Sainiwetha Saikrishnan, Tyromer Inc. | Women Breaking the Mold 2024

Sainiwetha Saikrishnan understands that the opportunity she has to build her career as a senior research engineer at Tyromer is unique. Working at a small company among a group of highly educated and experienced professionals, Saikrishnan has quickly learned that success in the industry is about more than research and development, but learning the intricacies of how the research being done positively affects businesses and their processes.

Essentially Saikrishnan is helping to set and standard of excellence while leading technical trials at Tyromer's extruder manufacturer's lab and leading other technical work that includes work with preparing thermoplastic elastomers from devulcanized rubber. She even presented on that very topic recently at the Canadian Chemical Engineering Conference.

Regardless of whatever Saikrishnan is working on, she wants to contribute in a positive way to her employer and her industry every day.

"I'm always asking myself what can I learn from this experience to make me a better (professional)," said Saikrishnan. "Every day is different and provides a new opportunity."

Tyromer is a rubber recycling and devulcanization company that seeks to develop new technologies and environmentally friendly practices to give scrap tires and old rubber a new life. Saikrishnan values that mission and has wanted to use her talents to support sustainability best practices.

Saikrishnan's research and overall body of work at Tyromer helps to find ways to reuse old rubber and plastics to limit the need for landfill use that harms the environment. She is part of a small, yet close-knit team at Tyromer that hopes to limit consumer waste.

"I like the ability to work internally and work with customers to find (innovative) solutions that support sustainability," said Saikrishnan, adding that it is a fast-growing industry that will continue to grow with new client demand. "We try to find new applications for use and explore ways for the use of thermoplastic elastomers in a positive way for the environment."

At Tyromer, Saikrishnan has been part of a team that is working to blend devulcanized rubber, mix it with polymers and optimize it for reuse.

"We've seen the benefits and will continue to find new ones," Saikrishnan said. "We want to be able to recycle 100 percent of any (plastic material) we can."

Saikrishnan is following in the footsteps of her supervisor and Tyromer's Technical Vice President Ankita Saikia, who was recognized as part of RubberNews' inaugural Women Breaking the Mold class last year. Both are leaders in the field and will continue to expand their expertise in an industry that typically has been dominated by men. While that is slowly changing, much more needs to be done according to Saikrishnan.

"Women are slowly being recognized (in the rubber and plastics industry) and being hired at higher level positions," Saikrishnan said. She believes the ratio of men to women in the industry still must vastly improve with more education and opportunities should be made available to young women in the STEM space.

"You still see that, whether in the (research) lab or the manufacturing plant, and more progress is needed," Saikrishnan said. "It is getting better. More women are interested."

Saikrishnan already is involved in setting up ISO standards and handling other roles at Tyromer that might not be possible at larger companies with professionals working in highly specialized roles. She expects to be more involved in supporting the use of quality systems and processes in the coming months and will keep an open mind as her role evolves.

Recognizing the importance of continuing education, Saikrishnan is continuing her research on devulcanized rubber and plastics. Given her expertise and expanding role, she will be developing new products for Tyromer in the months and years ahead and will continue to lead many of the company's testing and trials.

"I just love our ability to collaborate and work together to find (sustainable) solutions," Saikrishnan said.

Years with company: 3.5

Years in rubber industry: 3.5

I have always been fascinated with polymers in general since my childhood. The variety of products and extent of commercial consumer usage and advancement in the industry including adapting sustainable solutions consistently inspired me. As an undergraduate, I was certain that I wanted to explore the polymers field. I started to pursue my graduate degree with research in recycling polyolefins and during this time I was introduced to people at Tyromer who are working on a unique solution for rubber waste. I became interested and started to understand the versatility of rubber and usage in everyday products and critical industries.

After getting my master's degree, I jumped upon the chance to work Tyromer, given they have a passionate team of professionals who thrive on delivering a sustainable solution for the rubber waste.

The most rewarding experience I have had working in this industry is that I am part of a niche team and market, providing an environmentally friendly way to utilize the rubber waste. The fact that I'm a contributing member of such a team is something I value close to my heart.

Tyromer is a small company with a close-knit team. Taking on additional responsibilities and brainstorming ideas with the team for cross-functional collaboration challenges both myself and the co-workers everyday

Leadership to me is about creating an environment where team members feel empowered and valued. It begins with giving space for each team member's voice to be heard and acknowledging their contributions. Encouragement and motivation are key aspects of my leadership approach. I recognize that everyone starts somewhere on their journey to success. Therefore, I strive to inspire and support team members, helping them realize their potential and achieve their goals.

I usually watch a lot of documentaries based on world history, planet Earth and true crime. I would definitely recommend everyone to watch or at least listen to the podcast of "David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet".

This particular series captures stunning visuals of the beauty and diversity of Earth's landscape and wildlife. Narrated by David Attenborough, it not only showcases the ecological complexity of various species but also the urgent need for environmental conservation. It delivers a crucial message, urging viewers to take action to protect our precious natural resources and our beloved planet Earth, the only place where life thrives.

One of the most significant failures I experienced was during an R&D project focused on devulcanizing a new kind of rubber material. Despite multiple attempts and iterations, the material consistently failed to meet the required standards set by the customer. Ultimately, this experience taught me that setbacks are part of the journey, and I should embrace it as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Usually after work hours, I spend time watching documentaries and reading books. Apart from reading journals and rubber magazines for work, I like to read fiction as it offers an escape into a different world. I have always found immense joy in reading fiction both fantasy and thriller genre books.

One of my earliest books includes the Harry Potter series and Agatha Christie novels. From the moment I opened "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," I was spellbound by the magical world of Hogwarts, which drew me into a universe where friendship, bravery and the battle between good and evil played out in the most imaginative ways. Currently, I am reading "The Empyrean Series" by Rebecca Yarros and eagerly waiting for the next book.

Success, for me, means feeling fulfilled and satisfied with the progress I've made toward my professional and personal goals. It involves learning and growth, overcoming challenges, and celebrating achievements. It means finding happiness in simple moments and being excited for the next challenge.