Women In Engineering: Mary O’Brien
This profile series introduces materials scientists from around the world who happen to be females.
Here we speak with Mary O’Brien, Glenn T. Seaborg Postdoctoral Fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), New Mexico.
What does your typical workday look like?
Probably half of my day is administrative, emailing the right person to get paperwork through. The connections you make with all of your coworkers is the most important thing when it comes to getting stuff done. So I spend a small amount of time each day fostering those connections. A quarter of my day may be spent doing experiments in the lab, and the other quarter is analyzing that data, making experimental plans, reading literature, considering proposals for future work, and writing publications. Some days are more thrilling and science-y than others, but overall, I love my job.
What part of your job do you like most?
I love having access to cutting-edge equipment and conducting research on a wide variety of fascinating materials. But the real asset at a national lab like LANL is access to some truly brilliant minds. If you have a question outside of your expertise, it’s guaranteed there is someone on this campus who can give you the answer. I am regularly in awe of the abilities and intellect of the people around me, which keeps me excited to come to work every day.
Did you ever consider doing something else with your life besides engineering?
The last couple of years finishing my Ph.D. were miserable. Graduate school takes a serious mental health toll that I don’t think we talk about enough, but needs to be addressed urgently. During that time, I became so insecure about my abilities in science that I seriously considered walking away and becoming a professional ski patroller. I know many of my female colleagues and peers from under-represented minorities often similarly consider leaving science, and a healthy percentage make the decision to leave. I consider it part of my life’s purpose to make STEM more welcoming and accessible for future generations.
Best career advice, given or received:
My dad always used to say, “Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things.” I’m not always good at following this advice, but I do try to keep things light. After all, scientists are ultimately just big curious kids who get to play with expensive toys for a living.
What are you working on now?
Hydrogen embrittlement is a serious problem in many industries ranging from oil and gas to nuclear power, and its mechanism is poorly understood. I hope to shed light on some fundamental mechanisms of hydrogen interaction with metallic systems and am currently making efforts in that realm.
Tell us about your involvement with ASM International. Why are you a member?
Every year since 2017, I have been a mentor for the Eisenman Materials Camp. I cannot think of a more positive experience than working with those kids and my fellow mentors each year. We even managed to transition to multiple virtual camps during the height of COVID-19. At Eisenman, I get to teach and hopefully inspire young minds, and also learn an incredible amount of new information from my fellow mentors about materials systems I don’t usually work in. It is definitely the most rewarding and fun outreach activity I could think of, and it has kept me hooked on ASM.
Women in materials engineering are…
A force to be reckoned with.
Do you know someone who should be featured in an upcoming Women in Engineering profile? Contact Vicki Burt at [email protected].
