Corning engineer enjoys inspiring the younger generation | Jobs Vox

After graduating, Boben, 31, moved to Hickory in 2018 to become a development engineer for Corning.

In her spare time, she enjoys drawing cartoons, which she shares on Instagram, and volunteering at the Catawba Science Center and the Hickory Museum of Art. Through her job at Corning, Boben said she teaches teens about engineering and robotics. She also serves as a judge for robotics competitions.

Boben said that she grew up in Delhi, the capital of India, which is located in the north. Boben’s family is originally from Kerala, which is in the southern part of India. Delhi and Kerala are over 1,600 miles apart. He said that many different languages ​​are spoken in India depending on the region. The mother tongue of his family is Malayalam. Boben said she can understand Malayalam but is not fluent.

Boben said, “I feel like because I grew up in the North, I think in Hindi.” “I can understand and speak Malayalam, but I am not that good.”

Boben said that her first language is Hindi, as she grew up in Delhi, and her second language is English.

Boben discusses cultural differences, traditions, and his passion for science. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

My father is a mechanical engineer, and my mother was a civil engineer. I grew up around engineering. I also enjoyed studying physics and maths in school. At that time, I was most inclined to go and learn about the fundamentals of mechanical engineering.

I worked for two years in General Motors in India as a Design Engineer. I was doing 3D computer aided design. While I was working, I realized that my interest lay more in research and development. That type of job position requires more experience in research, so I pursued a master’s degree.

Now, I’m Corning Inc. I am a Senior Development Engineer in Applied Research and Development.

The biggest difference culturally for me was that in India, you have people everywhere. It is a very community based culture. If you have to figure something out and things aren’t working out, you have people to rely on, not just your family. The community is very interdependent.

I think the US has more of a “do it yourself” independent culture. Of course, there are people who are willing to help you if you want any help, but before you have to go and ask for help, you do your best to do it yourself.

At Corning, we have a group called the Corning Women’s Partnership for Growth. It was here that I met some really wonderful ladies who work at Corning, and they connected me with various volunteer opportunities in the area. I met Anita Doran. He introduced me to things in Hickory that I didn’t know about. For example, the Hickory Community Theater and the Hickory Museum of Art, where I now volunteer on the Audience Engagement Committee. His love for hickory inspired me to learn more.

One thing that I like the most about this place is that you are very close to all these beautiful natural sites. I really enjoy hiking. I joined it after moving to Hickory. I didn’t go out for hiking when I was in Delhi or Raleigh, but now I really enjoy it. Here, I get to play disc golf. There are two or three courses in that area that I enjoy. It’s something I’ve picked up from the friends I’ve made here. He taught me how to play.

I realized that when you move you need to find your own group of friends that you can call family. It is very important to have someone to be with when you are away from family. It should not be like 20 people but like three or four close people who make you feel like home. I’m glad I made those friends here through volunteering and exploring the area.

I am passionate about promoting science, technology, engineering and math, especially for girls in high schools. Anita Doran connected me from Hickory High School where we talked about my career journey and how I am working as an engineer for Corning. I represent Corning. We will be doing a science experiment at the Catawba Science Center’s science fair. Occasionally I volunteer as a judge at the first (for inspiration and recognition of science and technology) robotics contests. They invite engineers from Corning to judge those events.

One of my favorite festivals is Diwali. I’m actually a Christian, but having grown up in India and the North, Diwali is a Hindu festival. Actually it means festival of lights.

Here all the houses will be decorated and lit up just like Christmas time. During Diwali, there are lights in everyone’s apartments and houses, and you have all kinds of sweets. One of the traditions is on Diwali you visit each other’s house like your friends and family, and you give them different sweets as gifts. Another tradition is two or three days before Diwali, you have to clean the house inside out. It’s like a spring-cleaning thing.

When I was young, we used to burst crackers too. I just loved that whole week. There are also a lot of sales going on at that time, so you can get all the new clothes you want.