From the shopfloor to the cutting edge of innovation, women are transforming the world of engineering every single day. To celebrate International Women in Engineering Day, we sat down with one of our female engineers who is helping to break down barriers and pave the way for the next generation.

Erica Smith, is an innovation fellow who has worked in the AMRC’s machining group for ten years. With a niche knowledge and passion in grinding and abrasive machining, alongside a unique skillset in statistical analysis, Erica is a secret weapon in problem solving.

Early inspiration and role models

Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in engineering, and did you have any role models who inspired your path?

When I was very small I had two career paths I was really interested in, either inventor or zoologist. I realised as I got older that I probably enjoyed inventing things more; it felt more interesting to me making stuff and I had a lot of toy tools when I was younger.

In terms of role models, I come from an engineering family, so my dad, my grandad – it goes a long way back. My dad was always encouraging me to make stuff and we would make little planes and other things.

For role models outside of the family, I had some really great maths teachers in both primary and secondary school. They were always saying interesting maths facts that made the subject less scary and intimidating, it was more ‘here’s a fun thing you can do with maths’.

Having that all the way up to A-level made a big impact – it makes a difference when you have supportive and interesting people around you.

How gender diversity is evolving in engineering

Q: How do you feel the industry has evolved regarding gender diversity since you started your career?

I personally haven’t really run into anything obvious regarding this, the odd remark or two when I went to University. But a lot of friends I know have said they’ve had some issues with it.
Across industry, I’ve definitely noticed it in my previous industry on the shopfloor.

I think it can also be challenging for women in terms of maternity leave or caring responsibilities. You see a lot of women leave the industry and not come back.
There is still a gender disparity in society, I believe. But we do it better here at the AMRC, both men and women are really supported.

Grinding, statistics and Erica’s role at the AMRC

Q: Tell us about your job role at the AMRC. What are some of your highlights?

I started by coming into grinding and abrasive machining, as that’s my background in industry and I am passionate about that area. It’s really interesting and I love to get involved with it.

Our grinding work has had its ups and down, so I have been moved between a lot of different teams. I ended up with a bit of an odd background; I did some statistics work and that isn’t as common in engineering and is quite unusual in our machining group.

I’ve been pulled into fixing a lot of different problems and issues during my time here, so I’ve ended up being a bit of a ‘jack-of-all-trades’.

A lot of female engineers I have been working with have really engaged with the statistics side of my work and I’ve been helping them to train up in this area of expertise to help spread my knowledge base further across the organisation.

Why problem-solving is the best part of engineering

Q: What is the best part about being an engineer?

There’s always a problem to solve. There’s always something a bit different. When I was working in industry, we weren’t doing the same thing over and over again, there was always a challenge. There’s always something new to think about and approach in a different way.

What I like about the AMRC is that you see a lot of different problems and there is a lot of flexibility to have different approaches; to work with an array of different people with lots of expertise.

As an engineer, I like having the chance to solve the problem myself but also, being part of a university, we can talk to a lot of experts in the field. People are always happy to share their knowledge and expertise.

It’s really satisfying going onto a shopfloor, seeing something you’ve worked on now in production or in use.

Cross-disciplinary expertise and innovation at the AMRC

Q: Can you explain what expertise, creativity or leadership you bring to your job role?

Having an odd industrial background mix makes a difference in this sense, I think. I get to bring different perspectives to my work from the different fields I’ve worked in – a cross-disciplinary approach.
I also really like working with people, as you get great results working with a mix of people with different skillsets.

Advice for young women pursuing engineering careers

Q: What piece of advice would you give to young girls or women who are considering pursuing a career in engineering?

Build a network of supportive people around you. If it gets too much, then you don’t feel like you have to tackle it on your own. Getting help is not a weakness.
Don’t change who you are, find people who will be supportive of you and what you’re doing.

Never miss an update from the cutting edge of manufacturing.
Sign up for our newsletter to get more inspiring stories, research breakthroughs and industry insights from the AMRC delivered straight to your inbox.