I was always intrigued by how things work. When my family immigrated to the United States, I was in high school, and mathematics and physical sciences were areas in which I could excel with my limited English proficiency, so engineering was a natural choice for college. After my first introductory physics course in electromagnetics, I knew a career in optics would be in my future.

As an undergraduate, I enjoyed the competitiveness of the engineering curriculum at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and was inspired — and challenged — by an undergraduate advisor who told me that very few people with my background made it through the program.

Over the span of my career, I’ve worked with a diverse team of photonic circuit designers, material scientists, and hardware engineers that brought transformative technologies to market. I’ve actively participated in all aspects of the project, leading from concept to manufacturing, and working closely with technical, business, and executive teams. Currently, I lead an advanced research team consisting of photonics, integration, and surface chemistry experts. We work with biochemists to develop next-generation chips and cell assemblies for single-molecule sequencing instrumentation.

I started my professional life as part of a team that introduced LEDs into every aspect of life, replacing incandescent light bulbs. We were responsible for making red and orange high-brightness LEDs manufacturable by developing and scaling a transparent-substrate based on a wafer-bonding process. This approach led to high-efficiency LEDs and paved the way for low-profile traffic signals as well as automotive and many other outdoor applications. The energy savings and lifetime increases are tremendous. I am proud of that achievement. I also take pride in having mentored my various team members and younger colleagues to be successful in their careers.

One challenge has been raising two children: creating a work-life balance while building a career can be challenging, and is even more difficult with children, requiring dedication, determination, and hard work. My husband understood and supported my career and professional aspirations.

I advise young women and girls to find their voice, the one that gives them the confidence to be comfortable to speak up and make space for themselves and others in meetings.

It is important to remember that as scientists, and especially women scientists, we stand on the shoulders of trailblazers. Paying it forward and mentoring or helping other women in the field is really important.

Gloria Hoefler
Vice President Engineering Research, Pacific Biosciences of California
Born in Guatemala / Resides in United States
Educational Background: BS, MS, and PhD in Electronics and Communication Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, United States