CGIS is celebrating Engineers Week (Feb 18-24, 2018) by shining a light on one of their Senior Applications Engineers! Empowering Valves had the chance to chat with Farnaz Adli, P.Eng., and this is what she had to share:
Q. How did you decide to become an engineer? What inspired you?
Farnaz: Personally, I am left-brain dominant. I was always good at math and analysis, and I’m always curious to see how things work. I didn’t want to solve math problems only, but also wanted to apply it in real life, build things, or see a more tangible result at the end. Engineering is the application of science, and that was the main reason I became an engineer.
I also knew that I would have many career opportunities available once I graduated. I went to engineering school in my home town of Tehran, in Iran. After migrating to Canada, my engineering background and education enabled me to obtain a job within a couple of months. So with an engineering background, the opportunities are countless and borderless.
Q. What do you love most about being an engineer?
Farnaz: What I like most about engineering, and particularly my job, is the fact that I can apply theories and science to solve a real problem and come up with the most economical and viable solution. That’s the interesting thing about engineering – it’s not just about finding a solution, it’s about finding the optimum solution! You must consider so many factors, such as safety, cost, time, etc. That’s why it is a challenging but very satisfying career for creative people.
As an Application Engineer at CGIS, I size and select control valves for severe service applications specifically for the oil and gas industry. I work with Canada’s largest oil producers, with their process and instrument engineers to identify issues with the valves and control systems, and I recommend new technologies to fix the problems. There is always something new for me to learn, and that’s what I love about my job.
Q. What advice would you give to the next generation of engineers?
Farnaz: Once you decide to become an engineer, it could be a challenging journey at school or even after graduation. It’s a huge responsibility. Once you become an engineer, you will take an oath to keep public interest first. There are many opportunities in the market, and if you would like to contribute to Canada’s economic prosperity, it is a very rewarding career path.
Always know your limits. If you are not sure about something, ask questions. If you become an engineer, it doesn’t mean that you should know everything, but have the confidence to questions. Be curious and invest in life-long learning to make the best judgments based on your knowledge, education, and experience.
On behalf of the entire Empowering Valves’ team, THANK YOU for your contributions to the Pump Industry! We look forward to keeping in touch with you over the course of your career!
