Irene Yurovska didn't enter the rubber industry by choice, but her love of what she calls the "most exciting polymer" has kept her in the industry for more than a half-century.
Her rubber industry career started when she was 17, and living in the former Soviet Union. The path was chosen for her "as a result of antisemitism and gender discrimination" in the USSR.
But whether her choice or not, Yurovska said she had excellent teachers and mentors, completed her doctorate in physics and mechanics of polymers and "fell in love with elastomers."
Following graduation, she worked as a researcher for the Soviet Institute of Elastomer Technology and for the Institute of Soviet Aircraft Standards.
Yurovska then moved with her family to the U.S. in 1991, serving as a visiting scientist at Rutgers University in 1991. That was followed by a stint as a rubber chemist at Teknor Apex from 1992-2002, and time as compounding manager at Precix.
She then moved to Cabot Corp. in 2003, where she worked for 14 years, holding the positions of a technical service professional, scientist and application development manager—all related to application of fillers in rubbers.
After leaving Cabot, Yurovska was employed by Addivant (now SI Group) as a global innovation market development manager. In 2018, she started her consulting business, YIGlobal, and separately just finished a five-year contract as a vice president of Himadri Specialty Corp., a carbon black producer based in India.
During her career, Yurovska has had to deal with discrimination against females in the male-dominated rubber industry, but not always in a manner that many envision.
"Back in Moscow, my beloved female boss Maya Bukhina used to say that International Women's Day (March 8) is for women to remind them that they are people too," she said. "This is a male-dominated world, and women share it."
Never one to be shy to share her opinion, Yurovska said sometimes you have to go against instinct in dealing with such situations.
"First, you want to rebel against any discrimination (gender or racial), but at some point you realize that to survive and enjoy, you have to take the world as given, and to make people need you, respect you and value you as a professional," she told Rubber News. "Those who are born/raised/educated to discriminate are not repairable, but they still need good professional services."
Yurovska had several mentors who have aided her throughout her career. Bukhina, a well-known polymer physicist, served as a motherly figure for Yurovska, whose own mother died when she was 18.
Another was her Ph.D supervisor, who was head of colloidal chemistry at the university, and he inspired her to study rubber.
"Under his leadership, there was never any gender discrimination and/or antisemitism, which was unusual in the USSR," she said.
Later, in the U.S., she enjoyed working with Yakov Kutsovsky and then Mary Porter, at Cabot, who taught her about patents (of which Yurovska boasts more than 50).
Yurovska does have advice for females who are near the start of their career in the rubber industry and considering whether to stay in it for the long haul. "Do not take the decision lightly. Rubber is sticky, and once entering the field, you will stick here for a long time," she said.
In fact, she has traveled around the globe—to such places as Russia, China, Taiwan, Guatemala, Israel, India, Germany, the Netherlands, Australia and Czechia, among others—to educate rubber chemists, many of them female.
"She also went to these countries to promote peace and the rubber that binds all nations together in peaceful coexistence," said Chidi Soroibe, an R&D expert in the chemical industry, who nominated Yurovska to be a Women Breaking the Mold honoree.
Yurovska gives many reasons why choosing a path in rubber can pay off.
"I love elastomers. They are the most exciting type of polymers," Yurovska said. "Rubber is known for centuries, and we still research it, making meaningful discoveries.
"Despite higher costs, due to the unique properties, elastomers cannot be replaced by thermoplastic elastomers and/or other polymers in the most important applications. Therefore, the rubber industry is here for a long haul."
As for ideas on how to recruit more females into STEM careers—such as those in tire and rubber—the industry veteran said that the attitude of gender equality is developed in families and during early education years.
"It is a cultural issue, and should be approached as such," Yurovska said. "Females who feel equal will choose STEM or any other careers at the same rates as males do. To encourage equal progress, females should not be obstructed by managers and male co-workers."
Her leadership philosophy is simple and straight-forward: "Be fair, respectful and reliable. Fight for your priorities and disregard minor problems."
And despite the fact she didn't willingly choose her life's path in rubber, she can look inside herself and like what she sees.
"At some point in my life, I realized that I am stronger than perceived," Yurovska said, "and that I can apply my strength to my work, making my personal life more meaningful."
Years with company: 6
Years in rubber industry: 50-plus