What does an Entegris employee look like? What do they do all day, and what do they like about their jobs? This blog is part of a series that will take a deep dive into a variety of careers at Entegris. We’ll highlight several employees and their valuable contributions to the organization. What do they do, how are they succeeding, and why do they think Entegris is a great place to work?  

What is your educational/employment background?

I have a Bachelor of Science degree from California State University, East Bay, and a graduate degree from the University of California, Davis. I received my doctorate in analytical chemistry where my research focused on developing methods to characterize the chemical composition of ultrafine particulate matter in ambient air. After graduating in 2007, I started working at SAES Pure Gas, which was acquired by Entegris in 2018. I’ll have been at Entegris for seven years this June!

What sparked your interest in a science career?

When I was young, I wanted to be an astronaut. The space race was still very important, and Sally Ride was one of my big inspirations. I started taking more science courses in high school and found that chemistry was my favorite by far. Even though I began college as a math major, I quickly realized that wasn’t what I wanted to do long term and changed my major to chemistry.

I was given the opportunity to participate in a research laboratory with one of my professors while I was still an undergraduate. This research measured heavy metal contamination of the water and sediment in tidal wetlands, focusing on several sites in the San Francisco Bay area. By my senior year I was coordinating most of the activities of the research group. The professor I worked for encouraged me to continue my education, as she felt I wouldn’t be satisfied with the roles available for me with only a bachelor’s degree.

What advice do you have for women and girls who'd like a career in science?

Find what makes you passionate about science, find what makes things interesting for you, and keep pursuing those things. Having a good mentor is also very important – I have a great relationship with the professor who inspired me to get my doctorate, and we still keep in touch almost 20 years later.

That mentorship has inspired me to hold the door open for women in my own organization. I was the only woman in a technical role at SAES Pure Gas when I joined the company, and a lot of the women who currently work here are women I’ve hired. Outside the office, I take a week off each summer – something Entegris has always supported – to volunteer at a science camp for 8 - 12-year-old girls, which is a lot of fun. I really enjoy coming up with interesting ideas for projects at the camp. In the past we’ve studied polymers by making plastic out of milk. We’ve also studied luminescence, or glow-in-the-dark science, by extracting spinach and seeing how it glows under a black light.

Can you describe your responsibilities as Director of Gas Purification Technology at Entegris?

I have just moved into a new role at Entegris. Prior to this role I was the R&D manager, where I managed all research and development projects for gas purification. These included sustaining projects that keep our products working, new materials testing, new product development, and new solutions for our customers.

In my new role, I’ll be overseeing new product development for both the R&D and engineering teams. This role reflects a changed organization that will align R&D and engineering more closely together. The result is that materials characterization and systems engineering will be combined into one larger team that will enable us to streamline the development process.

What kind of projects are you currently working on?

Right now, we’re strongly focused on hydrogen gas purification for the energy market. I was excited when Bertrand (President and CEO of Entegris) introduced this project to the company this past fall! This work will help our division expand into markets outside of semiconductors where we see huge potential in the coming years.

Can you tell me about your involvement with the International Roadmap for Devices and Systems™ (IRDS) gas team?

The job of the IRDS gas team is to look at the semiconductor market as it moves forward and understand how gas standards need to change to support the latest advancements in semiconductor manufacturing. For example, if a new gas is being introduced, we might ask what impurities exist and what are the acceptable levels of these impurities in order to reduce or eliminate defectivity

My involvement with this committee started nine years ago and has slowly increased over the years. I really enjoy participating because it links me to a wider scientific community. I’ve met a lot of researchers from other manufacturers and suppliers as they present new technologies, new analytical techniques, and new requirements for gas purity.

What do you like about working at Entegris?

What I enjoy most is how my work allows me to solve interesting problems while keeping me mentally engaged. At SAES Pure Gas, we were solely focused on gas purifiers. As part of Entegris, I am exposed to research being done by other divisions and learn how they all work together to support our customers. Getting the opportunity to work with different groups inspires me to think about approaches that I haven’t previously considered.

How does Entegris support women in science?

I have always appreciated that being a woman has never prevented me from being taken seriously at Entegris. There are a lot of women in technical roles at our company, and the number of roles filled by women continues to grow. Employee groups like the Women’s Network give us influence and visibility within the wider company. Entegris has also done a good job of supporting motherhood and parenthood in general with more allowances for maternity and paternity leave, plus support for working mothers when they return to the office.

Do you have any long-term career ambitions at the company?

My head’s still spinning about the recent promotion! I would love to see us continue to develop solutions for hydrogen purification for the green energy market, and if this truly takes off, I’d love to see it move into its own business unit. Long-term, I always hope to remain in a role where I can continue to work on technology development.

Thanks to Sarah for sharing this great information about her role at Entegris. Learn more about Entegris careers!