“It didn’t take long for me to realize the positive impact this industry will have on humanity and the environment.”
Q: What attracted you to Nano One?
As a chemist, I’ve always been driven by seeing my work translated to real-world applications. After finishing my PhD in inorganic chemistry, I spent some time working as a research scientist in a start-up in Edmonton. This fueled my interest in my post-doctoral research in lithium-ion batteries (LFP). It didn’t take long for me to realize the positive impact this industry will have on humanity and the environment. I’ve decided to dedicate my career to industries that focus on contributing to a net-zero emissions future and that is what attracted me to Nano One. I packed up my family and drove from Montreal to Burnaby to help change the way the world makes battery materials.
Q: What are some of the challenges you are facing and how are you overcoming them?
As a young female leader and soon-to-be mother, I’m quite conscious of work-life balance, and I work effortlessly to ensure my team remains healthy, despite the rapid growth Nano One is experiencing.
Planning and prioritization have been indispensable, and I support my team by ensuring they aren’t met with any roadblocks in their projects.
Communication can be a challenge for rapid-growth companies. Of course, it was an even bigger challenge once the pandemic hit and we all had to adjust to a new way of communication. I’ve worked closely with the team Leads within Research and Development (R&D) to facilitate effective communication practices. Within my team, I’ve adopted a transparent leadership style, providing them with a glimpse into the larger scope of Nano One’s vision and where our projects fit in.
Cross-departmentally, the R&D team continuously analyzes and implements new means of communication to ensure institutional alignment.
When it comes to overcoming challenges, I find sharing my concerns with my partner, family, supervisor, and People & Culture team members helpful. I have always heard about work-life balance challenges new mothers experience from my peers, but now I am experiencing them first-hand and am preparing for change. “The first step toward change is awareness, the second step is acceptance” Nathaniel Barnden
Q: Can you share the importance of communication on your team and how it benefits everyone?
Communication is the key for any kind of successful teamwork. The R&D team is a talented team of 30 people including team leads, senior research scientists, research scientists, research scientist associates and co-ops and communication plays an integral role at different levels to successfully move all the internal and external projects forward. Of course, there are moments of miscommunication that we as a team continuously work to improve.
Q: What has been one of your most successful moments at Nano One?
Nano One’s success and worldwide recognition are really rewarding since it is not possible without great teamwork among all the teams including the R&D team that I am leading.
Q: Do you have a mentor and what have you learned from them?
Yes, I have a mentor who is a former employee of Nano One. I have learned a lot from them. Three main work-related lessons:
- Reaching a consensus in meetings is key
- Do not take anything personally, leave work-related topics at work and learn to let things go.
- Always maintain your own professionalism. Never lower your standards or accept unprofessionalism. Speaking up for yourself may be uncomfortable, but it also benefits your peers (women, working moms, etc.)
Q: Where do you see Nano One 5 years from now?
Nano One is shining and I do see a great future for Nano One in this industry in North America and worldwide. I am proud to be part of this journey and I hope to see Nano One’s materials in battery applications across the world.
