Cara Adams – Race Tire Development Engineer
Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire
By Vivien Luk
"Follow your heart, don't let anyone tell you that you can't do something," said Cara Adams, and following her heart is exactly what she did. This is a story about Cara Adams, Race Tire Development Engineer at Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire (BFNT).
Like many teenagers, Cara had no idea what her future career would be. When she went to the University of Akron, she studied everything from engineering to psychology to help her discover her passion. Her grandfather was an engineer with NASA, so she thought, "being an engineer would be neat."
While in college, a friend talked Cara into joining a campus organization supported by the Society of Automotive Engineers. This organization taught Cara to design open-wheeled Indy-style cars, similar to cars that are raced in the Indianapolis 500, but on a smaller scale. The activities provided by this group helped Cara develop her interests in the automotive industry and in high performance vehicles. As a result, Cara wisely tailored her study to vehicle engineering. About a year after graduation, she landed her first position at BFNT.
As an Engineer of Tire/Vehicle Dynamics, Cara's responsibilities ranged from studying tires and suspension systems, to examining the steering systems of new vehicles. Cara also helped determine what tires should be mass produced for new vehicles by test driving them on BFNT's tracks. It took Cara about a year to feel comfortable with her judgments, and about two years to be proficient at her job.
In the fall of 2007, Cara transitioned into a new position at BFNT as Race Tire Development Engineer. She now designs road course, street course and rain tires for the Indy Racing League. In this position, Cara has the opportunity to travel to Indy Racing League races where she monitors the performance of the Firestone Firehawk racing tires.
Cara's passion for her job is obvious from her enthusiasm and knowledge of the automotive industry. As an expert in her field, she enjoys helping others understand how high performance vehicles function. Additionally, she enjoys figuring out the workings of a car. She has done complete engine builds, brake and exhaust work on her own cars – all while having fun!
At BFNT, Cara works alongside other female engineers, in what is usually a male dominated industry. She has noticed a difference between working with males and females. "The biggest challenge for us is communication styles," said Cara. "Females tend to communicate differently than males. I think it's important for females first to understand how to accept constructive criticism, and then to express their point of view with certainty. There's a big difference when we express our point of view by saying 'I think' versus 'I know.'"
Cara recognizes how fortunate she was to have joined a campus organization that spurred her passion for high performance vehicles. For young girls who are interested in the vehicle engineering field, Cara suggests finding a mentor who has experience in the automotive industry and can provide career guidance. Cara currently serves as a mentor, and is working on a program that brings engineers into local high schools to talk about engineering as a possible career choice.
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