At Infinite Composites, we take pride in the talented folks who make our team. This week we're putting the spotlight on our Materials Engineer, Shamim Mondal.
Learn more about Shamim's love of photography and why he loves working at ICT. By the way, many of the tank & team photos are taking by Shamim!
Where are you originally from?
I'm originally from India. I was born in a small town named Krishnagar in the state of West Bengal. I grew up in Calcutta, which is the 7th largest city in India & the 16th largest city in the world.
I finished my Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering from West Bengal University of Technology in Indian, then moved to USA to pursue my dreams of higher education at Oklahoma State University-Stillwater. I finished my Master of Science in Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering from Oklahoma State University-Tulsa, and I began working with ICT as an intern for 5 months before being hired as a full-time employee.
What does a typical day at ICT look like for you?
As the Materials Enginner at ICT, my duties include analyzing materials & data, conducing tests, troubleshooting, monitoring performance, ensuring quality control and creating documentation. My specialization is in nanonmaterials and its applications in CFRP (carbon fiber reinforced polymer).
Based on design objectives (such as strength, weight, chemical compatibility, heat resistance, electrical conductivity, and cost), I review new product plans and make recommendations for material selection. Depending on the customer's requirements, I perform material characterization tests & analyze laboratory test results to determine the causes of their problems and develop applicable solutions.
Typically, my day starts by making coffee at the office for my coworkers & myself. I sit down at my desk, water my office plant, and drink my black coffee while checking & responding to emails from managers, coworkers, and external testing service providers (such as NASA-WSTF). I also answer questions from existing and prospective customers.
Throughout the day, I like having mini-meetings with my Engineering Manager. We discuss the state of current projects along with task completion statuses & goals for the coming days/weeks. I bring food from home most days, so I have my lunch at the office.
My afternoons are spent reading technical papers because it is really important to stay up to date with the latest advances in the materials science research field. Depending on timelines, I may write technical papers and/or proposals, or perform characterization tests on material samples.
In the last couple of months, I've been performing more managerial functions, such as interview candidates, leading two internal projects, supervising two TU (Tulsa University) interns, preparing proposals & budgets, analyzing labor costs, and writing reports.
I am really enjoying the added managerial responsibilities on top of my engineering role. I look forward to explore more of it!
Outside of ICT, how do you like spending your free time?
Photography is my main hobby. I love shooting and editing photos and videos with my Canon DSLR & iPhone. Nature photography is my favorite. I try to post regularly on my Instagram account (@sammyriding). My photos have been featured on TulsaPeople magazine, Canon USA and OSU-Tulsa social media accounts. I shot most of the ICT personnel headshots and group shots along with pictures of every pressure vessel that we manufacture.
I also make my own music using GarageBand on my iPad for my vlogs. I like to cook. I can cook different types of Indian and American dishes. I have started learning more about personal finance in my free time, and I'm slowly getting into stock market investing. I enjoy watching action, drama and sci-fi movies and tv shows. I love watching and playing sports. I am a big fan of American Football and Soccer. I have played in multiple intramural soccer tournaments while I was a graduate student at OSU-Tulsa.
Fun fact - recently I started getting more into plants. I have a few plants, including the famous snake plant, boston ferns, golden pothos, etc. and a few succulents at my place and the office. I love being surrounded by all that green, and not to mention all the beneficial effects of plants, including getting rid of toxins and providing fresh oxygen.
What is your favorite thing about working at ICT?
My favorite thing about working at ICT is its work culture. All ideas are welcome here, but are equally challenged, which ensures we have a very clear "why" behind everything we do.
The environment is ripe for pushing innovative ideas, challenging each other, and solving problems in creative ways.
I look forward to going to work every morning. It's not all work and no play. We have occasional potluck events and foosball tournaments at the office along with off-site events that include anything from bowling to escape rooms. All this helps in team building, and I've always felt a close kinship with everyone at work.
We have a tight knit community at ICT and credit goes to Matt and Michael for making me feel like I'm part of the family. I have never felt like an outsider even though I'm from a different country, and I am working here on a visa.
Matt and Michael have also been very supportive of my photography hobby, and they let me take pictures of every product we manufacture, manufacturing process videos along with the company personnel headshots.
It's a dream come true for me because I get to work on carbon fiber composite parts which are being used by NASA and others for space exploration and I am very very grateful to have a job in these terrible times when millions have lost theirs.
Thanks Shamim! By the way, we're always on the look out for talented new team members & interns. Head over to our Careers Page to learn more.
