Spearheading Sustainability Solutions
Environment, Health, Safety, and Sustainability Analyst at Diageo
Abigail Gunderson says Illinois Tech helped her develop an innovation-focused mindset.
Abigail Gunderson (CHE ’22)As an environment, health, safety, and sustainability analyst at consumer product company Diageo, Abigail Gunderson (CHE ’22) works with distilling, maturing, packaging, and demand sites to develop plans for achieving company sustainability initiatives.
She says that maintaining clear and consistent communication with a variety of stakeholders is a key part of her job, a skill bolstered by her time at Illinois Tech.
“Illinois Tech really deepened my communication skills with all different kinds of people,” she says. “Not only different people in my major but the exposure to many different people on their own unique paths. This helps me in my role to listen to what people are saying and communicate most effectively.”
Gunderson analyzes data from Diageo’s operations across North America, providing data visualizations and looking for opportunities for improvement.
“Solving actual problems that a site is going through and seeing the results later on is really fulfilling,” she says. “I also like bringing new things to the table that I see as a solution to a problem some might not know yet. Showing the solution and their ‘you just saved me X hours’ is definitely a plus.”
Her degree in chemical engineering has provided the technical background to understand the process flow of the sites she’s working with, making her more effective at nailing down the root cause of issues that arise.
While at Illinois Tech, she participated in the RES-MATCH undergraduate research program, through which she learned general programming skills that she now uses on a regular basis.
“I also gained skills in working with a diverse team all working on completely different aspects of the project and how we all fit together,” she says. “Illinois Tech shaped me into a more well-rounded person who seeks out innovation, communicates effectively, and argues for what I deserve.”
While still early in her career, Gunderson has her sights on the future with an interest in continuing to explore different industry sectors and take on more responsibility.
“I see myself leading big innovative projects that bring new knowledge, products, or processes into existence. I also see myself as a people leader one day,” she says.