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Sara Canzano

Title:
Advanced Packaging Engineer
Sara smiles for a photo wearing a green floral shirt. She is outside, with grass in the background.
I was drawn in by the scope of the technology research being conducted and the opportunities that would be available for me to grow professionally and personally.

Where are you originally from?

I grew up in the small beach town of El Segundo, California. This suburb of Los Angeles is home to many aerospace and defense companies, which inspired me to pursue a degree in STEM. Apart from being home to some big industry names, El Segundo has a few references in pop culture and its high school has served as a backdrop in movies and TV shows.

What brought you to Lincoln Laboratory?

I was drawn in by the scope of the technology research being conducted and the opportunities that would be available for me to grow professionally and personally. When learning more about the projects that the Advanced Imager Technology Group worked on, I pictured myself working here and how much there was to learn. Additionally, the presence of employee resource groups and outreach programs at the Lab excited me, and I foresaw myself getting involved. Lincoln Laboratory has made many important impacts to technology and the communities they interact with, and I wanted to become part of it. 

Could you describe a particularly rewarding project you've worked on?

One project series that speaks to my interests and challenges me would be my work focusing on characterizing epoxies and other adhesive materials. It has served as a great introduction for me to learn more about our advanced imager packaging assembly process, in order to understand the performance requirements of the selected materials. This work has been a great conduit to interact not only with members of my team, but others within the Lab and MIT campus. It’s rewarding to feel like I’m making a positive impact and enabling key research and processes.

Are you involved with any Laboratory employee resource groups (ERGs)?

I’ve gotten involved with the Lincoln Laboratory Women's Network (LLWN) and the Out and Proud Employee Network (OPEN) as my most prominent ERGs, as a way to form part of my community here at the Lab. Through the ERGs, I was also introduced to the Allyship Roundtable discussions that occur monthly, and I appreciate the depth of the conversations on important topics that take place. I’ve also participated in the Circle Mentoring program, which has been an enjoyable experience.

What are your favorite activities and hobbies?

A few of my favorites include playing board games, baking, cooking, and knitting. From November to December of 2021, I knit more than 40 hats to give away as holiday gifts!