{"id":12474,"date":"2022-06-28T14:28:54","date_gmt":"2022-06-28T19:28:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/?p=12474"},"modified":"2026-04-07T20:10:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T01:10:24","slug":"alumni-spotlight-heather-abbott-davis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/uwm.edu\/engineering\/alumni-spotlight-heather-abbott-davis\/","title":{"rendered":"Alumni Spotlight: Heather Abbott-Davis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tell us about yourself.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I am a Racine, WI native, married to my wife for three years and we have three dogs and two cats plus the occasional foster dog(s). I completed my BS in IME in 2016 and my MS in Engineering in 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since graduating with my BS, I have held several roles: process coordinator, industrial engineer, and manufacturing engineer. My current role is engineer analyst at SC Johnson, where I work in the Lean Department. Outside of work I really enjoy being in nature and working with Furever Friends Sanctuary to help rescue dogs from all over the U.S., including Puerto Rico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What drew you to choose 51ÁÔÆæ?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

51ÁÔÆæ\u2019s location and reputation were big factors in my choice. I was a non-traditional student who already had some tech college experience and a life established in Racine. I had always heard good things about the university\u2019s engineering programs and knew that companies valued the skills that students took away from 51ÁÔÆæ. It ended up being a no-brainer and my only choice after moving on from a tech college.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How beneficial was your decision to pursue the accelerated Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering BS\/MS program?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honestly, I had no intention of getting a master\u2019s degree of any kind. But as I started to get further into my BS, and I learned about the accelerated program, it was an opportunity I could not pass up. Not only are there monetary incentives for postgrad work, having a MS has opened up several opportunities that I would not have had otherwise. It will continue to be beneficial as I work through higher positions in my career.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Which courses\/aspects of your IME education have been most beneficial in your career?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was extremely beneficial to graduate having AutoCad experience (from IME 112) and standard wok knowledge (from IME 470). My first role was a typical IE position where I was doing standard work and plant layouts utilizing AutoCAD frequently. As I started to grow in my career and take on more responsibilities, utilizing the undergraduate- and graduate-level ergonomic courses helped me grow in a new area at work, an area in which the company had been lacking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highlight some of your involvement at 51ÁÔÆæ.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the last year and a half of my undergrad work, I was working in the battery lab under Dr. Qu. I was able to make so many connections and meet others outside of IME, which helped me shape how I think about things. Obviously, I learned a lot about batteries but I was also able to grow the professional skills required to work in a research lab. Those skills transferred to the real world and navigating the “real job” world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Highlight an accomplishment in your career so far.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

My highest accomplishment so far is successfully transitioning into very different roles. There is so much you can do with an engineering degree, and I struggled to find my work passion. One of my goals after graduating was to be open and willing to try new things, which is something I usually try to avoid. I still consider myself a young engineer but trying out new roles tin order to learn different skill sets has helped me refine what I want to do in engineering and what I absolutely do not want to do. It was very scary trying new jobs that were different from previous roles, but it has set me up in a good position to work in an area I love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What motivates you to continue to collaborate with the 51ÁÔÆæ IME department?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I enjoyed working with everyone in the IME department during my time as a student and I did not want to lose those relationships after graduation. I also enjoy helping students and mentoring them. Collaborating with the 51ÁÔÆæ IME Department is a way for me to help students and give back to a place I hold close to my heart. My time at 51ÁÔÆæ not only grew me as an individual ready to work in the engineering world, it helped me grow as a person\u2014to find myself and the things that are important to me on a personal level.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tell us about yourself. I am a Racine, WI native, married to my wife for three years and we have three dogs and two cats plus the occasional foster dog(s). 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