Women in Composites: rediscover their experiences and advice

Tamara Blanco, Airbus expert in multifunctional composites

Tamara Blanco studied chemical engineering at the University of Santiago de Compostela. She first started her career at Airbus as a subcontractor in March 2003, soon after finishing her studies.

“I am in a special situation because in the M&P Department in Airbus Spain there used to be, and continues to be, a high number of women. In the past, I remember attending some meetings with other departments where I was the only woman, but this has changed a lot since 20 years ago. Diversity is always positive and adds value. I fully support diverse and inclusive work environments, which attract the best talent. Perhaps the only issue I can mention, that could be related to being a woman, is that it took too much time for me to reach the expert level. I did not get the opportunity until there was more focus on really offering women more opportunities in high-level positions.”

Go for it!

“I always tell them to go for it! It is a very motivating area, it’s worthwhile, and I really enjoy my job. Composite materials are enablers for many products, and in my case they are an enabler for aircraft that connect people, that connect the world. It is so encouraging and I am really proud of this.”

Piya Thakkar, Director at Mechemco

After growing in India, Piya Thakkar first obtained a degree in electrical engineering from Purdue University in the United States. She started working at Mechemco, an Indian company, in 2007. Her father was chairman of the company, which is a manufacturer and exporter of unsaturated polyester resins, vinyl ester resins and gelcoats.

“Currently, as one of the directors of the company, as well as deciding the strategic direction of the company and making long term decisions, I also oversee several activities like procurement, finance, and international business. The skill which has been most helpful for me has been the ability to manage and get the best out of people. Apart from this, being good at resource management and allocation and being customer focused have also been vital.”

“I am fortunate to have had immense support from my colleagues in my organisation and industry in India and overseas.”

Follow your passion

“My advice would be to follow your passion no matter what. Take any setbacks that come in your way in your stride and don’t let the unfounded opinions of others weigh you down.”

Valérie Brusseau, Research and Development Director at Valeo

Valérie Brusseau specialised in aeronautical engineering before transferring her skills to the automotive industry. She joined automotive group Valeo in 2022.

“When I started as an engineer, there were less than 10% of women in the engineering school. Today, in France, we are at 23%. So it has changed a little, but it’s not sufficient. We absolutely need more women in all technology, science and engineering careers.”

Dare, dare, dare!

“Dare, dare, dare! You can do it. Your dreams are possible.” 

“I strongly believe that the industry of tomorrow cannot be built without women. We absolutely need to explain that it’s vital more and more women come to the industry. And when they are in the companies, we need to put in place KPIs on gender diversity so that we continue to monitor these roles and help women to develop their careers.”

Dr Gayatri Keskar, advanced materials scientist

She began by studying metallurgical engineering and discovered the field of nanotechnology while working on her final year engineering project. During her postdoctoral studies, she led the development of novel, high-performance hybrid nanomaterials, and composites for applications in critical sectors like next-generation solar cells, thermoelectrics, and catalysis.

“I have mostly received equal, if not more, support from my male colleagues, mentors, managers, and team members.”

“Times have changed for the better and many external leadership resources are now available to empower women and drive workplace change. It would be conducive to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued and has equal access to high-impact opportunities. This can unleash the full potential of a diverse workforce, driving better decision-making for sustainable growth and success.”

Identify sponsors

“Own your achievements to build credibility, embrace discomfort as the catalyst for transformation, and identify sponsors who will advocate for you and amplify your impact.”

Dr Suhasini Gururaja, associate Professor, aerospace engineering at Auburn University

Suhasini Gururaja obtained a PhD in mechanical engineering. She then joined Boeing, and eventually transitioned from industry to academia.

“I have often been the only woman in the room throughout my career – grad school, industry, and academia. While recent efforts towards hiring more women faculty have somewhat improved the representation of women in engineering, we are still way behind parity. Engineering is a collaborative effort, and gender and ethnicity can make it challenging to build the necessary connections to grow, whether in academia or industry.”

Find the right mentorship and develop your network

“I strongly encourage women to pursue careers in advanced materials and engineering. While there is a dearth of women in these fields, with the right mentorship and networking, a career in advanced materials will be rewarding. The future is bright for advanced materials, and we need creative thinkers and leaders!”

Karin Anderson, Boeing

Karin Anderson joined University of Washington in Seattle, WA, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, followed by a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering. She then had the opportunity to work at Boeing and discovered the world of advanced materials, in which she became a prominent specialist.

“I had the opportunities and promotions from very early on in my career. In a male-dominated environment, I had great mentors and great colleagues to collaborate with. Challenges and obstacles are always part of a career, but they are not necessarily related to gender.”

It’s not always that difficult to solve problems

She recalls advice she was given once: “Life has many problems to solve, but it’s not always that difficult to do so. And if you have many problems, too many in your eyes, it may mean you are not where you should be.  Life is a journey with infinite possible paths to meander through and explore.”

However, she believes that we need to integrate even more female engineers in companies.

To discover more interviews and news about women who are making a difference in the composites industry, please visit our Women in Composites section.