an open mind when choosing an industry. I majored in Chemical Engineering but ended up as an M&P engineer in Aerospace, which I didn't consider at first but I love now. Engineers are everywhere!
Hobbies I love to play with and walk my dog, spend time with my family, go wine tasting and dancing with my girlfriends, and watch live music.