Q: How long have you worked at Advanced Electric Machines?
JC: I have worked at ADVANCED ELECTRIC MACHINES for about two-and-a-half years, having come straight from university.
Q: What is your role at ADVANCED ELECTRIC MACHINES?
JC: I have worked a little bit on the manufacturing side, as well as on the design side. In my current role in the design team, I work on developing prototypes. This entails working on the designs of existing products and improving assembly processes.
Q: What professional achievement are you most proud of at ADVANCED ELECTRIC MACHINES?
JC: I’m most proud of my work on our HDSRM150 project for SAF Holland. This was the first time that I started a project from scratch, from the customer’s specification, to actually getting the motor ready and functional. It was particularly satisfying being able to go from having an empty screen to seeing the motor turn, and I certainly won’t forget that feeling anytime soon.
Q: What excites you about working at ADVANCED ELECTRIC MACHINES?
JC: It’s exciting to work for a company that is growing at such a pace. On a personal note, it is exciting to work for a company where I have an incredible opportunity to explore areas that I’m really interested in. This has given me plenty of flexibility and a variety of learning opportunities.
Q: What is the biggest challenge facing PEMD at the moment, and how can ADVANCED ELECTRIC MACHINES help?
JC: The biggest challenge facing the PEMD sector at the moment is sourcing materials and recycling them in an environmentally friendly way. This is always at the forefront of our minds at ADVANCED ELECTRIC MACHINES; it is a particular focus when we’re looking for materials for our designs, and we, of course, don’t use rare earth magnets in our products.
Q: Why should PhDs choose to work for ADVANCED ELECTRIC MACHINES?
JC: ADVANCED ELECTRIC MACHINES is a great place to work. For someone with a PhD, there are a wide variety of opportunities on offer, particularly with the company growing as it is. Members of the team are able to experience the different areas of the business and see what suits them. This holistic approach enables everybody to see what suits them best, giving them a clearer idea of where they can take their career.
Q: Can you tell us about your work with the STEM agenda?
JC: I’ve done a bit of work with STEM, having gone into schools to talk about being a Mechanical Design Engineer to get people interested in what we do. I’ve also attended my fair share of events, where I’ve taken some kits to allow people to figure out how to get a motor working. It’s great to be able to get children engaged!
Q: Could you also expand on your work with Advanced Electric Machines’ customers and suppliers?
JC: Part of my role involves liaising with customers and with suppliers. I am often responsible for finding out what our customers want from us, and how we can help our suppliers in any way. It’s brilliant to be able to work with so many different people, and I really value the experience that this has given me.
Q: Could you explain what it’s like, as a woman, to work in a male-dominated industry?
JC: When I first started at ADVANCED ELECTRIC MACHINES, I was one of the only women in the engineering team. Of course, this didn’t make any difference to my day-to-day role, as we are all part of a team here and everybody got on with their jobs. As we’ve grown, however, the amount of women in the team has significantly grown, and this has been really refreshing to see. I hope that this growth continues – any newcomer would be joining a truly wonderful group of people.
Q: What would you say is the best thing about working for ADVANCED ELECTRIC MACHINES?
JC: ADVANCED ELECTRIC MACHINES is a really great place to work! We all work really closely with each other – it’s a great, friendly working environment to be a part of and we’re a close-knit group. I would also have to say that I’m definitely a huge fan of the constant supply of biscuits and cakes that always find their way around the team!