Meet Imani Lawson, who was recently honored as one of five "10,000 Degrees" alumni' for making an impact in the world as change-makers in their careers, communities, and families.
Imani was recognized for her efforts to voice and underscore the importance of higher education and the advancement of STEM studies and careers, in addition to her role as an Installation Engineer working on the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) project for Hitachi Rail in North America.
To celebrate International Women and Girls in Science day, we spoke with Imani about her academic and career journey, her passion for STEM, mentoring, and inspiring future generations of young leaders to reach their goals.
My career journey to Hitachi Rail.
After graduating from Grambling State University, I moved to Illinois to begin my career as a Laboratory/Instrumentation Engineer with Caterpillar Inc. Following a great first year on the job, I had to make the incredibly tough decision to move back home to California, where I found an opportunity with Hitachi Rail.
When I began my role, I was very excited to see I'd be a part of the BART project. It felt like a full-circle moment and brought back memories of commuting with my mom when I was younger.
Related: Our transformative Bart project
The power of mentoring
Yes! I've had many mentors throughout my academic and professional careers.
Throughout my journey, I've always tried to remember that there is always something new you can learn and new people to learn from. Each mentor I had not only taught me valuable lessons about the industry but also turned into family, helping me navigate through life's changes, including family planning and finances. With their guidance and wisdom, I was able to secure more opportunities for myself.
The rail industries exciting future
What excites me about the future of the rail industry is seeing how one of the oldest modes of transportation is evolving to become faster & greener in many different areas while connecting many individuals across the globe.
Related: Working at Hitachi Rail
A passion for STEM
My passion for STEM began at a young age as I've always been curious about how things work or operate. This curiosity led me to start exploring the world of engineering, and I fell in love with problem-solving along the way. Later, as I began to pursue a career, I loved the hands-on aspect and seeing my work play a role in projects, and become something real and tangible, no matter how 'small' the task may have seemed.
Inspiring the next generation of engineers
To the next generation of engineers, I would pass on my favorite quote from Brian Tracy, "It doesn't matter where you come from; it's about where you go from there."
With the rail industry constantly expanding – representation and mentorship are becoming more important for younger generations while working to keep others inspired. So, with this in mind, always keep your head high, put your best foot forward, and remember there's always someone looking up to you thinking, 'Wow, she made it, so can I!'
Congratulations to Imani for being a role model to future 10,000 Degrees scholarship recipients and young women interested in pursuing careers in STEM - Hear first-hand more about her journey from college to career.
