Women in Engineering Profile: Virginia Osterman

November 26, 2018
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This profile series introduces leading materials scientists from around the world who happen to be females. Here we speak with Virginia M. Osterman, senior scientist at Solar Atmospheres Inc. in Souderton, Pa.
 

What does your typical workday look like? My role at Solar Atmospheres is to understand the chemistry underpinning the processes we run. I work closely with metallurgists, process engineers, and our furnace operators to progress projects from the idea stage to fully developed procedures suitable for large-scale production. This requires a thorough understanding of the physical and chemical properties of the materials involved.  In addition to my role at Solar, I teach a course in vacuum heat treating for ASM International.

What is your engineering background? My background is actually in chemistry. I received my B.S. in chemistry from Northeastern University and then earned a Ph.D. in physical organic chemistry at Yale University. My graduate research focused on thermal rearrangements of highly strained organic ring systems. At Yale, I developed an understanding of reaction kinetics and thermodynamics. I also learned to “engineer” equipment to suit my needs. The experience prepared me very well for problem solving in the real world. My academic background also enabled me to jump fields, from organic chemistry to vacuum heat treating. After graduate school, I began my industrial career at DuPont, developing cleaning products based on biodegradable polymers. When the first of our four sons was born, I left full-time employment and began a consulting career. This allowed me to stay at home to raise my children—which was very important to me—but also allowed me to keep in touch with science and maintain a presence in the workforce. When my children were old enough to be self-sufficient, I transitioned to my current role as senior scientist.

What part of your job do you like most? I have always loved problem solving. So I enjoy running lab experiments. This hands-on experience helps me to fully understand how vacuum heat treating works at a practical level and provides a strong sense of accomplishment. I also enjoy being a member of the great team we have at Solar. It takes all of us to work out all the details of the challenges we face.

If a young person approached you for career advice about pursuing engineering, what would you tell them? I am a big fan of co-op and internship programs. I was fortunate to take part in the co-op program at Northeastern in the early 1980s. I worked with Dr. Julie Yang, who ran the analytical laboratory at W.R. Grace. In those days, there were not many female leaders in industry, so Julie was an early role model for me. She was a Ph.D. organic chemist who moved into materials science. I learned from her the importance of being flexible in my career choices. A final, but very important point, is not to fear failure. A career in STEM education is going to be very challenging. There will be failures—probably many—along the way. It is important to recognize that we learn from our failures and they can lead to great success.

Hobbies? Piano, reading, quilting, and baking (chemistry you can eat). Last book read? “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah and “The Jazz of Physics” by Stephon Alexander.

Do you know someone who should be featured in an upcoming Women in Engineering profile? Contact Vicki Burt at vicki.burt@asminternational.org.

Published by

This profile series introduces leading materials scientists from around the world who happen to be females. Here we speak with Virginia M. Osterman, senior scientist at Solar Atmospheres Inc. in Souderton, Pa.
 

What does your typical workday look like? My role at Solar Atmospheres is to understand the chemistry underpinning the processes we run. I work closely with metallurgists, process engineers, and our furnace operators to progress projects from the idea stage to fully developed procedures suitable for large-scale production. This requires a thorough understanding of the physical and chemical properties of the materials involved.  In addition to my role at Solar, I teach a course in vacuum heat treating for ASM International.

What is your engineering background? My background is actually in chemistry. I received my B.S. in chemistry from Northeastern University and then earned a Ph.D. in physical organic chemistry at Yale University. My graduate research focused on thermal rearrangements of highly strained organic ring systems. At Yale, I developed an understanding of reaction kinetics and thermodynamics. I also learned to “engineer” equipment to suit my needs. The experience prepared me very well for problem solving in the real world. My academic background also enabled me to jump fields, from organic chemistry to vacuum heat treating. After graduate school, I began my industrial career at DuPont, developing cleaning products based on biodegradable polymers. When the first of our four sons was born, I left full-time employment and began a consulting career. This allowed me to stay at home to raise my children—which was very important to me—but also allowed me to keep in touch with science and maintain a presence in the workforce. When my children were old enough to be self-sufficient, I transitioned to my current role as senior scientist.

What part of your job do you like most? I have always loved problem solving. So I enjoy running lab experiments. This hands-on experience helps me to fully understand how vacuum heat treating works at a practical level and provides a strong sense of accomplishment. I also enjoy being a member of the great team we have at Solar. It takes all of us to work out all the details of the challenges we face.

If a young person approached you for career advice about pursuing engineering, what would you tell them? I am a big fan of co-op and internship programs. I was fortunate to take part in the co-op program at Northeastern in the early 1980s. I worked with Dr. Julie Yang, who ran the analytical laboratory at W.R. Grace. In those days, there were not many female leaders in industry, so Julie was an early role model for me. She was a Ph.D. organic chemist who moved into materials science. I learned from her the importance of being flexible in my career choices. A final, but very important point, is not to fear failure. A career in STEM education is going to be very challenging. There will be failures—probably many—along the way. It is important to recognize that we learn from our failures and they can lead to great success.

Hobbies? Piano, reading, quilting, and baking (chemistry you can eat). Last book read? “The Nightingale” by Kristin Hannah and “The Jazz of Physics” by Stephon Alexander.

Do you know someone who should be featured in an upcoming Women in Engineering profile? Contact Vicki Burt at vicki.burt@asminternational.org.