Name: Charlotte Juel Fristrup
Date of birth: 18th of May 1976
Title: Director Material Engineering
Company: Coloplast
Degree: MSc in Chemical Engineering and PhD in Polymer Chemistry
Fun fact: I met my husband at the first day at university and now we have been together for 25 years
What do you find most interesting about your career and your leadership position?
I enjoy the strategic part of the job and seeing the bigger picture. I am highly motivated by the possibility of creating an educational, inspiring and a good working environment with people which deliver great results and I also believe we deliver better results as team, and I like to ensure people are highly engaged in their job.
What has been crucial to get you to where you are today?
I chose to become an engineer even though it was not the most popular education and was seen as less prestigious. When various educations were presented at my upper secondary school, I remember that many students made fun of engineering, as it was seen as nerdy along with maths, physics, and chemistry. However, it has been important for me to follow my interests and my curiosity for science. During my education I have found out that my interest is particular within applied research and my PhD work was also in cooperation with a company.
Tell us about a female role model and the impact they had on you – either personally or professionally?
I do not have one specific female role model. To me the gender of the role model is not important. You need to have equal opportunities and for me it is important not to be chosen for a position because of my gender but because of my capabilities.
What advice would you give to young female students today?
Follow your dreams and interests – you can combine a career with having a family with kids.
Looking into the future, what role do you think STEM education will have?
We need to educate many within STEM to continue the development of solutions which have been established e.g., improvements of products on the market, healthcare treatments, supply of renewable energy etc. But also, to come up with new ground-breaking inventions to make sure that we have a sustainable place for future generations.