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I believe that craftsmanship and owning your equipment is key to a successful reliability program. - Joel Rios I believe that craftsmanship and owning your equipment is key to a successful reliability program. In this Re.engineer feature we invite Joel Rios, an Analyzer Technician for The Lubrizol Corp. to share his perspectives on Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics (STEM) and Innovation. Joel is a team member of the Deer Park, Tx Lubrizol Maintenance group that maintains and repairs critical equipment for the processing units. His love for repairing and working on equipment started when he was just a young kid. His grandfather owns a semi-truck company and has always completed his own repairs to his fleet of trucks. This is where Joel first learned about mechanics and repair. This upbringing enabled him to secure a very unique set of skills that he still applies today. After graduating high school, Joel knew that he wanted to join the petrochemical industry, so he enrolled in the Instrumentation Technology program at San Jacinto College and graduated with his Associates degree. The industry was slow when he graduated with his degree, so he took an electrical apprentice job and also worked two years as a process operator at a local plant which was a great experience. In 2013, he landed his first in-house Instrument Technician job and has been working with instrumentation ever since. Recently he has moved into the analytical side of instrumentation and is really enjoying it. Joel is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree from Lamar University and should graduate in 2021. Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM? Joel: I believe from a very young age I knew I wanted to do something that was technical even though my mother wanted me to study and join the medical field...I knew that wasn’t me, I wanted to work with my hands and fix things. In high school I can remember reading brochures that the local chemical companies would bring to the school. These documents highlighted craft positions that were available and it was then that I first learned about Instrumentation. I was instantly very interested in this field. At re.engineer, we believe that collaboration is the key for long term value creation. How are you applying this concept? Joel: I’m currently working with a Sr. Analyzer specialist to resolve several bad actors in the plant that have been causing issues. We have also created critical preventative maintenance plans to improve the reliability of our equipment and to reduce equipment failures. I believe that craftsmanship and owning your equipment is key to a successful reliability program. How are you delivering innovation or productivity in your career? Joel: I believe that innovation is very important. I am someone who asks why do we do this like this? Is there a better more efficient and safer way to complete this task? Although it might not make you the popular guy for that day, innovating and questioning is part of being a leader and innovator. Once you take ownership, you are all in for the reliability movement and culture change process. What is the most difficult technical challenge you’ve resolved? Joel: One challenge that comes to mind is one long night of troubleshooting on an incinerator, we were going through the startup sequence and lighting but never seeing a flame on our flame detectors. After several failed attempts, we pulled the burner assembly apart and identified that the ignitors were damaged. After rebuilding and reinstalling the ignitors we were able to light the incinerator with no issues. What advice would you give to anyone starting in the Instrumentation, Electrical or Analytical discipline? Joel: Take your time and ask plenty of questions, take ownership of your work. What keeps you up at night? Joel: If I’m troubleshooting an issue and leave work without solving it this will keep me up at night, I have left work many times to come home and still ponder on what could be causing the issue. Joel has been an active participator within the Re.engineer community for a while and we were very blessed to have this opportunity to learn more about his role as a technology leader and challenger of the status quo. His foundation was set early in life and has transformed into driving reliability success for his production customers. Contact Information: LinkedIn, Joel Rios

CONTRIBUTING RE.ENGINEER Ed Hendricks CHALLENGE Safety awareness from a personal experience: In my career of over 42 years industrial experience, I’ve only witnessed once, the built in over-pressure safety relief mechanism on a high pressure gas cylinder serve its purpose. I was working temporarily at a refinery in Toledo, OH. My time there extended to over three years. In the early spring of one year, the afternoon temperature had barely risen above freezing. I was passing by the gas cylinder storage racks that afternoon; the sun was beaming down on the cylinders. Evidently, the internal temperature caused the gas pressure to rise above the relief mechanism pressure point. SOLUTION The ensuing gas release certainly caught my attention. It took several minutes to fully vent the cylinder contents. I waited from a safe distance before getting close enough to identify what had happened. Side note: it was a pure oxygen cylinder. RESULT Could have been much worse than it was. It made me remember a time or two in my career, connecting a new cylinder, only to find the cylinder empty. Maybe the same thing had happened, with no one to witness the release. (Side Note: In case you’ve never paid attention, the relief mechanism is the protrusion on the left side of the valve body in the photo.)

From Shadrach: God has blessed me throughout my entire professional career and it is moments like this that I have to make sure that my source is recognized.  I am truly honored to be selected as one of the forty cohorts representing Southern University as a 40 under Forty honoree.  SU and the College of Engineering assisted in laying down the foundation for my success and to be recognized by one of the finest HBCU institutions in the world is a humbling and emotional experience. What does it mean to be a Southernite? To be a Southernite is to live a life of excellence and tradition by having an obligation of serving the community, making a positive impact in your industry sector and taking responsibility for establishing a legacy that will continue to add value to the world. Congratulations to all of the cohort deux honorees and let’s continue to represent with excellence, pride and tradition of the Southern University System! #WeAreSouthern

Re.engineer Shadrach Stephens collaborates with the members of Dow's Global African Affinity Network / Employee Resource Group.  The audience received a comprehensive approach to creating value called, “Package Your Passion”. The discussion covered: 1) How do I identify value? 2) How do I identify my sweet spot? 3) How do I gain support for value creation opportunities?

From Sanya:  ​We’ve been in business for 2 years?! While it may not feel like 2 years (perhaps it feels like more!), we know that this journey is now starting. The past years have not been without its challenges; in fact it’s those challenges that have helped to shape and enable us to become stronger and mature exponentially. I’ll share a bit of insight about the business and how it started. I am a stickler for quality (ask any of my affiliates, they know me well!). Back in 2017, I left the corporate world to write my thesis because the work that I was producing wasn’t to my standard. I started reaching out to SMEs around the globe as info and expertise weren’t readily available in Trinidad. After a couple months, the idea came to me, “Why not bring these experts to Trinidad and expand our levels of expertise here?!” I wanted to provide Solutions to Reliability issues and it needed to be done Strategically! That’s how Strategic Reliability Solutions Ltd was born. Since its inception 2 years ago, the company has brought varying levels of expertise to Trinidad & Tobago and the Caribbean. It didn’t stop there, with our presence online, we have reached over 38 countries globally though our articles and information resources.

Shadrach Stephens is a Global Improvement and Reliability Leader for Dow Inc. and is also the Founder of Re.engineer which is an open-source community of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) professionals that collaborate and share value-added solutions and innovations. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, LA. Shadrach is also a recipient of Plant Engineering <40 Engineering Leaders, HART Plant of the Year and the Southern University Alumni Federation 40 under Forty. Throughout his career, he has been committed to recruiting and mentoring young professionals, leveraging his professional skill set to support local community initiatives and positively influencing teams to excel in their manufacturing operations. Voyage Interview: www.voyagehouston.com/interview/meet-re-engineer-pearland/

A podcast for reliability and maintenance people looking to better themselves both at work and at home and be entertained!​  On this week's episode,​Shadrach Stephens was brought on to talk about collaboration, reliability leadership and the voice of the customer. https://anchor.fm/robsreliabilityproject/episodes/Voice-of-the-Customer-with-Shadrach-Stephens-e50bkj/a-al3emc

85% of what you earn as a living is not related to your technical skills but it is related to your soft skills!  It's one thing to have great technical skill sets but people often underestimate the value of soft skills.  Ashley Martin and Roger Tetrault partner to provide "Soft Skills" training at Brazosport College in Lake Jackson, TX.  It was an awesome night of learning and collaboration and it was also the Instrument, Electrical and Analyzer Network of Brazoria County's first network training session.  The session titled, "Lead to Succeed" was enabled by the F.O.C.U.S. Factor elements: ​First You: Self Stewardship, Outlining Priorities, Communication and Collaboration, Undoing Procrastination, and Solving Problems & Setting Boundaries.

Last year, Google announced the findings from an internal study that looked across teams to determine the most innovative and productive groups within the company. They found that their best teams weren’t the ones full of top scientists. Instead, their highest performing teams were interdisciplinary groups that benefited heavily from employees who brought strong soft skills to the collaborative process. Further research revealed that important predictors of success within Google were skills like good communication, insights about others, and empathetic leadership. But it’s not just top tech companies that are finding value in these types of skills. A Twitter poll from TedX found that people think teamwork and collaboration are the most helpful soft skills in the workplace, followed by critical thinking, public speaking and persuasive writing. In this re.engineer feature we invite Ashley M. Martin, soft skills trainer, to share her perspective on what it takes to be successful as a professional.  Teaching is Ashley's passion and the mantra of “You learn something new every day” is a philosophy that she lives by. She blends her love for educating, encouraging, and equipping others into dynamic conversations, training sessions, and talks. You can find more information about Ashley at her website: www.iamashleym.com Q: What inspired you to write Focus: Productive Leadership in Action? Ashley: Initially, I was inspired by a group of volunteers I served with. I was often the go-to person for encouragement and reassurance that things would be okay when we went through transitions and changes. I recall telling them to focus on the most important thing. I said one day I’m going to write a book to tell you all how to focus and that’s what happened 2 years later, Focus was published.  Q: What perspectives would you lend for those of us who find that we don’t fit in our current professional environment? Ashley: Embrace your uniqueness but hold yourself accountable to adding value to your environment. Is your difference adding to or taking away from the big picture? We are unique but it gives us no license to intentionally cause negative disruption. Our uniqueness is there to add value and sometimes bring disruption that is positive and causes the necessary changes to be put into place. Those changes should ultimately lead to improvement in those environments. Eventually those in that environment will begin to see the value of having you there and if not then there are other questions to ask and possibly conversations to be had.  ​Q: Why is it important to not only focus on technical professional development but also soft skills?   Ashley: What good is it if I’m the best technician but can’t talk to a customer? What good is it if I’m the best business person but have horrible customer service skills? What good is it if I can get things done but do so in a way that harms the morale of a company or organization? It may work for a little while but eventually not having or developing those skills will cost in the long run. Soft Skills don’t replace technical skills, they complement them. Many companies are seeing the importance of investing. In ensuring they have a great company cultures. Having the skill set like collaboration, communication, creativity, and confidence help execution of technical skills. Soft skills reduce silos. Soft skills ensure everyone is on the same page so that again the bottom-line can be met.  Q: Technology is essential to the growth of all industries and organizations. How has innovation in education and professional development created value? Ashley: You’re right. Technology is extremely important. In the education and professional development space, innovation has allowed distance learning to take place. If someone is interested in learning a subject, all they need is a device (not just a computer anymore), some stable Wi-Fi, and of course a good heap of focus. Lol Every methodology has its pros and cons, but distance learning has allowed learning to be accessible to those who may not have easy access to traditional learning spaces. Some examples include students who are homebound, students whose parents choose to homeschool, students who have or parents have a career that doesn’t work with a regular school setting, or adults that need the convenience of being able to learn from where they are.  Innovation has also allowed these spaces to be creative in how learners are engaged. Incorporating video, music, applications, and the technology gambit has opened up channels for instructors to reach learners. In this day and age, educators of any sort should aim to make technology our friends. Balance is always in order; however, technology is paving new paths in how we all learn. It would not be in our best interest to not overlook its value.  Q: One of the real struggles that most professionals have is finding the right balance between career, family and self. What are some of the tools or beliefs you have around time management? Ashley: Time keeps on ticking. I think time management begins with prioritization. One of the biggest challenges professionals I know have had is what comes first when you have so many priorities. Priorities change depending on the season you’re in. A single person’s priorities may not be the same as a married person’s priorities. The value doesn’t change because of one’s status. It’s just a different place that a person is in. A professional with a large family may have a different set of priorities than someone with a smaller family. Given some of those examples, some the beliefs and accompanying tools I have around time management, include the following. Everyone is important and should schedule some time they enjoy doing what fills their cup. Schedule it just like it a meeting, date, or appointment. This will ensure that it happens. Outline and frequently review your priorities. Again, your priorities may change depending on which season you’re in. Adjust your lifestyle accordingly and let those around you know what’s going on if necessary. Keep the main thing the main thing. You determine the main thing but make sure the attention whatever the main thing is does not fall to the wayside. Q: What keeps you up at night? Ashley: Not too much. I pray, journal, and go to bed. It’s important to get rest. All of the thoughts that roam in your head have to go somewhere so that’s why I journal; however, I do think about many things. One of the things I do think about often is how to get those who don’t yet see the importance of developing their soft skills (or those think they don’t need the development). Soft skills are more than people skills. It’s more than interpersonal skills. They complement your technical skills and without them the technical skills are just there. Some may argue that it’s like eating a plain cupcake. What’s a cupcake with the icing? Others may argue that they are the cupcake and the technical skills are the icing. Different perspectives but the bottom line is that they matter. There is a reason certain companies do well. (I’d love to sit in on some of their meetings or trainings for my own professional development. lol) They are cordial. They assist customers. They’re not perfect but something is working. They bring quality products or services (technical skill) which is important but they also have good balance of soft skills (customer service, communication, organization, & much more).  Ashley M. Martin has been a re.engineer contributor and core team member providing insights and perspectives for some time now.  She is a believer of creative problem solving, attaining peace, focusing to accomplish goals and leading by example.  Ashley, thank you for extending your passion as an educator to us and the many professionals that desire to be organized, balanced and ultimately successful…which proves that you are a certified re.engineer! To find more information on Ashley, you can go to her social media pages:  Facebook, Instagram, Twitter

Underrepresented groups in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in the United States include women and some minorities.  In the U.S., women made up 50% of the college-educated workers in 2010, but only 28% of the Science and Engineering workers, and African Americans, American Indians, Alaskan Natives, and Hispanics collectively formed 26% of the population, but account for only 10% of the Science and Engineering workers (U.S. News, 2014).  But thank God for STEM Leaders like Shauna Brown!  In this re.engineer Q and A session, Shauna will share some of her insights on how she has challenged the status quo and also how she is using her professional experiences to prepare the next generation of Melanin in STEM! Shauna Brown is the Assistant Director of the Academy of Aerospace and Engineering, a STEM-themed magnet program for pre-college/pre-career students.  In this leadership and management role, Shauna is responsible for leading and overseeing operational, instructional, and programmatic aspects of the program of 800 students and 120 staff.  She has served in this role for 5 years, and is the first woman in the history of the academy to hold this position.   In addition to her professional work, Shauna is the founder of Melanin in STEM, an organization whose mission is to increase representation in STEM through early exposure, mentoring initiatives, and professional networking. Shauna earned her Bachelor of Science Degree from Temple University, and a Master of Arts Degree from Columbia University in the City of New York.  As a math and science lover, and an “engineer at heart”, Shauna has always had an interest in learning about how things work, and developing innovative solutions to various problems. She has a passion for community development and for sharing her love learning with others. Shauna Brown is the recipient of the Community Education Award, a Community Leadership Award, and most recently; the 100 Women of Color Award in 2019.  She has volunteered with organizations such as Black Girls Code, Sisters in Science,  Educational programs, and Voter Registration drives, and she is a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. In her spare time, Shauna enjoys photography, DIY projects, retail therapy, and enjoying the outdoors. Q: What inspired you to pursue a STEM movement? Shauna: I have always had a great love for STEM, and a passion for getting others excited about STEM as well. There are so many pathways and careers related to STEM, but through my work I was finding that many people, especially many of our pre-college students were not fully aware of the multitude of opportunities within STEM.  Furthermore, I was finding that some of our pre-college scholars were not necessarily seeing STEM as something “for them”, and they were not seeing themselves reflected in many of the STEM professionals who they had a chance to interact with.  In 2016, I was doing some research for a presentation which I would be presenting at a national conference, and that is when the data and lack of representation in the research (particularly for women of color in STEM) really hit me. It was at that moment that I started “Melanin in STEM”, first as a hashtag movement, and then as an organization! I  wanted to change the narrative about people of color and women being “underrepresented” in STEM, and about the lack of diversity in STEM being “pipeline problem”, by showing the world that: YES, STEM IS DOPE, and YES, EVERYONE BELONGS, and YES, YOU CAN DO IT,  and YES, WE ARE OUT HERE!!!  Q: With respect to minority progression in STEM what are some of the barriers that need to be broken? Shauna:  It all starts with access to high-quality educational opportunities and solid. In doing some research, I was shocked to learn about the percentage of schools (serving high-minority populations) that do not offer advanced level courses in mathematics, that do not offer computer science courses, or that do not have adequate science lab space or materials. Communities of color have ALWAYS been innovative. In many cases it is just a matter of access and exposure which acts as a barrier, but the world of technology is changing all of that! Technology is going to break those barriers wide open! Q: What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs or professionals? Shauna: Stay curious, and focus on solutions! Q: What keeps you up at night? Shauna:  Honestly, what keeps me up at night is my desire to squeeze the most that I can out of each and every day. Whenever I get a chance I am reading, learning, or creating. Q: How are you driving innovation or productivity in your career? Shauna: One of the ways that I am driving innovation in my career, is by creating the structure for people from different disciplines and diverse perspectives to come together and tackle problems together. With diverse perspectives at the table, we strengthen both productivity and innovation, by building solutions that are stronger and more encompassing. You “catch” more when you have diverse perspectives looking at the same thing! Our re.engineer family has been following Shauna and Melanin in STEM organization for several months and we are quite impressed with what this organization has done with respect to pushing the STEM culture forward.  It was our honor to share these perspectives with the community at large and we hope that this featured Q & A session will inspire others to Stay Curious and Focus on Solutions!  Shauna, thank for being a voice in our community and your work to re.engineer our views on POC and their progression in STEM proves that you are a certified re.engineer! To find more information on Melanin in STEM go to their social media pages:  Facebook, Instagram ​ #ShaunaBrown #MelaninInStem #STEM #valuecreation #reengineer

It’s not often that I get an opportunity to feature a childhood friend, so this week’s Re.engineer Trending Leaders feature is very special to me. I have know Mr. Kenn Barnes Jr., Esq. since the days of Nintendo Super Mario Brothers and sandlot tackle football and I am extremely excited to collaborate with him on a professional level.  ​ Kenn serves as Special Counsel-Criminal Justice to the Louisiana Supreme Court. His duties include assisting with the Court’s pretrial services, specialty court programs across Louisiana, serving as liaison between the Louisiana Supreme Court and the Felony Class System Task Force, Louisiana Public Defender Board, Louisiana State Law Institute, and has recently been appointed by Governor John Bel Edwards to the Justice Reinvestment Oversight Committee on behalf of the Louisiana Supreme Court. Kenn received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Louisiana State University in 2011 and received both his Juris Doctorate and Diploma of Comparative Law from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University where he served as Executive President of the Student Bar Association in 2015.  ​Join us as Kenn provides some perspectives on being a leader within the criminal justice system. Q:  What inspired you to practice law? Kenn:  ​My inspiration to practice law is not one based on the leadership of any specific person. While I admire the likes of Thurgood Marshall, AP Turead, Chief Justice Bernette Joshua Johnson, and many other trailblazers, my inspiration is borne from the existence of those not listed in our books. Being born to a middle class in Baton Rouge Louisiana to a middle-class family that was situated around families that had not reached the middle-class, I both saw the privilege and the disparate impact of various effects of our legal and governmental systems. I knew that compassion and change were necessary to ensure that all around me experienced the level of equity I knew they could. It is because of the need for change and the support of loved ones that I believed that I could dedicate myself and play a small part in the necessary change. Q:  Collaboration is essential to the success of any industry or organization. What’s the most impactful collaborative strategy that you have been a part of? Kenn:  Collaboration is the catalyst for success. Diversity in collaboration is also essential. During my experience as an attorney, I have been able to join with stakeholders from across the legal spectrum to tackle criminal justice reforms. Defense and prosecution; Citizen and Government. It was though this diversity of positions and thoughts that we were able to get widespread buy-in and ultimately become successful in our initiatives.  In the attempt to be successful or to collaborate, it is easy to note the benefits of diversity and working together, but it is also as easy to be dissuaded and be let down by differences in opinions. I have found success by remembering that the nature of man is good and that the intentions usually are not meant to be evil. Remembering the humanity of those across the ideological spectrum that I am working with helps me to focus on the issues to find common ground instead of wondering about the nature of the person I am working with. This is the exercise of collaboration that I engage in; one that we can all engage in. Q:  How can the average citizen become more engaged with positively influencing the justice system? Kenn:  The average citizen can become engaged in positively influencing the criminal justice system by participating in the process of making informed decisions, voting, and holding elected officials accountable.  Citizens can be engaged in the criminal justice system by showing up to town halls and debates to ask officials and prospective politicians tough questions that affect them. These questions can range from asking a mayoral candidate if there will be a call for Crisis intervention training or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder therapy for officers and citizens, to asking a judge if they will engage in a reduction in the use of financial bail or use of alternative conditions to release, or to asking a legislator their views on certain nonviolent crimes. Citizens can influence the criminal justice system by voting for those that best represent their values, morals, and their position. It is easy to fall into the cycle of just voting for someone because they mirror our political party or because they previously held a position but that is not how the criminal justice system changes. That is not to say that an incumbent or a member of any party cannot be an agent of change, but if voters appear to be complacent with their votes, and do not demand change with their votes, then these voters cannot expect change. Lastly, criminal justice reform can be accomplished by holding elected officials accountable. Holding officials accountable can be not only be done by voting out those that do not do the job demanded of them by their constituency, but also by supporting and sharing with that official, the things that benefit and please us. It is easy to only discuss the things that upset us or that we disapprove of but highlighting our points of satisfaction is equally if not more important. Q:  Often we do not perceive that the political or legal disciplines interact with technology and innovation. Can you share some examples where the two worlds are combining to generate value? Kenn:  Political and legal disciplines’ interactions with technological innovation intertwine in many ways. Just in 2016, we saw politics and technology intertwine when Russia hacked our elections through the theft and proliferation of stolen emails, false social media post aimed at sowing racial animus, and many other attempts. In 2008, we saw technology benefit political campaigns with the use of social media and digital marketing initiatives. We see technology combined with the legal field in a myriad of ways including the use of electronic monitoring, video calls to family, breathalyzers and more. Each of these methods has proponents and detractors on all sides and has advantages and disadvantages that must be considered to create effective systems. This is why the use of technology in the political and legal disciplines must continue to innovate in ways to ensure equity and improvement.  Q:  What career advice would you give to other professionals or entrepreneurs? Kenn:  My career advice to other professionals and entrepreneurs would be to find a consistent base of support, to be flexible in thought and practice, and to believe in themselves.  Q:  What keeps you up at night? Kenn:  What keeps me up at night is that, as a society, we will one day forget the humanity of the past, find comfort and complacency in the rhetoric, and become apathetic to reaching our true potentials. Kenn is not only a personal family friend but he is also a re.engineer Trending Leader.  He has recently been announced by the American Bar Association as an "On the Rise 2019" Top 40 Young Lawyers award recipient!  As you can tell through his perspectives, he is building a legacy across the political and criminal justice landscape.  Kenn, thank you for taking our community to the next level and for being a faithful, servant in criminal law.  You are a certified re.engineer!

In this re.engineer feature we invite Roger Tetrault Jr., a Senior Instrument & Electrical (I&E) Maintenance and Reliability Technologist for Dow Chemical to share his perspectives on following your passion for technology while also extending that passion across multiple generations of professionals.  Roger has over 13 years of industry experience both inside and outside of chemical manufacturing and one of his core responsibilities is being a technical resource to other technicians as they partner to solve complex I&E challenges.  Throughout his career, he has also collaborated with operations and the various engineering functions to identify solutions to high level, long standing reliability problems and as a result, he has been able to minimize unplanned events for the business customers that he supports.  ​ Very early in life, Roger was the kid that installed everyone’s car stereos and electronics. At some point he realized that he could leverage his skills to the marine crafts, so he began installing stereos, auto pilots and GPS systems on boats. The experience and knowledge that he gained with marine crafts opened up an opportunity to work as a military contractor fabricating, installing, maintaining and repairing electrical, communications, and weapons systems on special operations boats. Roger entered the industrial world as an electrical apprentice, and he eventually went on to attain his Associates of Applied Science degree from Brazosport College while working full-time and fulfilling the role of husband and father, a role that that he takes very seriously. During this time he received multiple NCCER certifications and graduated both the Project Management and Project Supervision Academies.  Roger became a Dow employee in 2016 and since then, he has served as a mentor and trainer in the Dow apprenticeship program, joined the adjunct staff at Brazosport College and is planning to complete his Electrical Engineering degree.  Roger is considered to be a leader in his industry and I am very blessed to have connected with him as we are both working towards giving back through collaboration. Q: What inspired you to pursue a career in STEM? Roger: I have always been intrigued by electronics and electrical components from a young age. I enjoy the challenge that comes with troubleshooting complex systems that include multiple technologies. I also enjoy the aspect of technology that’s ever-changing and having to continuously learn and educate yourself and others to keep up with the advances. My earliest memory is of proudly removing the radio out of my mother’s car to disassemble and see how it worked. I learned two things from that “accomplishment”; my mom can be proud and angry at the same time and that I loved working with electronics. Q: At re.engineer, we believe that collaboration is the key for long term value creation.  How are you applying this concept? Roger: I am currently working to build an instrument, electrical and analyzer network within Brazoria County to help break down barriers within our industry. I believe that through a strong network and collaboration, all challenges can be overcome. In the early stages of this network, we are working hard to build a culture where everybody can add value from their position in the industry no matter their level of education or experience with the proper coaching and motivation. Along with opening the dialogue for these much needed changes, we are in the early stages of forming a non-profit organization that will help individuals both entering the I&E and Analytical industry and those looking to grow their knowledge by sponsoring technology specific training. One of my goals for the network and non-profit is to be able to offer scholarships, purchase tools and provide many other services that will help advance others in this field. We are already hosting local monthly network meetings to help forge the connections that make a strong network while continue to grow the team behind the movement at a rapidly increasing pace through strong collaboration.  Q: How are you delivering innovation or productivity in your career? Roger: When moving into my current position I brought with me the mindset that everyone’s input is valuable, and that communication and collaboration is the key to success. By introducing a work process to my current units that I had utilized in my past position, I was able to reduce the number of instruments in manual/alarm by 70% and decrease the mean time to repair on work orders by 76%. Q: What’s the most difficult technical challenge you’ve resolved? Roger: The most difficult challenge to date was when I was called in to loop check a new automated bag line and dust collector, with only one very green helper. During this process it was discovered that the newly purchased control panel was not wired properly to allow for the plant to operate it as needed. I was then asked by the plant to figure out the needed changes to the panel in order to get the system operational. This was a little intimidating considering I’d never ever seen one of these systems let alone worked on one. As I was inspecting the wiring it became very apparent that the wiring did not even match the drawings provided by the vendor. Once getting it wired as the drawings indicated it was still not operational. I was then tasked with redrawing the circuits to fix the issues and make the field changes. After a few hours, a lot of determination, very tedious troubleshooting and added relays, with everyone standing over my shoulder at 10pm, we attempted to start the machine once again. It ran for about 1 minute and shutdown. As a collective sigh of defeat filled the air, I studied the wiring closely and made one final change. We were finally able to successfully start and run the machine as originally designed. Q: What advice would you give to anyone starting in the Instrumentation and Electrical discipline? Roger: Be willing to learn every day and put in the work, don’t be afraid to ask questions and take criticism, Take initiative and don’t be afraid of making mistakes. Mistakes are simply proof that you are trying. Q: What keeps you up at night? Roger: Any time we have a complex issue we are working to resolve at work I have a tendency to take it home with me. I will run through the circuits in my head over and over thinking of possible solutions that I can try once I get back on site. I have a strong drive for resolution and don’t like to admit defeat when it comes to troubleshooting instrumentation and electrical systems because I have a true passion for this industry. I am also constantly thinking of ways to resolve the people problems that come from working with various, and sometimes conflicting personalities, in order to effectively utilize the skill-sets that they offer. In just a few months, Roger has developed a growing network of industry professionals, and for that, we congratulate him for not only elevating his technical community but also for being a advocate for all of the I&E and Analytical professionals across Brazoria County.  Your work is being noticed and will have a positive impact for many years to come!  We are proud to welcome Roger as a Re.engineer Trending Leader!! ​Contact Information: Facebook:  Instrumentation, Electrical, and Analyzer Network of Brazoria County LinkedIn:   Roger Tetrault Jr.