Ep 352: Leading & Innovating Authentically in Engineering With Christine Kearney Hawkins of BD

·28 min·2 clips

A business leader told Christine she was 'so smart' but needed to 'act like it' after she gave an excited presentation.

The episode begins with host Sam East introducing the topic of authentic leadership in engineering. Guest Christine Kearney Hawkins, a senior staff R&D engineer at BD and SWE Life member, shares her background in bioengineering and over 20 years in medical device R&D. She defines authenticity as acting in ways that reflect one's values without hiding core parts of oneself. Christine recounts two pivotal experiences from her career: first, a mentor told her she couldn't be both an amazing engineer and a mother, which led her to hide her desire for children early on. Second, after an excited presentation to surgeons, a business leader advised her to 'act smarter,' making her question her enthusiastic personality. She explains how these perceived weaknesses became strengths, helping her build relationships and succeed. The conversation shifts to innovation, where Christine argues that diverse, authentic perspectives are essential, using examples like crash test dummies designed for average men and soap dispensers that failed to detect darker skin tones. She mentions an upcoming blog on becoming an innovator, focusing on confidence, communication, and understanding stakeholders. Christine then provides advice for engineers feeling pressure to change, suggesting they view feedback as a gift to accept or discard, assess whether criticism targets core identity or skill-building, and consider changing environments if needed. She shares a personal story of leaving a team where her values didn't align. Finally, she outlines four ways leaders can create authentic cultures: modeling behavior, creating safe spaces, actively seeking diverse viewpoints, and soliciting feedback. The episode concludes with Sam emphasizing the mantra 'two things can be true' and promoting BD's career opportunities.

As heard by us

Christine Hawkins turns authentic leadership into a practical case for stronger engineering innovation.

Christine Carney Hawkins makes authentic leadership read as a working method rather than a slogan. As a senior staff R&D engineer in the Peripheral Intervention Business Unit at BD and a SWE Life member, she returns to the tension between stereotypes and success, and her idea…

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Why you'd press play

If you are being pushed into a stereotype, this episode says two things can be true, and that can be your strength in engineering.

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