Edita Tejnil - 2021 SPIE Women in Optics Planner
Principal Product Engineer
Mentor Graphics, USA
SPIE Member
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Born in Czechoslovakia |
I genuinely became interested in physics, math, and science in high school and wanted to work in an area where science could be applied to real problems. Now I work on developing models that describe patterning of device features on semiconductor wafers with photolithography. I help develop software products and analyze data to enable manufacturing of semiconductor devices.
I’ve always been well-recognized for my technical contributions as an engineer. However, those contributions did not always translate to career advancement. My biggest challenge was recognizing I had to explicitly start asking for the recognition I deserved. When I was first starting out, I wish someone had advised me to find a mentor or supporter in my organization, someone who could have coached me in my career path and advancement.
To young women interested in science I highly recommend a career in STEM because your work will always be interesting and will evolve with the advancement of technology. In practical terms, I would advise these three things: work on projects that have impact, voice your opinions, and always advocate for yourself.