UNH alumna Maria Virga '21 has carved a notable path throughout her educational and professional career. Now a process engineer at GreenSource Fabrication in Charlestown, NH, Maria reflects on her academic journey. Graduating in 2021 with a Mechanical Engineering degree, Maria worked overtime to immerse herself in the industry. At a young age, she enjoyed taking things apart and putting them back together. In middle and high school, she relished taking project-based STEM classes. While at UNH, Maria was an executive member and recruitment chair for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and hurdled for the UNH Track and Field team.
Maria's current employer is GreenSource Fabrication, a company that manufactures circuit boards in pursuit of minimal ecological impact. Maria is a process engineer in the lamination department. They adhere each layer of a circuit board (PCB) with heat and pressure using a substance called prepreg made of glass and resin. The materials in the PCB determine the recipe of the prepreg, which alters the temperature and pressure needed to laminate the multiple layers of the board together. For her part, Maria solves problems or "fights fires," as she describes it. Working closely with the equipment on the manufacturing floor, Maria ensures everything works together by solving issues that arise in the planning stages and during production.
Over the past year, Maria has led a GreenSource internship program at UNH's John Olson Advanced Manufacturing Center, qualifying a new kind of circuit board press called the InduBond X-Press. Maria and her student interns are testing the InduBond, which uses induction via a magnetic field versus traditional hot oil methods to laminate the PCB. The InduBond reduces the time, energy, and water needed in each lamination cycle, adhering to the company's sustainability mission. Additionally, the InduBond machine's ability to regulate temperature allows it to run intricate press cycles, which increases the types of materials GreenSource can use in the circuit boards, creating a more extensive catalog for its customers. Maria will continue to push the InduBond through its paces and create a process for production.
Maria is a prime example of the next generation of female engineers. She is forging an inspiring path for all women in STEM. Her passion for innovation and unwavering determination to overcome obstacles have propelled her to succeed. Sharing her story encourages younger girls to pursue engineering. Just three years out of college, Maria inspires others to achieve the unique blend of personal and professional skills that has led her here. She approaches each task with tenacity, consistently exceeding expectations and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
Written by Lauren Dupuis
