Sanchita is a Post Graduate Mechanical Engineer, working in the field of mechanical design from the last 2.5+ years. As an engineer, she tends to focus her skill set to find effective and creative solutions to any problem which resulted in her being a part of several interesting projects and experiences. Apart from work, she enjoys classical dancing, amateur astronomy and reading books on science, autobiography and fiction.
"As a child, I once dismantled my wall clock because I was determined to see what made it tick-tock so effortlessly through day and night. Although I could not piece together the clock perfectly, the little wheels and spinning gears filled me with a spirit of curiosity and voracious love for mechanical parts that have followed me to this day."
What inspires you?
Professionally, I am inspired by the ‘Why’ behind my projects and role responsibilities. I believe that ‘true inspiration lies behind intention’. Also, nature, which is adept in the best of ways, inspires me to design better. If you ever notice how neatly packed an orange is, you can understand what I mean. The products and equipment designed today are the manifestation of the ever-growing needs of the consumers. Because demand is high, the products are developed keep in mind only their ‘usage’ and not ‘purpose’. I wish to go beyond this traditional belief and change the development process for better. Personally, my family inspires me push my boundaries in each endeavors, especially, my mother. She has taught me grit and courage that I carry with me every step of the way. Besides the unwavering support from my family, I look up to my mentor, retired Col. Devender Dahiya for guidance and inspiration. I also find the writings and sayings of Michelle Obama, Indra Nooyi and Simon Sinek truly encouraging and inspirational.
What did you want to be when you were younger?
I remember not having an exact answer to this question when I were little. Although, since I enjoyed drawing bridges and flyovers during my spare time, I knew I would probably pursue a degree related to engineering. Plus, I used to excitedly watch ‘Art Attack’, a kids show on TV, and loved trying the artsy ideas myself. This encouraged me to build and break a number of parts, whatever I could lay my hands on. Truth behold, my mother still finds it both amusing and annoying.
Which subjects did you enjoy at school?
As clichéd as it might sound, I loved Math and Science at school. It was intriguing how beautifully intertwined these subjects could be and I greatly enjoyed learning them. The practical aspect of going to the Chemistry and Physics Lab to carry out lab experiments was my favorite. I was also a part of the school’s Astronomy Club which had a profound effect on me; making me realize the grand scheme of things in the interstellar domain. I do believe that an early exposure to the concepts of Physics and Astronomy laid the foundation of my interest in STEM.
What would you like to tell your younger self?
“Pursuit to perfection is a folly idea.” I was what you call, an all-rounder kid at school. I could wrestle being good in studies alongside being a part of multiple extra co-curricular activities. Classing dancing, debate/interjection competition, speeches and dramatics are to name a few. On one hand, I was delighted of being able to tackle multiple challenges bundled together and appreciated the fact that my parents and teachers had confidence in my abilities. On the other, I pushed myself hard, in order to strike perfection at everything which often led to nervousness and performance anxiety. So if I get a chance to talk to my younger self, I would like debunk this myth then and there.
Why did you choose STEM?
Working on physical problems and experiments have always been my favorite part of academic studies. With an early interest in Math and Science, it became evident to me each day that STEM is the way to go for me. Thus, as soon as I finished school, I decided to pursue Bachelor in Technology in Mechanical Engineering and I am glad I did.
How important is it for you to stand out?
I feel it is important to first learn to be comfortable in your own skin. I have observed that most young people take decisions according to what is expected out of them, not based on what they expect out of themselves. As important as guidance is from our parents and peers, it is vital to first invest in ourselves to seek our own interests. Mind you, it will not be easy and can surely take some time. At least, that’s how it worked for me. But if you go through the process, you can end up having an unwavering sense of clarity for your future. However the fun fact is, this contemplation is never final. You can always go back to the pin board, build new habits, re-iterate your career plan and become better based on new well-informed decisions. Coming back to the question, I believe having clarity of thought and confidence in your abilities has an invaluable potential to improve your life as compared to being under the constant pressure of standing out.
What difficulties did you face in the industry, as a woman?
I have been fortunate to work at companies with great culture where collaborating among co-workers was easy and my input was valued as a competent employee. However, I have noticed bits and pieces of underlying bias that some people can carry in a workspace. It is fairly common since the industry and its people are part of the same society where gender bias and presumptions are evident. In such cases, personally, I made it a point to initiate a dialogue from a position of understanding and empathy. I feel we need more conversations in the workspace to propagate awareness on how a person can effect another peer or co-worker with their behaviour.
What advice would you give to the next generation of female scientists?
The world is your stage! With more young female students entering STEM, I am sure the world view would eventually shift towards better gender ratio at the workplace and otherwise. My advice for young female professionals would simply be: Life isn't about the top but the way towards it. Keep hustling, set a goal, work hard, conquer it and remember your value.
"After completing my M.Tech in Mechanical Engineering, I learned that having no hands-on experience posed a challenge during my job hunt. Hence, after months of tirelessly trying to get a job, I decided to apply for internships instead. And to my surprise, this turned out to be the start of some of my most valuable experience. I got selected as a Mechanical Engineering intern at the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences, Uttarakhand. Under the wonderful guidance of Mr.Nandish Nanjappa, I got the task to design 3D model of Dome Enclosure of the 3.6m Devasthal Optical Telescope (D.O.T., Asia’s largest telescope). The model was to be transferred into an analysis software later on and used to quantify dome seeing and local atmospheric disturbances effect. These effects in simple terms are the reason behind image distortion produced by the 3.6m D.O.T. and my aim was to minimize these effects. I used NX Unigraphics to design the 3D CAD Model and utilized ANSYS CFX for simulation and analysis. After months of hand calculations, quantification, research and simulation, we got promising results and were able to provide design changes in order to improve the telescopic imaging. It was indeed one of the best internships I have been a part of! As I came back home to Delhi, I bagged the internship at SKP Engineering Solutions Limited as a Mechanical Design Engineer. Here, I was a part of the waste engineering design study and my role involved a product-oriented research, conceptualization and competitive analysis to build a solar powered trash compactor bin. Pro-E (Creo) was used for CAD Modeling and I spent months on analysing data, concept engineering, new product design, material selection, feature comparisons and development. This internship provided me compelling industrial knowledge while exemplifying my skills as a product designer. Apart from being a part of these wonderful experiences, I built a career plan and researched to target specific companies and roles. I took informational interviews to ask people about their job, company culture, role requirement, challenge and work process. It was important for me to be equipped with the right skills and curate my resume accordingly. And one fine day, after applying to multiple companies, I got a call from Honeywell UOP. After 3 rounds of interview and a waiting period for a couple of weeks, I finally got a job offer in hand. Having worked in this industry for more than two years now, I can say that the experience have helped me to learn and grow as a professional. During my tenure at Honeywell UOP, I got an opportunity to work with some of the best minds in the industry and greatly contribute to our team’s success. This led me to receive two Honeywell Bravo Awards for designing & showcasing UOP’s new key mechanical equipment and for rigorous commitment & coordination to complete an aggressively scheduled project. Currently, it feels I am at a juncture in my career journey where I have to make decisions before moving forward. However, I know one thing for sure. Thorough understanding, research and grit will gradually help to get pass which would allow me to continue leveraging my skills towards making the world a better place."
Comments