Meet Eugenia: A Story of Transformation and Triumph

What initially sparked your interest in pursuing a degree and career in chemical engineering, and how has this decision impacted your professional journey at Evonik?

My love for math and numerical logic! I got into college at the University of Louisiana-Lafayette (ULL) in Spring 2019 as a pre-med biology major. I was studying to become a medical doctor at the time. In high school, I was always good with numbers but never thought much of it since my career goal was to become a MD. However, a month into my freshman year, I discovered I didn’t quite enjoy what I was studying.

There was so much reading about biological processes and doing lab work, but not much in the way of numerical calculations. I love words, but I don’t love them that much! I knew then I wouldn’t be happy doing this for the next four years. Change was needed, so I started researching viable majors to switch into.

Chemical Engineering stood out very quickly. I was drawn to the diversity of opportunities that could be obtained with this degree, whether in medical, specialty chemicals, Oil & Gas, etc. I was finally won over by the Chemical Engineering discipline’s emphasis on mathematical logic and the sciences. All these factors cemented my drive toward this career path. After I switched majors, my love for this field of study increased, and I grew out of my initial focus on the medical profession. Looking back now, I have no regrets at all.

I was uncertain about the change needed to switch my career path from medical to engineering and honestly, I was afraid of that change. However, I knew I had to overcome that fear, the fear of the unknown and the fear of disappointing my family back home in Nigeria. I defeated this fear, and this fundamentally changed me as an individual. I was no longer afraid to try new opportunities or challenges that came my way. This newfound mindset served me well in my academic and personal life and eventually led me to Evonik.

What drew you specifically to the Engineer Talent & Acquisition Development Program? (ETAD)

ETAD, as a rotational development program, prides itself in the diversity of experiences and projects offered within. I’m an avid advocate for trying different things and seeing what works and what doesn’t. ETAD stood out to me as a valuable resource for attempting different engineering roles while gaining the knowledge needed to steer my career towards a role I’ve already tried and loved.

In addition, one of the highlights of the program is being surrounded by engineers my age. I cannot stress how beneficial it is to be surrounded by colleagues my age who understand and empathize with our collective journey to grow and flourish in this profession. This was a huge selling point to me, because I can now hangout with people my age both within and outside the workplace while not sacrificing my social life in the process.

In retrospect, during my time in the ETAD program, I have been assigned projects involving process engineering, project engineering, process safety, digitalization, process studies, etc. These job experiences have provided me a surefire path to a career that I now enjoy, because I now fully know the roles that do fit my goals for the future.

What advice would you give to young professionals who are just starting their careers in engineering, and how can they cultivate the skills they need to succeed in a dynamic and constantly evolving industry?

Never be afraid to show curiosity and ask questions. As a starting young engineer, there were and still are, many things I do not know. Over the years, I have come to the realization that when in doubt, the answer is always ‘NO’ when you don’t ask. There’s nothing wrong with not knowing a lot, because we are just starting our careers and need experience to build our professional know-how.

At Evonik, our more experienced engineers are very happy and open to showing the newer less experienced engineers the “ropes” with gusto. I have been shown such compassion by various colleagues on multiple projects every time. I am always the engineer newly assigned on projects who reaches out to project team members, plant personnel, operators, etc. to gather further information to help provide the best of my abilities to the team.

This approach has never failed me, professionally or otherwise. Therefore, with our ever-evolving industry, the ability and curiosity to learn goes a long way to keep you up to date with current industrial demands and help you progress in your careers.

What are you most proud of when you think about your career experience with Evonik?

I was assigned the role as the Lead Process Engineer on a sizable CapEx project in the Summer of 2023. This was a huge responsibility and my first lead role in my engineering career. My boss and many others believed I was suitable for the role. However, I didn’t feel very experienced with this role but was determined to deliver my best to the projects. As the Process Lead on the Project team, I had to interact with other more experienced Engineering Leads and provide needed results.

I learned hard and fast on the job.  Three months after the completion of the first phase of that project, the Project Manager and the rest of the Project team personally reached out to tell me I did an awesome job on the project! These were 3 months of grueling hard work and learning, and it felt so liberating to hear people I deeply respect tell me I did well.

It’s now been over a year since I took on that first Lead role, and I’ve gone on to lead other projects since then. However, I still remember my growth as a professional during that summer till today. The words of encouragement and recognition of my work from my team still warms of heart. The recognition of my leadership role still marks a milestone in my career. I believe there is many more to come!