Editor’s Note: Welcome to this week’s edition of STEM Student of the Week. Once a week, ECN features a student working on a degree (of any level) in engineering as part of our STEM initiative. If you know a student who would like to be featured, email me at kasey.panetta@advantagemedia.com.
Meet Christina Muratore, Business Process Improvement Analyst II for Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey and a student at Binghamton’s Executive MS in Health Systems.
Kasey Panetta, Editor ECN: Hi Christina! Thanks for sharing your STEM story! What’s your main area of focus?
Christina Muratore: System Science and Industrial Engineering for Health Systems
ECN: So was engineering always a dream of yours?
Muratore: Actually, no. I was never really sure what I wanted to do, and it wasn’t until after I graduated college that I realized engineering was something I would love. I’m so glad that I was able to eventually find it, because now I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.
ECN: What made you pick this program?
Muratore: I was working for a large hospital in New York City, and knew that I wanted to continue working in healthcare. I was looking for a Masters program that would allow me to develop the skills necessary to aid in the effective delivery of healthcare. When I came across Binghamton’s Executive MS in Health Systems, I knew that it was the perfect program for my career. By focusing on minimizing process waste, we can achieve a higher quality of care and service, which was the exact impact I wanted my work to have on the healthcare industry.
ECN: How do you feel about the 50/50 breakdown of men to women in the Binghamton program?
Muratore: I think it’s great that our class has an equal representation of both men and women. Engineering is a traditionally male-dominated field, so it’s refreshing to see a cutting-edge program with such a diverse student population.
ECN: What was your first introduction into the world of engineering?
Muratore: Growing up, I had thought of engineering as building or making something. That sort of engineering wasn’t necessarily something I ever saw myself doing, so I never really sought to pursue it. Actually, it wasn’t until I was researching graduate degrees that I really understood the focus of industrial engineering and system science. I wish I had earlier exposure to industrial engineering, but I’m grateful that I was able to enter the world of systems eventually – better late than never!
ECN: What’s your dream job?
Muratore: To be a queen. Just kidding. (Editor’s Note: We don’t judge dreams here. Be an Queen Engineer.) I’m not sure if I ever had a “dream job” growing up, but something that I would aspire to now would be to one day run my own business, perhaps in healthcare process consulting. I’d love to be able to travel and manage my own company.
ECN: What would you say to someone in middle school considering a career in engineering?
Muratore: Ask ‘why’. Why are we using this material? Why isn’t the circuit working? Why are we doing things this way? Why hasn’t anyone thought of doing it differently? Asking ‘why’ is what opens up your mind to new ideas, and it’s how to think like an engineer.
ECN: What makes engineering a great career?
Muratore: Engineering is all about possibilities. You can build, fix, improve, and create. No matter what field you’re in, and no matter what project you’re working on, you are making positive changes to the way the world works.
ECN: Who do you look up to as a role model?
Muratore: I would have to say my parents. Career-wise, my parents have been instrumental in creating my interest in healthcare. Both of my parents work at hospitals- my father as a director, and my mother as a nurse. Through both of their experiences, I’ve gotten insight to both the clinical and non-clinical sides to healthcare, and understood some of the underlying problems in the delivery of care. They’ve helped create my passion for improving the delivery of care, and have supported me throughout my academic and professional pursuits.
ECN: Favorite thing about engineering?
Muratore: I love that everything I’m working on is an improvement to something. It makes me proud that my work is positively affecting others and making a difference. Also, since engineering is project-based, it means that I’m always working on something new, which keeps my work from getting boring!
ECN: Thanks for talking with us!
Muratore: Thank you for reaching out to me! It’s been a pleasure.
Did you miss last week’s STEM Student? Learn about Carter Yagemann! If you know a student who would like to be featured, email me at kasey.panetta@advantagemedia.com.
This blog was originally published : https://www.ecnmag.com/blogs/2014/11/stem-student-week-christina-muratore
