60 Seconds with Catherine Ninah - Student at the University of Central Florida

Modern: Catherine, you’ve received two scholarships from the Material Handling Education Foundation, or MHEFI. Before we get started, tell the readers about those awards.

Ninah: In 2015, I was awarded the Crane Manufacturers Association of America Honor Scholarship for $9,000, and this year, I was awarded the Automatic Guided Vehicle Systems Honor Scholarship for $2,000.

Modern: Many of our readers are interested in attracting more young engineers into the profession. How did you learn about the materials handling industry?

Ninah: From my father. He’s also an industrial engineer and works in the supply chain in manufacturing. When I was younger, he would take me to warehouses and distribution centers where he was working, and I was fascinated by all of the equipment. Once, he took me to the Scholastic Books warehouse, and I made the connection between what he did for a living and the books I was reading at home. During my sophomore year in college, I got to do supply chain and logistics research with Jennifer Pazour in healthcare and the Office of Naval Research. I came to understand how materials handling impacts almost every aspect of our lives.

Modern: What do you find interesting about the industry?

Ninah: I like the challenge of working with a system and making it more efficient. When I was doing Naval research with Dr. Pazour, we had to look at how to efficiently pack cargo on a shift because they have to pack for an entire year. It’s a moving DC, and they have to figure out how to optimize the storage and plan for the unexpected. That was very exciting to work on.

Modern: How have the MHEFI awards furthered your studies?

Ninah: The support from the scholarships has allowed me to focus on my studies without a lot of financial stress. I’m a provost scholar and I have a 3.96 GPA. But I’ve also been able to do more than academics to give back. I’m vice president of Engineers Without Borders on my campus. I’m also a member and a mentor for the Society of Women Engineers. And, I work with incoming freshmen in the Honors College. Being able to serve in leadership roles has been a plus.

Modern: As someone coming out of school, what do you think we can do to make more students aware of the materials handling industry?

Ninah: I think exposure is key. The supply chain is something that is part of our lives every day and most of us aren’t aware of it. It could be something as simple as TV commercials or documentaries, or getting industry representatives to visit high schools and middle schools. I think when students learn about the industry, they want to be part of it.