Bhupesh Chohan (he/him)

The company I work for helps other companies reduce their safety, health, and environmental risks.  We do this by providing testing and inspection services. For example, we test samples to make sure a company’s actions are not harming the environment or causing a risk. This helps them solve problems while they are small. We help them make sure their work does not break any laws or regulations.

I supervise and manage a laboratory that tests samples to see if they contain certain organic compounds. These compounds are harmful to people and the environment. I lead a team of seven professionals. This includes senior analysts, analysts, laboratory technicians, and interns. We all work in the Organic section of the laboratory. We do environmental testing, certification, and inspection. We work with samples of things like drinking water, oil, fish, tissues, soils and sediment. We test these for organic compounds. To do this, we use gas chromatography instruments. This work blends chemistry and physics.

I oversee the team's operations. This includes making sure we use our specialized equipment accurately and efficiently. We face different challenges in this work. They include diagnosing issues with the instruments and handling unusual samples. We use our scientific knowledge to overcome these.

Problem-solving is important in our work. This is especially true when we have unfamiliar samples or issues with the equipment. To solve this type of problem, we use our STEM skills and our understanding of chemistry and physics. These help us troubleshoot and solve any problem with our instruments.

Decision-making is also important in my job. I use scientific principles and analyze data to make informed choices. My STEM background is important in this process. It provides a foundation for logical reasoning and analytical thinking.

Collaboration and communication is essential in our laboratory. We interact with each other all the time. This helps create a supportive environment and teamwork. English is our main language. But we also share a common understanding of scientific concepts. This is a universal language that makes our team efficient.