Next‑Gen Materials | Sofia Izaguirre

Next‑Gen Materials | Sofia Izaguirre

Sofia is a biomedical engineer by trade who found her true calling at the intersection of material science and commercial strategy. Originally from San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Sofia’s journey led her to Houston, TX, where she earned her degree from the University of Houston and began her career at DexMat. Today, she bridges the gap between the production facility and the global market, executing commercial and go-to-market efforts. Sofia is a passionate advocate for showing that technical excellence and sales savvy aren't mutually exclusive—they are the duo that drives industrial innovation! She also shares her experiences as the only woman at the Dexmat production facility, bringing a powerful perspective on diversity and resilience in a startup environment.

NASA, Motherhood & Nonelinear Paths | Irene Chan

Irene Chan shares her journey from humble beginnings to becoming a NASA flight planning engineer. She discusses overcoming challenges, the importance of community support, curiosity, communication skills, and balancing motherhood with a demanding career.

Reliability & Storytelling | Maura Abad

Maura Abad was born in Cuba, grew up in Ecuador, and has lived in the United States for 14 years. She has a degree in Tourism and has developed a solid career in Asset Management. She is VP of Operations at ReliabilityWeb.com [http://ReliabilityWeb.com], Director of Global Communications at the Association of Asset Management Professionals (AMP), and founder of Women in Reliability and Asset Management (WIRAM), where she highlights the professional contributions of women. Maura hosts the Asset Management Visionaries podcast, has published the poetry collections “42 Poems, It's All About the Context” and “One Frame at a Time with Awareness,” and produced the short film Memento Vivere.

Rust to Resilience | Nafiseh Ebrahimi

Dr. Nafiseh Ebrahimi, an award winning Associate Research Officer at the National Research Council's Construction Research Centre, who is making significant strides in corrosion prevention for Canadian infrastructure. With a Ph.D. in corrosion science and degrees in Materials Engineering, Dr. Ebrahimi has served as a technical advisor on the Canada Impact Study, the first study that estimates costs of corrosion in Canada. Her work includes over 40 technical publications and two patented technologies. Dr. Ebrahimi has also played a key role in projects of national interest, such as the Champlain Bridge Coating Assessment. She is dedicated to mentorship and diversity, supporting the next generation of scientists and engineers while enhancing the safety and resilience of infrastructure in Canada.

Repurposing Pipelines | Akhil Reddy Chopra

Akhil Reddy Chopra is a Materials Engineering Master’s candidate at the University of British Columbia. His research is central to Canada’s energy transition, focusing on CO2 transportation for the decarburization industry. By analyzing complex corrosion mechanisms, including stress and hydrogen-enhanced corrosion, under simulated service conditions, Akhil hopes to carve a path in pipeline integrity. When he isn't in the lab, Akhil is an "engineering historian." He runs a vibrant Indic cultural platform: Chai Chats Project, using a materials lens to resurrect the forgotten brilliance of ancient Indian technology and indigenous arts, proving that true innovation is a timeless, global conversation.