Driving innovation in engineering and diversity in the workplace
Driving innovation in engineering and diversity in the workplace
Starting her career in sustainable energy, Alaina felt that the next natural step was sustainable transportation. Now, as an Engineering Domain Manager, she and her team enable trains to run safely and automatically. All of this while she leads the Alstom Women of Excellence chapter in Pittsburgh.
Alaina joined Alstom's Software Application Team in 2017. By March 2018, she became Lead Software Application Engineer for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT Project in Toronto. In June 2021, she served as Technical Lead and was appointed Group Manager in March 2022.
Additionally, Alaina founded the Alstom Women of Excellence Pittsburgh Chapter in August 2021.
Connect with Alaina on LinkedIn
What’s your job and main responsibilities?
I manage, schedule, and estimate projects & bids for the Urbalis Flo Application Team. The Communication-Based Train Control (CBTC) Signaling System X Product Urbalis Flo, requires the Site Configuration Subsystem/Application Engineering, commonly known as Map, which is a set of binary files generated from a database that represent the physical and virtual configuration of the signaling system. The Map contributes to the functionality of the Urbalis Flo Solution so that the requirements of a given project are fulfilled and aids in configuring the signaling rules. The specific data in the Site Configuration includes civil information, speed limitations, switch, gate and signal positions, station stop information, emergency walkway locations, and more. My team supports projects all over the world, designing and updating Maps to help make trains safe and automatic.
Why did you apply to Alstom?
After 6 years in the nuclear industry, I pivoted to sustainable transportation and joined Alstom. Shifting from sustainable energy to sustainable transportation felt like a natural step.
Why is your job important for the business and our customers?
My team contributes to important projects, aiding in automatic operation and product standardization. Map is the unsung hero of Urbalis Flo. The Map is like the library of knowledge that all other subsystems need and use to perform their tasks. Without it, none of the other subsystems will function properly. We exist so subsystems do not have to hard code project-specific data. Our existence allows the subsystems that make up Urbalis Flo to be productized; we do the project-specific data heavy-lifting. The Map Team coordinates, manages, and integrates key data across wayside and onboard subsystems to ensure effective, safe, and reliable operations.
In November 2017, I accepted a position on the Software Application Team. In March 2018, I became the lead Software Application Engineer for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT (Light-rail transit) Project in Toronto, Canada. This was a brand-new project, and I created the CBTC site configuration database and track schematic from the ground up. In June 2021, I acted as Technical Lead for our team and officially became the Group Manager in March 2022. I also founded the Alstom Women of Excellence Pittsburgh Chapter in August 2021 which has been amazing for our site’s engagement and morale.
Why is it important to have ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) like AWE at Alstom?
Taking a leap of faith and successfully launching the AWE Pittsburgh Chapter is one of the best professional decisions I have ever made. AWE reinvigorated me to take pride in my company and propel my career forward. I boosted Pittsburgh from not having a local AWE Chapter to having one of the biggest and most active. From the beginning, AWE made me feel like I was part of a community and truly belonged. That means a lot for a woman in a male-dominated workforce which can be isolating. My number of connections and work friends increased exponentially and so did my confidence. You cannot perform your best unless you can bring your whole self to work, and AWE helps me embrace my whole self. Being in AWE and taking the AWE Unconscious Bias Training and Emotional Intelligence Training makes me more cognizant of my own personal words and behaviors as well as holding others accountable, ensuring fellow coworkers are respected and keeping the workplace culture positive and safe. AWE and ERGs drive diversity, and diversity drives innovation.
I am dedicated to fostering an inclusive and equitable engineering community, where diversity is celebrated, and authenticity is valued. I'm committed to breaking down the barriers that make the field polarizing for women, creating a space where everyone can thrive as their true selves.
Of all the projects you’ve worked on, what has been your favourite?
Does creating an Alstom Women of Excellence Chapter count? If not, Eglinton Crosstown LRT.