In this interview, the young mechatronics engineer and member of WIRAM UK shares her vision of work, her commitment to continuous learning, and her desire to contribute to creating a safer and more sustainable world for all.
Learning about new perspectives strengthens organizations and expands their ability to create flexible and innovative solutions. Within Asset Management, this flexibility and ability to incorporate new knowledge and technologies is what enriches the profession and promotes professional development. In this interview, we spoke with Cristina Peter, a young Digital Reliability Engineer who works for the John Crane organization and also volunteers for WIRAM UK Chapter.
At our recent WIRAM Global Summit in October, Cristina gave a presentation on the challenges faced by young professionals joining Asset Management. In this interview, she expands on some of these aspects, sharing an interesting perspective on how to enrich mentoring efforts, as well as pointing out the importance of always keeping an open mind and a learner’s attitude.
1. Tell us a little about your current job, your main responsibilities, and (if possible) the company you currently work for.
I work as a Digital Reliability Engineer at John Crane, a global leader in designing and manufacturing advanced flow control systems (mechanical seals, filtration systems, seal support technologies), power transmission technologies (couplings), and providing specialist performance services that maximize asset reliability and uptime. These services include asset condition management, reliability engineering for maintenance, retrofits and upgrades, maintenance and repairs, seal reliability management, and training for industries where equipment uptime is mission‑critical.
My role bridges mechanical engineering with the technological insights gathered via sensors. Industrial assets become stories told through data.
Day to day, I work with sensor networks that monitor temperature, vibration, acoustic emissions, and other signals that indicate the health of equipment. I then use software tools to analyse this data in more depth. The real challenge is translating the findings into meaningful actions that maintenance teams or decision‑makers can use. This involves working closely with our engineering team, reliability team, and customers to turn data into actionable improvements.
For me, the job is part detective work, part problem‑solver, and part communicator which makes every day a fascinating learning curve.
2. How did you get started in the asset management industry? Tell us a little about your beginnings in the industry.
My entry into the asset management world was more of a leap into unfamiliar territory. After graduating in Mechatronics, I joined John Crane as part of a career acceleration programme. The early phase of my work was heavily lab‑focused: testing materials, running simulations, and supporting R&D projects. It taught me to work methodically, to be patient, and it fuelled my passion for innovation.
The R&D exposure sparked my curiosity: how do the products we develop fit into the industries we work for? So, I stepped into the reliability realm by joining the Engineering for Maintenance team during my rotation. I was assigned to a customer‑facing project, where I shadowed and supported senior engineers in cleansing data, ensuring Safety Critical Equipment was assigned to the appropriate Performance Standard, and confirming that those standards were clear to any user reading them. This work revealed a detail‑oriented, standards‑focused mindset within me.
After gaining experience in these two areas of business, I wanted to reconnect with the core of my degree knowledge. The Digital team was a perfect fit, considering my overall experience through the rotations I completed over three years.
3. You studied Mechatronics, a degree that includes several engineering disciplines. What made you choose this profession?
Choosing mechatronics was my way of keeping doors open without limiting the horizon. After my initial setback in military medicine, I knew two things about myself: I wanted to help people, and I wanted to keep learning.
Mechatronics felt limitless, giving me the freedom to explore robotics, automation, programming, and design without having to decide too soon which single discipline defined me. I liked the idea that my career wouldn’t be a straight line; instead, it could curve, adapt, and respond to where technology was heading.
In retrospect, choosing mechatronics was also choosing resilience. In a world where industries and technologies change rapidly, being adaptable is the best survival skill.
4. What does your work at WIRAM UK mean to you, and what other alternatives can you think of to continue promoting and showcasing the role and participation of women in asset management?
My involvement with WIRAM UK is personal. I want to see more talented women professionals in asset management and have the chance to discuss and exchange ideas with them. Asset management is still a field where women are underrepresented, and being involved gives me the opportunity to connect with them and learn from their expertise.
I am also a young professional who wants to explore the reliability field in greater depth, network with others, and learn about the latest technologies and practices. In the future, I would like to contribute to STEM projects not only for women, but for any young professionals starting their careers.
To encourage this, I believe three approaches work best:
- Hear more women delivering technical talks, sharing their expertise, and excelling in technical discussions.
- Promote mentorship and reverse mentorship, connecting experienced professionals with younger ones, and using that exchange of knowledge to inspire participation in STEM.
- Engage girls in STEM early, before career decisions are made, showing that engineering and technical disciplines are both accessible and rewarding.
5. You played a prominent role in the recent WIRAM Global Summit, where you addressed a very interesting topic — young professionals entering a complex and changing industry. How did you overcome your initial challenges in the profession, being young and inexperienced? What were the main tools or strategies that helped you successfully navigate the profession?
At the beginning, the biggest challenge was the natural process of building credibility as someone new to any job. Like many young professionals in technical fields, I initially had to demonstrate my capability and build trust through experience.
To do that, I put genuine effort into learning, and I was not afraid of being wrong. When people see that you want to grasp the full picture with a genuine will to understand, they begin to trust you. I also focused on putting my best effort into every task I was given, whether simple or complex, which was fueled by passion for the work itself. Passion is important at every career stage, but when you align your work with what excites you, you naturally bring out your best performance. Over time, that commitment led to more challenging projects, which I approached with joy and curiosity. Accepting that you are a lifelong learner makes being wrong far less intimidating.
I think it’s important to acknowledge that while young professionals can pour their best efforts into their work, the environment matters. If you’re in the wrong setting, it can feel like pouring into an empty cup. My advice is to look for organizations that trust and invest in their young talent, as mine did. I joined a company that actively accelerated my career, built my technical skills, and encouraged me to network with engineers from different departments. That strong foundation was pivotal for my growth.
oneAnother key factor was adapting to the people I worked with. Our industry spans multiple generations, and tailoring communication styles fosters collaboration and innovation. For example, if I noticed someone preferred emails over instant messages, I would adapt accordingly.
One thing I never sacrificed was my excitement to learn. Even if I sometimes came across as overly enthusiastic, it was always genuine. I recognize that not everyone shows excitement in the same way, so this approach may not work for everyone.
Finally, being flexible and not reacting to difficult moments helps overcome the experience gap. Lacking experience simply means you have more to learn. That’s an asset, not a flaw. Keeping that mindset throughout your career, even after many years of experience, remains one of the best strategies in a fast-paced industry. And that applies to everyone.
