From the Desk of…. Jennifer Fielding

If asked, “Who do you consider a mentor, and who are you mentoring,” everyone should always have an answer to both parts of that question.

I am proud to have crossed a major milestone in my career – serving as a civilian engineer for 20 years at the Air Force Research Laboratory, most of which was in the Materials and Manufacturing Directorate. Reflecting on this journey, my thoughts frequently go to mentors that I’ve had during my career, both formal and informal. One of my closest mentors early in my career emphasized how important it is to be involved in a professional society.

I am so glad that I took her advice and became involved in a few technical societies. Specifically, SME has been so impactful for me. Why is SME so important for someone doing materials and manufacturing research in the government? From my vantage point, the Department of the Air Force doesn’t manufacture much of anything. We partner with our industrial base to create the best technologies for our airmen and guardians. It is through influencing industry that we create what is needed to sustain and strengthen our national security. SME has served as a phenomenal way for me to connect with peers in industry and understand their challenges. I was able to see challenges with technology scale-up and rate, workforce development, and affordability. From this knowledge, I was able to see opportunities and foster connections to make the right things happen. We can only tackle these challenges by working together as a community and mentoring each other. These are some themes and opportunities that we’ll see in early November at the WESTEC / AeroDef Manufacturing conference.

SME can be a great source for finding mentors, both formal and informal. Recently, SME launched the SME Bright Minds Student Mentorship program for post-secondary students, and I’m excited to participate as a mentor. I’ve found that at this stage in my career, I receive so much benefit from the mentor/mentee relationship. I get an inside view of how students and early career professionals approach a problem, what they are challenged by, and how they communicate. This provides me insight into how I can best support and nurture my own early career employees. 

The manufacturing community also needs a pipeline of early-career top talent. That is how we will sustain a strong and thriving industrial base, and this is why the SME Member Council has focused so strongly on students, emerging professionals, and DEIA. Some recent activities within SME include the Bright Minds College Experience at SOUTHTEC and two virtual career fairs in partnership with Women in Manufacturing. But mentoring doesn’t have to happen through these formal channels. I encourage anyone mid- or late-career to talk to students and early career professionals about your journey and ask what you can do to help them navigate their career path. Reach out to someone that has a different background than you and see what you can offer, and what you can learn from them.

Thanks to great advice from a mentor, SME has been a great fit for me. SME embodies a spirit of continuous learning, mentorship, and technology progress, and is dedicated to fostering a strong and thriving manufacturing community. I always want to contribute to that mission. 

I’m so proud that SME is leaning into mentoring and growing the next generation in our community of manufacturing. So, I challenge you all to be intentional with always having a mentor and being a mentor.

Cheers,
Dr. Jenn Fielding
Past Chair, SME Member Council - 2023