When Del Pierson embarked on her Independent Senior Project in the spring of 2016, she never expected it to span throughout the next four summers and blossom into a career. Pierson interned at Nanocomp, where she designed a Soxhlet extraction for carbon nanotube materials, researched carcinogens and their by-products, experimented with new ways to prevent carcinogens, and even dappled in quality control. Pierson eventually completed her college thesis at Colby College with Nanocomp. She found her love for physics at Derryfield, inspired by Mr. Cousineau’s lessons and labs. At Colby, she discovered an interest in quantum physics, citing its potential for impacting the world. After completing her bachelor’s degree in physics, Pierson worked as a teaching assistant in the physics labs at Colby while employed at the Huntsman Corporation as a product development intern. There, she researched and performed heat transfer experiments.
In July 2020, Pierson joined the XMA Corporation as a sales engineer. She gives credit to Derryfield as a cornerstone of her success in her new position. She noted, “Derryfield taught me how to learn, how to dissect a problem and communicate the solution. This is so important in my roles as a salesperson and a scientist.” Pierson sells the XMA product line to corporations like BAE Systems, Raytheon, Verizon, Blue Origin, Oxford Instruments, IBM, Google, Amazon, and Intel.
As a woman in a male-majority field, Pierson recognizes the need to continue to diversify and market her talents. Her efforts have led to strengthened connections and mutual respect among her male counterparts. Pierson is a member of the NH Tech Alliance’s Power Women Breakfast series, which gathers women and non-male-identifying people in all different industries surrounding tech to talk about their goals and issues they face in the industry.
After chatting with our alumni office, Pierson was able to reconnect with Mr. Cousineau. Together, the pair is discussing how Derryfield can build our physics program to expose students to careers in STEM and equip them with 21st-century skills employers seek. Pierson praised Derryfield, “As I get more settled in the quantum community, I am learning more about the need for quantum knowledge coupled with strong soft skills and professionalism. I think Derryfield’s focus on a well-rounded education and hunger for learning is an awesome foundation for these skills, and knowledge of opportunities could help students navigate the post-high school process. I never realized there were so many jobs that require a balance of technical skills and communication abilities until I landed this job.” Derryfield is grateful for Pierson’s desire to give back to her alma mater, and we can’t wait for students to experience the STEM curriculum changes inspired by Pierson’s input.
“Derryfield gave me a solid foundation in science and math but coupled it with skills in communication, writing, interpersonal relationships, and creativity. Those soft skills help me bridge the gap between engineers, physicists, and sales reps. That kind of flexibility is really attractive to employers, and it isn’t something I would have learned anywhere else.”