CentroMotion - Miriam Prieto

2021 Women in Engineering

Miriam Prieto

Project Lead Maximatecc, a CentroMotion Family Brand

Industrial Engineering

What fi rst drew you to engineering?

While exploring my career path at the Universidad Autónoma de Ciudad Juárez seven years ago, I began to understand the broad spectrum of opportunities available in the engineering fi eld in an industrial city like Juarez, Mexico. I realized the ample possibilities of a career in the fi eld of industrial engineering, and its different branches and applications. The versatility is what appealed to me the most.

Were there any infl uential engineers (women or men) who helped shaped your decision to become an engineer?

My aunt and uncle, who developed their respective careers in manufacturing, were ultimately very infl uential in my career decision. My uncle, who has now retired, was an engineer and worked in the manufacturing industry in Juarez. He always talked about how he enjoyed working with different processes and helping the company with improvements. Additionally, my aunt is an industrial engineer, and I saw how successful she became. They inspired me to pursue this path.

What barriers do women face in today’s engineering world, if any?

In the early stages of my career, I believe respect for a woman’s skills lies at the heart of the barriers women face in the fi eld of engineering. I think women often don’t receive proper recognition as engineers. There is differentiation for women in their professional careers, compared to male colleagues, peers and managers, in terms of tasks, responsibilities and making decisions. Women may be relegated to support or secretarial roles and second guessed when taking charge and executing plans of action.

Describe your biggest engineering challenge.

My biggest hurdle involved coordinating multidisciplinary teams. In my role, it is always challenging managing a team because it requires some knowledge of each of the participant’s discipline. This knowledge is critical to be able to determine scope and deliverables for each role, to ensure the project is successful from concept to completion. In my current role as project lead for maximatecc, a global company specializing in operator information and control solutions for industrial vehicle manufacturers, in Juarez, Miriam, I’m proud to lead cross-functional teams to launch new products, implement engineering changes, develop projects for new customers and coordinate activities from kick off to launch. I know I have helped my team improve, using open communication and a very structured project planning process.