Melissa Smith

When an opportunity arose where I could enhance the technical direction and culture of my group and division, I took it. Hence, I am now an assistant group leader.

How has your career at the Laboratory evolved?

I started at the Laboratory in 2015 as technical staff in the Advanced Materials and Microsystems Group (formerly the Chemical, Microsystem, and Nanoscale Technology Group). In that time, my group leadership and division leadership were supportive and challenged me in ways that have allowed me to grow both as a scientist and a leader. I was pretty cozy as a member of the technical staff. In the big scheme of things, I want to be proactive in creating a fulfilling environment where I and others will want to spend a career working. So, when an opportunity arose where I could enhance the technical direction and culture of my group and division, I took it. Hence, I am now an assistant group leader in the Advanced Materials and Microsystems Group.

Were you always interested in a STEM career?

Since as long as forever, I have been interested in a STEM career. As a youth, this took the form of an obsession with LEGOs. In looking for a field of study, I found that I liked them all. So, I’ve landed in nanotechnology, which is multidisciplinary. Early aspirations were to become an inventor. I did so when I demonstrated high voltage organic thin film transistors on flexible substrates, in graduate school, therefore allowing me to graduate.

What has been a proud moment in your career?

My most rewarding moments involve contributing to the successes of those around me. It’s more fun when everyone does well. Whether it is helping an intern write their first journal paper or helping provide resources to seed new ideas in collaboration with other scientists, I feel most accomplished when everyone can be successful.

Are you involved in any employee resource groups?

As a part of LEAN (Lincoln Employees' African American Network), I was the recruiting chair from 2017 to 2019. This was about me being proactive in creating an environment that I would want to work in. What I enjoyed most was telling people about how awesome it is to work at Lincoln Laboratory.

What is a goal you’d like to accomplish?

The Laboratory maintains a timeline of all of the major technical accomplishments here since the beginning. I would like to be principal contributor to a technology that would someday be included on that timeline.