Name: Banu Raghuraman
Program: Industrial Engineering
University(s) / College(s) Attended: University of Toronto
Education / Degree(s): Bachelors in Applied Sciences
Current Job Title: Director, Business and Process Analysis
Current Employer: Info Tech Research Group
Email: Send Email
Fun Facts About Me
Share one fun fact about yourself: I have changed through 11 different schools growing up.
The most inspiring engineer I know is ....... Because ........ ?: I come across many simple inventions in third world countries, where the inventor / creator takes sustainable, reusable materials to solve challenges in their tiny village. It doesn’t lead to mass production or mass consumption, but it allows the users of the invention to become a little more efficient in their work, which means, a little more to eat for their family, or a little more time to spend at school. And sometimes, that is all the difference we need to make, in assisting the users of such products to better their life. I feel such engineers have not only captured the essence of problem solving, but also life.
Profile Questions
Why did you choose to study engineering?: Engineering gives you access to a toolkit and a mindset built towards problem solving. As a woman, I constantly felt like I was solving challenges to be where I was and engineering seemed like the next natural selection. It gives you the aptitude to break down a problem into solvable units at work and in life.
How do you apply your engineering degree to your current career?: I work with my business partners to improve their departmental efficiencies through process improvement and strategic alignment. It is lot about uncovering the “why” and changing the “how” to build in innovation, that results in an improvement in operations, and eventually revenue.
What do you love most about your career?: The variety and exposure to various problems, and the excitement of finding solutions – some of them may not have been feasible, but it is breadth of imagination that I constantly love expanding.
What advice would you give to someone hoping to pursue a career in engineering?: Study because you love it, not because someone told you to do it. Get involved in engineering related events and see if you like it before you take that step.