Welcome to another edition of STEM Demystified, a project to tackle the under-representation of women in STEM. This weekly Newsletter showcases how women are conquering science, technology, engineering, and mathematics worldwide.
Today, Sanya Mathura is our STEM role model. Born in Trinidad & Tobago, she had a curious mind from an early age- always trying to figure out how things work and was determined to become an engineer.
Sanya attained a BSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering and an MSc in Engineering Asset Management, becoming the first person in the Caribbean to become an ICML certified MLE (Machinery Lubrication Engineer). She is the Founder of Strategic Reliability Solutions Ltd based in Trinidad & Tobago.
Sanya works with global affiliates in the areas of Reliability and Asset Management to bring these specialty niches to her clients. She has a strong engineering background and continues to push barriers by being the first female to achieve numerous certifications in the lubrication industry globally. Sanya sits on several international boards and has published 6 books to date.
When not writing or managing the business, you can find her supporting projects advocating for women in STEM.
Let’s now dive into Sanya’s story and find out how she navigated through challenges, pioneered the lubrication industry, and turned into a fantastic STEM role model.
What was your trajectory from school to where you currently are professionally or academically?
I have my bachelor’s in electrical & computer engineering, after leaving university, I worked in the industry for a bit and then got the job as the Distributor Front Line Technical Support for Shell Lubricants in my country. Even though I was the only female (and at that time the youngest) in the Caribbean, I was eager to learn about this new space. That’s when I realized that lubrication connects everything, and I fell in love with reliability.
Afterwards, I got my master’s in engineering asset management (also from the University of the West Indies). For my thesis, I focused on a project exploring the root causes of lubrication degradation. While writing my thesis, I realized that I wasn’t providing my best work, so I quit the corporate world and focused on my thesis.
During that time, I reached out to many experts in the field, and they all knew someone who knew someone who had the information I was looking for. It was then that I thought of the idea of having a hub where people could come to for reliability solutions, but it had to be strategic! That’s how the name of the company came about.
Since launching my company back in 2017, I have authored a couple of technical books and am also the series editor for the “Empowering women in STEM” series of books published by CRC Press, Taylor & Francis.
I also sit on numerous boards for the field of tribology and am always writing some new article!
What motivated you to get into STEM? Did you have a female role model or anyone who inspired you? If so, who?
Growing up, I always knew that I wanted to become an engineer even though I didn’t know exactly what that was or what it entailed. I was always interested in finding out how things work and finding solutions to make things / processes more efficient.
I didn’t have any female role models to look up to, so I decided that I would be that role model for the future generations.
What’s your most important professional/academic achievement?
There are really too many to chose from. After I wrote my first book (Lubrication degradation mechanisms – A Complete Guide published by CRC Press, Taylor & Francis) I didn’t let the publisher have it until I earned my ICML MLE certification (International Council for Machinery Lubrication – Machinery Lubrication Engineer). This was the highest level of certification offered by that organization and while it is usually advised that you write the other exams (MLT, MLA , LLA) to get the experience before you did this exam I followed a different path and went straight for it.
After I earned it, I then published my first book as I knew that if I didn’t earn that badge, the book may not have gotten the respect it deserved in that space. I was the first person in the Caribbean to earn that certification and still remain as the only female in the Caribbean. There are a handful of women with this certification globally, so I intend to inspire more people to get this certification.
I was also the first female in the world to achieve the ICML VPR & VIM badges (Varnish and Deposits Prevention and Removal & Varnish and Deposits Identification and Measurement) and up until earlier this year the only female. I’m so happy that other women are getting this badge!
Again, I was the first person in the Caribbean to achieve the FL CAT I (Field Lubrication Analyst Category I) certification from the Mobius Institute and the only female as per their records. I want more women to get certified in this field.
Did you face any challenge throughout your professional/academic journey? How did you overcome it?
I have faced many challenges in my career! It is never an easy road especially when you’re forging your own path. Quite often (especially for women), you will face the ‘prove it again’ syndrome where you need to prove a theory or yourself before you’re taken seriously.
One of the ways to overcome this is to understand the other members in your meeting. Even though you know the answer to the question at hand, ask probing questions to allow the other members to get to the answer that it should be. This helps them to understand the topic even more and gets them to think more actively. Once they recognize how you led them down that path, they will be more forthcoming with the information and listen to you seriously.
In your opinion, what needs to be done to attract more women into STEM?
We need to educate the masses, both men, women and children. STEM careers aren’t for everyone and there must be balance in the society. By helping others understand what a STEM career entails, they can now make more informed decisions about the pathway that they want to choose or follow in the future.
We also need more men involved. Getting men to understand some of the fears / challenges that women face helps to break down particular barriers in the workplace. Sometimes men don’t know what women have to endure unless we speak up and give them the chance to help us to move forward.
We have to work together to get more women involved in STEM because that’s how we can evolve as a society.
What advice would you give to anyone looking into a career in STEM (or those who do not consider it)?
STEM careers can open multiple doors for you because it’s such a diverse field. While some sectors may be male populated, you can be part of the change to bring more women into these fields so that we can diversify the results of these sectors.
My advice to women in STEM fields now would be to never compromise on your identity and know your value. You bring much more value to the table by being yourself rather than trying to fit in.
Sanya’s trajectory is fantastic! She is a trailblazer who pioneered a male dominant industry with no female role models to guide her. She became the beacon she wished to see—a passionate advocate for women in STEM. Sanya’s legacy goes beyond the lubrication industry, it represents guidance, an illuminated path for future generations.
I’m on YouTube now!
Check out Accessible BI for practical Power BI tutorials and tips on making data accessible to everyone. Subscribe here: Accessible BI YouTube Channel
