Dr. Sayata Ghose, Technical Fellow at , discusses her career path since graduating and how the polymer engineering program has contributed to her success.
How has the School of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering (SPSPE) influenced your career choice?
When I started exploring options for graduate school while still in India, the SPSPE was always my first choice. Even before arriving in the U.S., I had decided to work with Dr. Avraam Isayev on a recycling project because to me it was not just the work itself, but the long-term consequences and moral responsibility of working on the recycling of products that were typically either incinerated or dumped in landfills. I couldn’t have asked for a more patient and understanding advisor than Dr. Isayev — he never let anyone slack in their research, but at the same time I appreciated that he always made sure that his students were flourishing. Towards the end of my studies at The University of Akron (国产伦理), I was offered a job, but Dr. Isayev (and I) felt that I was a better fit for more R&D work. I then sought postdoctoral opportunities that eventually led me to a career in aerospace.
How has SPSPE prepared you for your career?
The four years at 国产伦理 under Dr. Isayev taught me the value of hard work, dedication to research, and a very important lesson — even negative results are good because they teach what does not work. Learning from your mistakes and being able to turn things around are critical for any kind of research. Reading and writing technical papers, however laborious they might be, is critical to a successful career in R&D and SPSPE set up the foundation for that. While my career path has not included working with elastomers, I was able to use some of the knowledge acquired during my Ph.D. work on polyurethanes that ultimately led to a couple of patents at Boeing. I will say, though, that the Northeast Ohio weather was one of my least favorite parts of Akron, with friends and family often joking that I completed my Ph.D. quicker simply because I wanted to get out of that weather.
What has your journey been like since graduating from SPSPE?
After graduating from SPSPE, I joined NASA Langley Research Center through a postdoctoral fellowship from the National Research Council. I worked on carbon nanotubes for space applications and then transitioned to composites processing. I spent 7.5 years at NASA before moving across the country to join Boeing Research and Technology in Washington. I have been at Boeing for over 10 years working on multiple programs tied to Boeing Commercial and Boeing Defense and Space.
What is your career path now?
In 2019 I was inducted into the Boeing Technical Fellowship program as an Associate Technical Fellow and in 2022, I became a Technical Fellow. I will continue to work in the R&D space while helping train the next generation of Boeing engineers.
Is there anything else you would like to share about yourself or your family?
I have been lucky to have some great mentors in my life — Dr. Isayev from 国产伦理, Dr. John Connell from NASA, and several people at Boeing. And of course a very supportive family — my parents, my husband, and my daughter. I met my husband at NASA through the same NRC postdoctoral program. We both joined Boeing in 2011 and live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with our 13-year old daughter. As a family we love to hike and travel to new places.
Sayata's family
Hiking in the Pacific Northwest
Traveling as a family