Women engineers remain the exception rather than the norm, not only in the medical-device industry, but throughout the entire industrial sector. The National Science Foundation, Arlington, Va., (nsf.org) reports that while the proportion of S&E doctoral degrees earned by women has risen considerably in the past several decades, reaching 40% in 2006 compared with 8% in 1958, engineering lags behind. For example, women earned half or more of doctorates in psychology (71%) and the life sciences (52%) in 2006, but only 20% of the doctorates in engineering. The American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) reports that only 19% of engineering undergraduate degrees went to women, the lowest representation in nearly 10 years. And the immediate future doesn't look much better according to ASEE, which reports that women account for a little more than 17% of students enrolled in undergraduate engineering programs, compared with 57% of the total undergrad population, which is expected to reach 60% by 2016. Little wonder why, then, statistics by the Department of Professional Employees, AFL-CIO, (dpeaflcio.org) shows that only 8.6% of electrical and electronics engineers in 2007 were women.

So why the dearth of women engineers and what can be done about it? Those questions led to the formation of the Engineer Your Life (engineeryourlife.org) national awareness campaign, spearheaded by WGBH (PBS) Boston (wgbh.org) and a coalition of engineering associations, corporations, and universities. Research conducted by the coalition showed that the prevailing perception among high school girls toward engineering jobs is that they're for men, not women. (For more on what the Engineer Your Life campaign is doing to reverse that thinking, and how you can get involved, see this month's Industry Viewpoint by WGBH Boston's Thea Sahr.)

We contacted two of the women engineers featured on engineeryourlife.org and two women medical-device executives to get their thoughts on their careers, what drives them, and the steps needed to ensure and increase in the number of women engineers and executives will be achieved.

Mona Masghati is a product development manager (since April 2006) at Sionex Corp., Bedford, Mass. (sionex.com), a start-up focused on commercializing chemical and biological sensor chips and systems based on its microDMx detection technology. She is one of nine engineers at the company and the only woman. “I often forget I am the only woman in my department. Recently I went to visit a customer for one of the programs I manage with three of my colleagues. We had a meeting to introduce the two teams, and I was amused but not affected by the fact that I was the only woman in room of more than a dozen of engineers.”

In some ways, she says being a woman engineer has advantages because it provides her with a different perspective on bridging the gap between a proof-of-concept prototype in a laboratory and a commercial product in the marketplace. “I have participated in this process as an individual technical contributor and as an engineering manager, and I have learned that leadership is as important as technology. Effective communication lets innovative ideas coalesce. Fostering a productive working relationship across these culturally diverse groups of people is my passion,” says Masghati.

Masghati's “passion” could be attributed to her personal background. She was born in Tehran, Iran, in 1975. She and her parents fled the Iraq-Iran war in 1980 and moved to Germany, then Paris in 1981. In 1993, she moved to the U.S. to attend Tufts University's School of Engineering. “I left Europe for two reasons: to avoid continued racial profiling in France, and to gain access to humanities and art classes in a liberal arts college while pursuing an engineering degree.” Masghati, who paints for pleasure, has had her work shown at galleries in Boston, Santa Monica, and France. She says, the liberal arts-engineering combination is not an option in the French university system.

In 2003, she joined the ranks of “management” as a product development manager. “I intuitively understood what was at stake. High performance no longer equated to personally delivering technical solutions. My new position challenged me, and still does, to consistently enable my team to deliver innovative products. This perspective change is often the most difficult one for engineers who become managers.”

Masghati says much of her passion for what she does stems from her parents (antique dealers, not engineers) who encouraged her to be anything she wanted, beginning at age 6 when they presented her with a chemistry set. “Science was appealing to study,” she says, “because of its predictability in a world that was often changing, challenging, and sometimes hostile as an immigrant in France.”

Two years ago her father died from lymphoma, “after having missed critical treatments and valuable time due to a misdiagnosis,” says Masghati. “At the time I felt frustration and helplessness knowing that existing technologies that might have been able to help my father were not commercially available at the time of his diagnosis. Since then, my feelings of frustration and helplessness have evolved into a mission to effectively drive the commercialization of innovative medical diagnostic tools and systems.”

An example of the work Masghati and her colleagues are pursuing includes diagnostics that measure quantities of biological markers in samples derived from a patient, including their breath. A goal is the diagnosis and monitoring of diseases, such as tuberculosis.

When it comes to schools and the role they play in encouraging young people to pursue the engineering life, she says there is a lack of effective exposure to the side of science that fosters curiosity and “tinkering.” She says organizations such as Engineer Your Life play an important role by providing examples of women whom girls can relate to while demystifying engineering as does support gained at home. “My parents encouraged independent thinking and intellectual curiosity,” she says, “and I benefited greatly from that.

As for the future of women engineers, Masghati says the low percentage of women with engineering degrees (19% in 2007 according to the American Society for Engineering Education) has to improve for the U.S. to remain competitive technological innovations. She is also quick to point out a positive trend, an increasing presence and access to leadership positions for woman engineers, citing Ellen Kullman as evidence. The newly named CEO of DuPont (announced Sept. 23) has a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from Masghati's alma mater, Tufts University.

For young women aspiring to technical careers, Masghati has three tips: Do not let anyone or any isolated event discourage you from a technical career; work on your verbal and written communications skills, which are necessary when presenting your ideas; and keep an open and curious mind.

“Engineering is a way to exercise creativity and make a tangible and positive impact. Medical devices are important examples of that as they continue to improve people's chances of living healthier lives.”

(Following this interview, Masghati contacted Medical Design with some “life-changing” news. “I have been admitted to the MIT System Design and Management (SDM) program, one that admitted only 60 students in 2007. I'm very happy and wanted to share this information.”)

Lisette Manrique is an engineer in the Sports Surgery division of Covidien, Littleton, Mass. (covidien.com), where she is involved with the engineering of devices for reconstruction of torn anterior cruciate ligaments (ACLs), a common sports injury. The ACL is the ligament in the knee that crosses from the underside of the femur (the thigh bone) to the top of the tibia (the bigger bone in the lower leg).

Biomedical engineering grabbed her interest about the time she was learning to drive. She was working as an assistant at a physical-therapy office where her responsibilities included “toting” electrical stimulation machines around the office, prepping ice and hot packs, and using therapy tools for each rehabilitation exercise.

“I loved working directly with the patients, but I was equally interested in devices that were used in therapy and rehabilitation,” says Manrique. “I thought that pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering would give me the opportunity to benefit people either directly, or through the devices that I would help develop.” And she was right.

Before joining Covidien, she aided in the development of a diagnostic tool used in spinal discography while with Smith & Nephew Endoscopy, Andover, Mass. The tool is used in addition to an MRI to determine which part of the spine is causing the patient pain. While with DePuy Spine, Johnson & Johnson, Raynham, Mass., she was part of a project team that developed the Expedium spinal fixation system (implants and instruments) for use in the treatment of spine deformity and degradation. And during her time with Codman & Shurtleff, Johnson & Johnson, her focus was on products that treat neurological disorders and disease, including the IsoCool bipolar forceps, an electrosurgical device used in the coagulation and cutting of blood vessels in the brain.

As an engineer at Covidien, Manrique's days are consumed by activities such as, “brainstorming conceptual design solutions, prototyping new designs, observing surgery, and meeting with surgeons to hear the voice of the customer, 3D modeling of implants and instruments used in surgical procedures, or performing evaluations at animal or human cadaver labs to ensure the safety and efficacy of products.”

Manrique is one of six R&D engineers in her department, and the only female in the group. “Those moments when I've noticed differences in how I'm treated because I'm a woman engineer have typically been restricted to the way that external customers view me. For example, surgeons often assume I'm a marketing or sales representative, so I go out of my way to make sure the customer understands I'm representing the R&D group. It's important to me that they know I'm proud of the devices we design, and that I'm not receiving direct compensation or commission if they decide to use our products.”

While the 27-year-old Manrique experienced a nearly “obstacle-free” journey toward a career in engineering, she says two close college friends encountered a much different experience. “One was discouraged to pursue engineering by a male student in her class, while the other was discouraged by her high school science teacher. Today, they are both successful in their careers, with one working as a research scientist and the other in an engineering design firm.”

When it comes to schools and the roles they play in encouraging women to pursue engineering careers, she says she isn't aware of any engineering-specific activities happening in the elementary and secondary schools, but she is encouraged by efforts at universities with outreach programs (summer camps for example) to invite young women onto college campuses to learn more about opportunities in engineering.

“The main issue is that younger girls just don't know what engineering is and what types of jobs you can perform. The Engineer Your Life initiative does a wonderful job of explaining these topics, “ she says. For her part, Manrique participated in a mentoring program for female students majoring in biomedical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (her alma mater).

Her advice to women students aspiring to be engineers? Never let anyone convince you that you can't do something; when you get stuck, ask for help; and don't procrastinate when it comes to planning your career, making sure you're taking the right classes to achieve your goals.

The next two individuals are executives in a field where high-profile women are the exception.

As CEO of Alameda, Calif.-based Celera Corp. (celera.com), Kathy Ordonez oversees Berkeley HeartLab, a subsidiary of Celera, which specializes in developing technologies that predict cardiovascular-disease risk and improve patient management. Celera also commercializes a wide range of molecular diagnostic products through an alliance with Abbott Laboratories, Abbott Park, Ill., and has licensed other relevant diagnostic technologies developed to provide personalized disease management in cancer and liver disorders. Prior to joining Celera in 2000, Ordonez, who has a B.A. degree in chemistry, an honorary Doctorate of Sciences from Hartwick College in Oneonta, N.Y., and serves on the board of AdvaMed (Advanced Medical Technology Association), held several high-level positions with Roche, including CEO of Roche Molecular Systems, Pleasanton, Calif. She also had stints with Baker Instrument Corp., Allentown, Pa. and Union Carbide Corp., Danbury, Conn.

Like other successful executives, Ordonez cites an important mentor as a reason for her success. “Early on I had the good fortune to work in clinical research for a talented scientist, Dr. Peter Farina, who recently retired from Boehringer Ingelheim. Dr. Farina gave me a strong appreciation for the scientific and medical challenges and opportunities in clinical diagnostics,” says Ordonez. Today, as a CEO, she says she admires the skills and knowledge of Janet Woodcock, director of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.

As president of Celera, Ordonez says every day is different, with her time divided between the Celera management team, board of directors, customers, employees, and business partners. But it's the products that really excite her.

“In January, Celera and our collaborators published papers about a genetic risk variant, KIF6, present in about 60% of the population,” says Ordonez. “Its presence increases risk of heart disease by up to 55%. We also found that people who have the KIF6 genetic risk variant can substantially reduce their incremental risk for heart disease by taking a statin. A test for KIF6 has been commercialized by our subsidiary, Berkeley HeartLab. It is gratifying to see our discoveries result in new tests that could save lives.”

On being a woman executive, Ordonez says, “the important thing is to strive for excellence and not let issues like gender get in the way.” The same goes for schools. “We need to improve the focus on science and math in U.S. schools. This applies to teaching boys and girls.”

As for aspiring women executives, she offers this advice: Master a skill or discipline, such as engineering, chemistry or finance, etc.; get international experience; and don't be afraid to make lateral career moves, or even go backward in terms of pay or rank. Getting the broadest experience and doing what you have a passion for is most important of all.

Ordonez is excited about the future of medical-device and diagnostics engineering. “New engineering technologies will let us conduct diagnostic testing closer to the patient, with faster turnaround at lower cost, and with greater accuracy. This may let us intervene earlier in disease development with resultant better outcomes for the patient.”

Marcia Coulson is owner and president of Loveland, Colo.-based Eldon James Co. (EJ), (eldonjames.com) a lmaker of tubing products, including antimicrobial-protected products (see November Medical Design) and plastic connectors for the medical-device market. She says a typical day leaves her feeling “like a conductor of an orchestra. I enjoy working with employees and vendors to create new products and perfect those that we already make. The way I see my job is to keep everyone playing their part to the best of their abilities. When that happens, wonderful things are created.”

Earlier this year, her company was named one of the “Top 20 Notable Processors” by Modern Plastics magazine. “We were pleased to receive the award. It takes a team to accomplish anything in business, and what seems 100 miracles at the same time, to process a quality part.”

Coulson grew up with the family business. Her father, Kent Sampson, started Value Plastics in the family basement in 1969 to mold plastic fittings. Eldon James, named after Marcia's two brothers, was formed as a unit of Value Plastics.

“I remember this noisy green machine in our basement that had to be filled up with material every so often,” says Coulson. “We used coffee cans to fill the hopper, and later used buckets. We'd have to vacuum up the overspill, and I remember being so grateful for vacuum delivery systems when they came along.”

Coulson stepped away from the “family business” to sell real estate for 15 years before becoming owner of Eldon James in 1987. (Value Plastics was sold to an equity firm about three years ago.) For 15 of the 21 years she owned EJ, she was a single mom raising three children. Today, Coulson strives to be an effective leader while maintaining a balanced life. Now married, she says her children share a similar background. “Like me, they were recruited to help with sorting parts, packaging, and so on, while they were growing up. But I encouraged them to pursue their interests, and they are. I wouldn't ever want them saying they got stuck in Mom's business.”

As for Coulson, her interests revolve around people. “What fuels my fire is talking with customers about their needs and being able to offer solutions. I really enjoy the sales part of the position.”

And like other women executives and engineers, Coulson would like to see a shift in thinking within schools. “Instead of being taught to get good grades so you can get into a good college and then get a good job, I think students should be encouraged to learn to research answers and get experience working. Then they should be encouraged to create businesses that will fill needs.”

Sidebar: If not this, what?

Some of the answers to questions raised during interviews for this article didn't quite fit within the context of the article. One question, in particular, drew some interesting responses.

If you weren't doing what you're currently doing, what would you like to be?

I would like to teach math and science when I retire. — Kathy Ordonez, CEO, Celera, Alameda, Calif. (celera.com)

I'd be a country music singer. — Marcia Coulson, Owner and President, Eldon James, Loveland, Colo. (eldonjames.com)

The next “Bill Nye, the Science Guy,” or a photographer for National Geographic, or an observational humor columnist. — Lisette Manrique, Engineer, Sports Surgery division of Covidien, Mansfield, Mass. (covidien.com)

Director of Development for a national art museum. There are similarities with my current job: building revenue generating and strategically valuable business relationships. — Mona Masghati, Product Development Manager at Sionex Corp., Bedford, Mass. (sionex.com)

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