Debbie Modra
Interview Posted By: Ashley Smith
1. Can you tell us a little about your background? i.e. Where you grew up, what education do you have, a summary of your resume, did you always want to do what you are doing now, when did you start to become interested in STEM, what internships/ volunteering
I grew up in the Midwest (Wisconsin). I graduated from the University of Wisconsin Steven’s Point with a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology. I always enjoyed Chemistry and went on to get a Master of Science degree in Chemistry from Portland State University while working as a Medical Technologist. After completing my Master’s degree in Chemistry I started working in the high tech business area. I worked in many high tech areas including silane production, silicon wafer manufacturing, integrated circuit manufacturing and solar cell manufacturing. As I moved from an individual contributor role to a supervisory role, I went back to school and completed a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management. I am currently working as a Master Black Belt for UL LLC doing process improvement projects.
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
As a Master Black Belt I work on process improvement projects that make our processes more customer friendly, more lean (less waste) while maintaining or improving the quality of our work. I also teach lean six sigma skills to the staff at UL and mentor their project work.
3. How does STEM relate to your job? How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
Lean Six Sigma is a data-driven scientific approach to process improvement. Data are gathered and analyzed using DOE (Design of Experiments) and hypothesis testing. Using data to understand the transfer functions that control our processes allows us to make and sustain improvements. The use of these techniques was learned through my formal education, but it is through the application in the job setting that the skills are improved.
4. Have you faced any discrimination/ challenges being a woman in a stem field? If so, how did you deal with it? Do you have any advice for up and coming women in STEM?
I think there is great value in a support network in the workplace. Although there will always be those individuals that try to hold others back, there are also many good people who can be not only supportive, but provide good mentor ship – you just need to find them and stay in touch with them.
5. What is the best and worst part of your job? What do you look forward to in your job on a day to day basis? What do you wish you could change?
The best part of my job is helping others achieve their potential. I enjoy teaching lean six sigma because it is a proven methodology that can help anyone improve the processes in which they work and live. It is great to see the empowerment this brings. I live on the west coast and work in a global company so the worst part of my job is the 5:00 am meetings.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
For me the balance point between work and my personal life has shifted. Certainly when I was working and going back to school for my Master’s degrees, there was very little personal time. But, the loss of personal time for a couple of years while I was in school was worth the knowledge gained by going back to school.
7. What do you define success as?
A good day (successful day) is any day I learn something new or help someone else.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
If I had to pick one personality trait that I think is universally important for a successful career it would be an open mind – there is always more to learn.
9. Who was a mentor to you throughout your career? (can be more than one!) What did they teach you? How did they impact your life?
I had the good fortune to have two great mentors in my career. One taught me the value of being a good person (and people manager) as well as being technically exceptional. The other mentor was a person from a different continent who taught me that regardless of cultural background people are more alike than different.
10. What do you think is the best advice you've ever received ? What advice would you give your younger self if you had the chance? What’s one piece of advice you can pass on to us?
Be skeptical when you are told that something can’t be done.
I grew up in the Midwest (Wisconsin). I graduated from the University of Wisconsin Steven’s Point with a Bachelor of Science degree in Medical Technology. I always enjoyed Chemistry and went on to get a Master of Science degree in Chemistry from Portland State University while working as a Medical Technologist. After completing my Master’s degree in Chemistry I started working in the high tech business area. I worked in many high tech areas including silane production, silicon wafer manufacturing, integrated circuit manufacturing and solar cell manufacturing. As I moved from an individual contributor role to a supervisory role, I went back to school and completed a Master of Science degree in Engineering Management. I am currently working as a Master Black Belt for UL LLC doing process improvement projects.
2. What exactly IS your job? What do you do on a day to day basis?
As a Master Black Belt I work on process improvement projects that make our processes more customer friendly, more lean (less waste) while maintaining or improving the quality of our work. I also teach lean six sigma skills to the staff at UL and mentor their project work.
3. How does STEM relate to your job? How do you use the information you learned from your degree in your job?
Lean Six Sigma is a data-driven scientific approach to process improvement. Data are gathered and analyzed using DOE (Design of Experiments) and hypothesis testing. Using data to understand the transfer functions that control our processes allows us to make and sustain improvements. The use of these techniques was learned through my formal education, but it is through the application in the job setting that the skills are improved.
4. Have you faced any discrimination/ challenges being a woman in a stem field? If so, how did you deal with it? Do you have any advice for up and coming women in STEM?
I think there is great value in a support network in the workplace. Although there will always be those individuals that try to hold others back, there are also many good people who can be not only supportive, but provide good mentor ship – you just need to find them and stay in touch with them.
5. What is the best and worst part of your job? What do you look forward to in your job on a day to day basis? What do you wish you could change?
The best part of my job is helping others achieve their potential. I enjoy teaching lean six sigma because it is a proven methodology that can help anyone improve the processes in which they work and live. It is great to see the empowerment this brings. I live on the west coast and work in a global company so the worst part of my job is the 5:00 am meetings.
6. How do you balance your work and personal life? Any secrets or advice you’d like to share?
For me the balance point between work and my personal life has shifted. Certainly when I was working and going back to school for my Master’s degrees, there was very little personal time. But, the loss of personal time for a couple of years while I was in school was worth the knowledge gained by going back to school.
7. What do you define success as?
A good day (successful day) is any day I learn something new or help someone else.
8. What is one personality trait that you think is universally important for a successful career?
If I had to pick one personality trait that I think is universally important for a successful career it would be an open mind – there is always more to learn.
9. Who was a mentor to you throughout your career? (can be more than one!) What did they teach you? How did they impact your life?
I had the good fortune to have two great mentors in my career. One taught me the value of being a good person (and people manager) as well as being technically exceptional. The other mentor was a person from a different continent who taught me that regardless of cultural background people are more alike than different.
10. What do you think is the best advice you've ever received ? What advice would you give your younger self if you had the chance? What’s one piece of advice you can pass on to us?
Be skeptical when you are told that something can’t be done.