Why We’re Here Let me count the ways Boeing mathematician uses her aptitude for numbers to solve business challenges By Candace Heckman Sharon Arroyo is an Associate Technical Fellow with Boeing Research & Technology in Bellevue, Wash., and an expert in applied mathematics. In this Frontiers series that profiles employees discussing their jobs, Arroyo tells how she’s using her math expertise to help Boeing teams find solutions to their challenges. PhOTO: MARIAN lOCkhART/BOEING Imath, especially realizing what value those solutions can provide. a number of ways, including helping customers assess thewhat airplane type works best with an airline’s schedule tomaximize profits. The results of this collaboration are used in’ve always loved math and enjoyed what math can do. Today, Icontinue to relish solving technically challenging problems using I’m in the Operations Research Group, part of the larger Applied value of new airplanes. Mathematics Group at Boeing Research & Technology. My colleagues When I joined Boeing, I learned about the Technical Fellowship, and I specialize in applying operations research and optimization which gives technical people like me a technical career path algorithm technology to reduce Boeing costs and make the that’s an alternative to a management career path. I knew it was company more competitive in various areas. We work directly something for me. I have the opportunity to manage projects and with internal customers to develop tools that they use to analyze lead teams, while still focusing on technical details with minimal and improve their business. administrative overhead. I’ve been fortunate to have good support For example, I worked with the KC-46A Tanker team to develop from my managers, who have understood why it’s important to an algorithm to determine the number of airplanes needed to have technical leaders, such as Fellows, and how to use the execute a refueling schedule in support of our bid. I also am working special talents and capabilities we bring to the job. with Commercial Airplanes’ Supplier Management team to develop I feel fortunate to work on challenging technical problems that optimization algorithms that would improve our raw-material force me to continuously learn about the business and extend my contracts with mills. We are starting to explore extending this math skills. Not only is it exhilarating to work on these problems, but technology to reduce fastener costs for an airplane. it’s exciting to work for a company that is the leader in its industry I have also been fortunate to work with Commercial Airplanes and really knows how to multiply the power of mathematicians. n Marketing, where we have developed algorithms to determine candace.k.heckman@boeing.com BOEING FRONTIERS / OCTOBER 2012 9
Frontiers October 2012 Issue
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