2019-2020 WOMEN'S PERSPECTIVES SEMINAR

LETTERS TO A YOUNG ENGINEER
​​
​Speaker Line-up

Winter Quarter
Mitchell B67 | 4:30 - 5:20pm | Thursdays
refreshments and mingling at 4:15
All are invited to attend!
​

Jan 9
Tina Katopodes Chow​

Environmental Engineering Professor, UC Berkeley
​
Tina’s current research focuses on the atmospheric boundary layer, the lowest region of the Earth’s atmosphere, which is where we live and where weather events take place. Her research group aims to improve the numerical models used for weather prediction and air quality forecasts. She and her students have worked on predicting how wind turbines respond in turbulent flow, how plumes spread in an urban environment, and how winds are affected by complex mountainous terrain, among other applications. Tina received a B.S. in Engineering Sciences from Harvard University and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University. At Cal, Tina teaches fluid mechanics, computer programming, and numerical methods to both undergraduate and graduate students.

Jan 16
Lara Pierpoint​

Director of Technology Strategy​, Exelon​
​
Lara Pierpoint joined Exelon in October 2016, focusing on energy technology innovation. She leads the Corporate Strategy technical team from her post in Danville, California, advising the company on energy technology trends, investing in early- and mid-stage energy storage technologies, and running Exelon’s partnership R&D program. Prior to joining Exelon, she directed the Office of Energy Supply Security in the U.S. DOE Office of Policy and Systems Analysis, where she was responsible for policy and analysis related to coal, gas, and nuclear power and energy cyber and physical security. Before her work at DOE she served as an AAAS Congressional Science and Engineering Fellow for the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, focusing on nuclear power and waste issues, energy finance, and electricity storage. She received her PhD in 2011 from MIT in Engineering Systems, studying deployment of advanced technologies for nuclear waste recycling, and she holds dual masters degrees from MIT in nuclear engineering and technology policy. She is a native Californian, and completed her B.S. in physics at UCLA in 2004.

Jan 23
Jeanne Yu​

Director of Technology Integration / ecoDemonstrator, Boeing Commercial Airlines​
​
Y​u’s responsibilities are planning and executing the Product Development technology R&D portfolio to meet the needs of current and future commercial airplanes and services. This includes the innovative ecoDemonstrator Program, a cadence of flight test platforms to accelerate “learn by doing”, collaboration and technology implementation. Yu also leads Design for Environment focused improvements for energy, global and local emissions, community noise, and sustainable materials.

She was a key industry leader responsible for conducting first flights with sustainable biofuel blends, establishing viability of sustainable aviation biofuel for commercial aircrafts. Yu has previous experience in Environmental Control Systems, air quality, 787 cabin environment, fire protection systems and certification.

Yu has served on National Academies Transportation Research Board committees, FAA Research Engineering and Development Advisory Committee, International UK advisory for Aviation and Environment, OMEGA and FAA Center of Excellence Aircraft - Cabin Environment. Yu was inducted as an AIAA Associate Fellow in January 2019.

Yu received a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois and a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering – Thermosciences from Stanford University. Prior to joining Boeing, Yu worked at Sandia National Laboratories.

JAN 30
JANNA GLAZE

Mechanical Engineer, Intel Corporation
​
Dr. Janna Glaze is a mechanical engineer researcher working for the Intel Corporation in the San Francisco Bay Area where she develops sensors that allow for a variety of worldwide technologies to work.  She earned her bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with honors from UC Merced (2012) and her master’s and doctoral degree in mechanical engineering from Stanford University (2016 and 2018). In 2012, while working for UNICEF Africa, Janna developed a pneumonia sensor that has become part of pneumonia-prevention kits now used.  In 2017, Janna was recognized as one of the Remarkable Women of the University of California from the Office of the President. In 2018, Janna developed part of the Intel technology that will be implemented in the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. In 2018 and 2019, Janna and her husband Grant endowed two scholarships at UC Merced to do her part in closing the gap among minorities and underrepresented students.  Janna is also the co-owner of a local community restaurant, J&R Tacos, in her hometown of Merced.  When she’s not designing the next technical solution, she enjoys summiting mountains around the world. Check back soon for a description!

Feb 6
Maegan Spencer​

Product Design Manager, Apple
​​
Maegan is an Engineering Manager at Apple for the Watch Product Design team. In this role, she leads a team of mechanical engineers in designing the physical parts and assemblies in the Watch system. Her team works cross-functionally within Apple to integrate multiple technologies into the product.

She has a non-traditional career, earning her BS and PhD in Chemistry, before shifting to Mechanical Engineering. Her PhD research was in developing laser mass spectrometry to study trace organics in extraterrestrial materials. In 2008, she joined the start-up Avinger (then Sawtooth Labs) as their 10th employee to help invent OCT image-guided surgical tools to treat arterial disease. After 5 years, she shifted toward consumer product design, working as an ME consultant at Whipsaw in San Jose, CA and mainly contributing toward Nike FuelBand engineering. She has been on the Watch PD team for over 5 years, starting as an engineering contributor and now as a technical lead and manager. 

Maegan earned a BS in Chemistry from UNC-Asheville and a PhD in Chemistry from Stanford. She holds 16 patents across multiple technologies. Maegan has lived in the Bay Area since 2003 and recently moved to the Santa Cruz mountains.

Feb 13
MARISSA WEST

Vehicle Chief Engineer, General Motors

Marissa West is currently the Chief Engineer of the GMC Sierra Heavy Duty and the Chevrolet Silverado Heavy Duty Truck programs. As Vehicle Chief Engineer, West is leading the launch of GM’s all new heavy duty pick-up trucks which entails leading a large team of engineers across multiple functions to design, engineer and bring to market an incredibly important product with volumes of almost 300,000 units annually.

Previously she was the Director of the Global Noise & Vibration Center since 2016 and in 2018 the Vehicle Dynamics Center was added to her responsibility. She subsequently led the transformation and merging of the N&V and Dynamics centers into an agile and lean organization before moving into her role as a Chief Engineer.

Marissa began her career in the automotive industry as a college intern in 2001 and joined GM as a full time employee in 2003. Since that time, she has held a variety of positions in product engineering ranging from performance engineer, IRT co-chair in several vehicle assembly plants, hybrid safety systems engineer, chassis systems engineer and engineering manager as well as Chief of Staff to the Executive Vice President of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain.

She holds a Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Michigan State University.

Feb 20
HANNAH STUART

Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, UC Berkeley
​​
Hannah Stuart received her BS in Mechanical Engineering from the George Washington University in 2011. She then completed her MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University in 2013 and 2017 respectively. Professor Stuart’s research interests include: Dexterous manipulation; Bioinspired design; Soft and multi-material mechanisms; Skin contact conditions; Tactile sensing and haptics.

FEB 27
JUDY HSU

Product Manager, Google Shopping
​
Judy leads the international product strategy for Google Search. Judy has been at Google for 6 years.  Before Google, she spent a few years at McKinsey doing strategy consulting and got her PhD in Mechanical Engineering working on vehicle dynamics and controls (where she was very involved in ME Women's group, so she is thrilled to be invited back!). Judy loves to cook, horseback ride, travel, re-learn Mandarin, and generally content spending time with her charming British husband and adorable toddler.

Mar 5
THERESA JOHNSON

Product Manager, Airbnb
​
Theresa works on new Payments technology platforms to accelerate belonging at Airbnb. Her other roles include angel investor, Sequoia Scout, where she has invested in over 10 early-stage startups. Theresa earned a BS, MS and PhD in engineering from Stanford University. During her PhD in Aeronautics and Astronautics at Stanford, she focused on satellite and space plasma computational physics.

Theresa joined Airbnb as a Machine Learning/AI Data Scientist focused on supply growth and quality. Her biggest bet was working on a pricing system for listing photography that increased global host access to high quality photos, regardless of market. Now as a Product Manager in Airbnb Payments, Theresa's team builds platform tools to allow any business to seamlessly integrate with Airbnb Payments -  from photographers in Chicago to housekeepers in China.

In her almost 4 years at Airbnb, Theresa has co-founded StandardDev, a multicultural group supporting underrepresented minorities in technical roles and become a “super mentor” to other women in the company looking to own their own career and brand.

Mar 12
Sila Kiliccote​

CEO, eIQ Mobility​
​
Sila Kiliccote is the Co-founder and CEO of eIQ Mobility. eIQ Mobility is building a trusted platform and a set of key enablers that drive vehicle fleets into a smart, electric, and cost-effective future. The key enablers include planning and operational software that finds the least cost deployments, tracks performance over time and enables the sharing of infrastructure and vehicles over time thus gaining efficiencies at each trip. 

Prior to joining eIQ, Sila formed and led the Grid Integration, Systems and Mobility (GISMo) department at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and managed Stanford’s Bits and Watts initiative. She spent over 10 years at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as a deputy of the Demand Response Research Center and leading the grid integration initiatives. She received SLAC’s Director’s award in 2017, the C3E Research Leadership Award in 2014, and Leadership in Smart Grid Acceleration Award in 2010.