Women in Engineering Profile: Lesley D. Frame
This new profile series introduces leading materials scientists from around the world who happen to be females. Here we speak with Lesley D. Frame, Director of Product Development for Thermatool Corp.
What part of your job do you like most?
Learning. Every day that I am faced with technical challenges and opportunities is a good day. Being able to interact with customers to hear their challenges and the ways that they are pushing Thermatool equipment to the extremes is always very exciting for me—that is where innovation starts. I listen to the customer and I merge their requests and concerns with my skill and knowledge. From there we jointly develop new products, new processes, and drive improvements to industry norms.
What is your engineering background?
I fell in love with materials engineering when I was at MIT earning my bachelor’s degree, and I decided to stick with the field for the long haul (earning my M.S. and Ph.D. at University of Arizona). I think the reason I appreciate MSE so much stems from my desire to focus on the fundamentals and then zoom out to the application. Studying materials from the atomic arrangements up to the steel bridges and titanium fan blades is wonderful.
I have mostly focused on metallurgy and slag systems, which necessarily includes glasses and ceramics. I also have a keen interest in geology, and throughout my education, I had one foot in archaeology. As a student, I studied ancient technologies alongside modern metallurgical questions and phenomena. You can really learn a lot about a process when you painstakingly reconstruct it based on a finished product.
In my current position, I use the same strategies for modern technologies and processes. I enjoy working with customers to troubleshoot their welding and heat treating processes, and I look for ways to improve the process for better efficiency and quality. When I am brought in to work on these problems, we often start by deconstructing the process to figure out what changed or what went wrong. In many ways it is very similar to reverse engineering an ancient technology.
What attracted you to engineering?
I have always loved puzzles. Being an engineer basically just means that I get to work on larger and more complicated puzzles all the time. At home or at work, I am always figuring out ways to do a task faster, build something new, or make a material that will get the job done better and cheaper. Let’s face it, engineering is really fun!
How many people do you work with?
I manage a few different teams, so I get the opportunity to work with several different people every day. I manage software and controls engineers, as we work on new ways to improve data management with our products. I work with materials engineers on various material characterization projects. I manage an R&D team that includes mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, designers, and controls engineers.
I also spend a lot of time with customers in the tube and pipe industry. I love when I am able to get in the field and see the equipment we designed in action and talk to the men and women who use it every day. It is always so exciting and absolutely critical to develop an understanding of where theory intersects with reality. I have worked with customers on induction quench and temper lines and also countless customers using high frequency welding technology. I never get tired of learning more about manufacturing technologies, and I revel in the challenge of figuring out the theoretical and practical explanations that support what we observe in the field.
If a young person approached you for career advice about pursuing engineering, what would you tell them?
The most important consideration when going into any engineering field is to first master the fundamentals. You need to have strong math and physics skills to really thrive. Beyond that, you can build a career in any engineering discipline. Also, don’t be afraid to get a little dirty. Hands-on, real world experience will greatly supplement your academic education. Internships are great, but even if you are just taking your car apart and putting it back together again, you are practicing those engineering skills.
Hobbies?
Building things, hiking, camping, baking.
Last book read?
“The Martian.” Basically, MacGyver on Mars—what engineer wouldn’t love this? And there’s even a shout-out to the importance of materials engineers!
Learn more about ASM’s Women in Materials Engineering Committee.
