IMR Materials Testing Technical Blog

Molly Adams- IMR Ithaca

Materials testing frequently relies on mechanical engineering, not only to determine material properties, but also to help reveal failure mode causes. Today we feature Molly Adams, IMR Ithaca Mechanical Engineer l. A graduate of Binghamton University, she earned her BS in Mechanical Engineering. Starting her career at IMR in 2019, Molly is a valuable member of the mechanical testing team, working on many challenging testing projects for major manufacturers in the aerospace, transportation, and medical device industries.

What got you interested in an engineering career?

Molly has always been interested in math and sciences, but didn’t really consider engineering as a career until her sister decided to go into the field. “I was a single mom, and needed to figure out how to support my family, so engineering seemed to be a good choice, and I was pretty confident I could do well at it.” Being a visual learner, she decided to pursue mechanical engineering. “I like the instant feedback you frequently get from mechanical testing. Despite established testing standards, sometimes your intuition can help achieve the testing goals”.

What do you enjoy about working at IMR?

“There are different mechanical testing challenges with almost every testing job.”  Molly likes learning new things, and when a customer has issues with their candidate materials, she enjoys troubleshooting fatigue effects, failure mechanisms, and their causes, “…making sure they get what they need from the testing, analysis, and reporting”.

What advice would you share with someone thinking about a career in engineering?

Molly suggests doing research on different types of engineering fields, and not to be afraid to switch if you find a discipline that you’re more aligned with. She says, “In college, as well as the workplace, don’t be afraid to try new approaches. Have an open mind, and realize you can always learn something from your colleagues.”