Sherrika Sanders: A Black Woman in Manufacturing You Need to Know

photo of Sherrika Sanders

As we approach the closing of Black History Month, we’d be remiss not to highlight some of the amazing Black history in the making.

First, let’s set the stage for Black women in manufacturing:

  • Black women earned 78% of what white women workers did in 2019—down five percent from 2003.

  • Sexual harassment is an all-too-common occurrence in the manufacturing industry, with women of color (68.2%) and white women (62.6%) reporting that they have been victims of such harassment.

  • Unsatisfactory family leave policies are a major factor in why women choose to leave manufacturing jobs. 

With women in manufacturing being disproportionately affected by sexual harassment, unequal pay, and limited opportunities, you can see why Black women in manufacturing are due some serious credit.

Without further ado, meet Sherrika Sanders, whose work will help turn those stats on their head.

As a young girl, she was introduced to STEM at a high school science camp that “sealed the deal” for her career choice. As a native of Louisiana, she began her educational journey at Xavier University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from the University of Houston. While presenting a paper at an American Chemical Society meeting, she was introduced to a principal investigator at Sandia National Laboratories, which led to her postdoctoral research there.

Sherrika’s work speaks for itself. Her experience and explorations at Sandia landed her the Senior Chemist position at Dow. During her nine-year career with Dow, she helped create the Building Engineering and Science Talent Recruitment Program in an effort to attract women early on to careers in manufacturing. Sherrika continued her career as Research & Development Director at Authentix and now serves as Senior Technical Engineer at Manner Polymers.

Not only is her professional career noteworthy, but her personal accolades and efforts to pay it forward are worth mentioning as well:

  • Recipient of the “Hidden Figures of Dallas: Top Women of Color in STEM” awarded by the National Society of Black Engineers DFW chapter

  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisory Board Member for the Society of Plastics Engineers

  • Served as a 2020 Dallas County Fellow with Leadership ISD, advocating for academic excellence and racial equity at the local and state-level

“It's knowing your why, and knowing that, 'Hey, I chose this STEM career because of something that's larger than myself.' And it is to change the life of a child, which then changes the lives of their families, which then changes the lives of their communities. And that's bigger than me. And that's the reason that I will never walk away because I want to continue to make that impact.”

- Sherrika Sanders, Supply Chain Now Podcast

Listen to the full podcast episode here. 

If you or someone you know is currently pursuing a degree in manufacturing, check out our Dow fund here.

Last MileSherrika Sanders, Dow Chemicals, Dow, Manufacturing, Chemistry, STEM, Black Women in STEMComment