Daniela Mondelli, PhD, who works at AR Metallizing in Italy, tells us about what she loves about her work in science and the projects she enjoys best:

I love that the learning curve that never stops in applied science. I am not very fond of theoretical science, with many equations and tests. Even though I know this part of the science is needed, I prefer applying science to everyday life and work, and this is what happens in R&D in a private company. I love to work in a global company and global group, because diversities make me richer.

I love to be part of an R&D team, because people are always seeing us as ‘dreamers’, which allows me to play a little bit the role of the ‘naïf’ or the less sophisticated of the group, since ‘science’ comes always first. Moreover, I love to be part of the R&D team which creates new dreams and I love to see how the other departments (operations, sales and finance) are making them become true.

Being the R&D Director because I like to see worldwide projects growing day by day. The challenges are big: dreaming is beautiful but working in R&D requires work to make them become true, like understanding new things, solving new problems that nobody else has sometimes faced before.

The new project to create a paper with barrier to vapour is the most interesting to me. This project is opening us the doors of a new applications and new markets in which AR Metallizing R&D group is learning many new technical aspects to be taken into account: the flexibility of the base paper to be selected, new coatings, how to design the paper to successful run into packaging machines, the way the vapour is passing through the different layers of the paper and the layers impact on the final performances. We are dealing with new customers and new converters, all is new and exciting.  Moreover we are well aware that R&D is involved only in a small part of this work: operations need to align and find their way to produce these new products, quality will have to build competences in the new tests methods and standards, sales and finance will need to fine tune the margins depending on waste and claims. Overall is a global big exciting project.

Here, Séverine Schott tells us about her experiences:

While we work together as a team within the R&D department, we also focus on working seamlessly with our colleagues across all disciplines. This means we’re in contact with Sales, Marketing, Operations, Finance, Logistics, Suppliers, Customers, Lawyers in our daily life.

We are successful as a group of people. I love working with people of different background as it makes me a better person every day but I can also benefit from their knowhow and skills. I am happy if I can end my day saying “today I will go to sleep a little bit less silly”.

And finally, Roghi Kalan, PhD, of AR Metallizing in Franklin, gives us her insights:

Working as a scientist and researcher has its own challenges but that of course makes it exciting. Anytime I approach to a new project or want to solve some issues about an ongoing project I feel I am working on very interesting puzzle. I experience the success anytime I solve a corner of this puzzle which fills my gas tank for the next step. Science is my passion and I am glad my career lines up with my passion.

The most interesting project we are working on it, is the paper-based food packaging project, I love working on this project because it is really challenging, I think each challenge turns to an opportunity. We are seeing very promising results and personally, it feels like I am doing my roll for this globally important and hot green movement.

Working with intelligent scientists and engineers in our R&D team is like you have a walking library around you, you get all support you need. In our meetings, either in person or video calls, we do brain storming, share our idea and discuss our results to move ARM R&D projects forward. ARM R&D group is a friendly group and our meeting is always fun at the same time productive and inspiring.