Dallas SWE is pleased to present a new series – Stories of Women in STEM – to feature stories of some of our talented members that highlight their STEM field, background, and advice for pursuing STEM. We hope this blog provides inspiration and an opportunity for girls to learn more from real engineers and the exciting possibilities in a career in STEM. Enjoy our Stories!
Please enjoy this feature with Liz Hainey, Engineering Fellow at Raytheon Technologies
Dallas SWE: Tell us about yourself! Please include your background, your journey, and why you decided to pursue a STEM field?
Liz: I grew up with a father, uncles, and one grandfather who were all engineers, and I loved math and chemistry, so it was easy to choose Chemical Engineering for a major. I had a wonderful experience at Lehigh University as an undergraduate, and ended up doing extra research with a professor who gave me great advice about graduate school. I ended up going to The University of Michigan, where my father and his brother went, and heeded my professor’s advice to pick the advisor first, and the project second. That led to a lifelong friendship with my graduate advisor and a PhD instead of just a Masters, which was my original goal. I then spent 10 years in the oil industry, including a year in Paris. I met my husband at Arco Oil & Gas, and honed my software development skills. When Arco was bought out, Raytheon needed software engineers, so I took a chance to program full time. I went from a Software Engineer to a Development Lead, to a Project Engineer, to a Chief Engineer, and eventually Engineering Fellow where I focus on the front-end of the business, creating software and system designs to meet customer needs.
Dallas SWE: Tell us about a typical day in your life. What do you do, and what is the best part?
Liz: A typical day for me is as a chief engineer on a government proposal. I have a team of engineers from Raytheon and partner companies that I work with to create a solution that meets the proposal requirements. I leverage the different disciplines (e.g., software, systems, test, user interface, database, infrastructure, network) to come up with a holistic solution that involves creating diagrams and words to tell a compelling story. I have daily standups with the team to make sure everyone is on the same page, and make sure everyone is contributing. The best part is when the team learns to work together against common themes, and I no longer have to push them to contribute.
Dallas SWE: What has been the coolest project you have gotten to do in your STEM field?
Liz: As chief engineer on a critical project for the Air Force, I got to lead the installation of the new hardware and software to multiple sites around the world. I worked with some amazing Air Force members – I learned what they needed to do their job well, and they learned how our software could help them be more efficient. I saw first hand how we were fighting the war in Iraq.
Dallas SWE: Did you have any role models that helped you learn about or pursue your STEM field?
Liz: I had many role models. My father first and foremost, taught me about integrity and engineering in general, and took my to his office with him on multiple occasions. My graduate advisor taught me how to be thorough and pay attention to details. My mentors at work have all been leaders in their technical fields, and have been very patient with me and all the questions I have asked them over the last 32 years.
Dallas SWE: Do you have a favorite quote or any famous words that you live by?
Liz: My father taught me that at the end of the day, you have to look in the mirror and ask yourself if you did the right thing. Because in engineering, integrity is everything.
Dallas SWE: What advice do you have for girls interested in STEM? What are some of the ways to learn more? What helped you when you were young?
Two things come to mind. One, make sure you take as many AP science classes as you can, as well as Calculus in High School. And two, depending on what your particular STEM passion may be, figure out how to spend extra time outside of school pursuing that passion. For example, if you love chemistry, get a chemistry set. If you love electronics, get an electronics kit. If you love programming, do it for fun at home.
Dallas SWE: How do find a mentor?
Liz: Mentors come in all shapes and sizes. The best advice I could give would be to find someone not much older than yourself that you feel comfortable asking questions. As a bonus, if there is someone much more senior that you feel comfortable talking to, take that opportunity to also ask questions.
