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Rashmi Vadlakonda is a woman with a voice, and she鈥檚 not afraid to use it.

As a manufacturing engineer at Trane Technologies鈥攁 company focused on sustainable climate innovations鈥擵adlakonda is making advancements in engineering and paving the way for more women of color to join her. That鈥檚 why she was recently recognized by the Manufacturing Institute鈥檚 2023 Women MAKE Awards as an Emerging Leader.

The award: The Women MAKE Awards, formerly known as the STEP Ahead Awards, honor top female talent in the industry while providing honorees with a platform to inspire other future industry leaders. Vadlakonda sees the honor as an opportunity to keep speaking up for people who are underrepresented.

• 鈥淚 believe that for young women in manufacturing, especially for me as an immigrant young woman of color 鈥� a title helps,鈥� said Vadlakonda. 鈥淭his award gives me that title [and] the courage that I need to speak up and say, 鈥楬ey, I have something to share, and I want you to listen to me. There鈥檚 a reason I was recognized.鈥欌��

Starting out: Vadlakonda wasn鈥檛 immediately drawn to engineering, but when she was growing up in India, it was typical for young people to pursue engineering or medicine.

• Once she 鈥渇ell into it,鈥� she loved it, and took an especially strong interest in 3D printing while in graduate school at North Carolina State University. Her passion for 3D printing is what brought her to Trane Technologies.

Making the transition: When she first came to the company, she was responsible for operationalizing additive manufacturing throughout the company.

• She spent a few years in a corporate setting, traveling to different offices and introducing advanced manufacturing technologies鈥攂ut when the pandemic hit and travel was largely suspended, she had plenty of time to think about what she wanted to do next. That鈥檚 when she decided to pivot to working in a factory setting.

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