Claudia Prieto: Key to Success

Research Assistant / M.S. candidate, Institute for Corrosion and Multiphase Technology, Ohio University, USA

I am Claudia, a materials science engineer who is pursuing a Master’s degree in chemical engineering at Ohio University and working as a graduate research assistant in the Institute for Corrosion and Multiphase Technology. I am currently working on my thesis topic: mechanical characterization of corrosion product layers to assess their integrity in field conditions. This has applicability relating to localized corrosion as well as black powder formation.

Due to my background, I had the opportunity to work in an emerging materials science laboratory at Ohio University. I saw a gap in corrosion science that I was able to fill, working on the mechanical characterization and corrosion mechanisms of stainless steels manufactured via direct metal laser sintering (DMLS). This research work was conducted in parallel with my Master’s topic. I have to admit that the research has been challenging, but also fulfilling and rewarding. My work was recognized with the first prize in its category at the 2018 Graduate Student Expo at Ohio University. Also, I won the Mars Fontana Prize in Corrosion Engineering for the best graduate student poster at NACE CORROSION 2018. This led to me being invited to publish in CORROSION: “Investigation of Pitting Corrosion Initiation and Propagation of a Type 316L Stainless Steel Manufactured by the Direct Metal Laser Sintering Process.”

I strongly believe that the key to succeeding as a professional and as a person is to love what you do and believe in yourself, even if you feel that the world might be against you. You will never know what your next step would be, but as long as you work hard good things can come.

I really hope my story can help other women in engineering fields to start believing in themselves. I am proud to be a woman in corrosion engineering.