Chemical Engineer Helps Intel Go Greener

Meet Trini Decker, a supply chain regulatory program manager who earned her M.S. in Chemical Engineering at Villanova University. She is currently working in Global Supply Management on the Supply Chain Sustainability Team in Chandler, Arizona.

Trini, tell us about your job here at Intel.

In 2012, Intel publicly announced our 2020 Environmental Goals. As part of the Green Program, Intel established an objective to implement an enhanced green chemistry screening and selection process for 100% of new chemicals and gases. We plan to empower our supply chain to make more benign ingredient choices by making comprehensive health hazard data easily accessible. It’s pretty exciting!

My colleague and I own the entire program. We’ve been able to set the strategy and processes, work with our suppliers to test and implement the plan, and create the roadmap in order to achieve our 2020 goal. By identifying and driving to reduce hazardous chemicals from our supply chain we are having a positive impact on our workers, our community, and our environment as a whole, which makes working on this program very rewarding.

Wow! That’s a mission critical role. What was your first role here at Intel?

In my first role, I was hired on as a gas systems engineer. I worked very closely with the factories in Ocotillo to provide them with high purity gases used in the manufacturing process.  I ensured quality, reliability, and was responsible for maintenance of all the gas delivery systems. It was a very interesting job, quite technical and related to my prior experience at an industrial gas company. I didn't work inside the clean room, but I collaborated closely with the factory engineers.

So, moving up the career ladder was part of the experience.  Do you have any tips to share?

The most important thing is to be open and direct. You have to do what you say you're going to do and deliver on your expectations, always, especially as a woman of color. It is okay to ask for help or admit you don’t know something as long as you follow up. I think that in the Latino/a culture, we don't always do a good job of voicing expectations for our team and our manager or talk openly about accomplishments because it can be perceived as bragging.

Have you gotten involved with any groups or volunteer efforts in Arizona?  What is that like?

I am the co-president of the Intel Latino Network (ILN) here in Arizona, and I have held various leadership positions on the board for about 4 years. It's been super rewarding. It's a really good way to get to know other Latinos at Intel, and not just grow my network, but work with them and help them progress in their careers.

What is the best advice you have for blending family/work/life?

You have to set your priorities and make choices every day. I am lucky that my job gives me the flexibility to make those choices. For example, if I have an evening meeting with Asia, I can usually leave work earlier and get things done at home before the meeting, or I might start my next day a little later.

Thanks Trini. That is a great perspective! Can you share more about what a day in the life of a chemical engineer is like?

A day in the life

7:00 am	This is where my day begins. Getting out of bed is a struggle since I am not a morning person and especially as my bump continues to grow. I usually eat breakfast at home, check my agenda for the day and head to work.
8:30 am	I badge in at the office, stop by my desk to drop things off and go straight to the cafeteria to get my daily green tea and some fresh fruit, which is an Intel perk for employees.
8:45 am	I get to my cube, review my daily to-do list, and run through my unread emails.
10:00 am	I meet with my team to discuss an upcoming supplier visit in California where we will evaluate their adherence to the Electronic Industry Citizenship Coalition® (EICC®) code in the areas of ethics, labor and environmental health and safety.
11:00 am	I work on supplier communications and content. This time it’s focused on combatting forced and bonded labor. Our goal is to ensure workers are free to choose their employment and are not charged fees in order to secure a job.
12:00 pm	I meet my husband (also an Intel employee) for lunch at the cafeteria and we chat about our day and dinner plans. It’s nice to be able to share our successes and challenges with each other.
2:15 pm	Urgent email comes in from the Environmental Health and Safety and Research & Development departments. A new chemical is being transferred to our Vietnam and Malaysia facilities and must be evaluated for local regulatory compliance. This becomes my priority for the afternoon.
4:00 pm	I get home and I’m greeted by my excited bulldog. I spend time with her and do some cleanup before my meeting with Japanese suppliers.
5:00 pm	I deliver a webinar to Japanese chemical suppliers on Intel’s Green Chemistry Program. We run through our proposed screening process and gather feedback from them.