IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - December 2021 - 10

as pulse, blood pressure, and sleep diagnostics
as a snapshot every 15 min. " We're
growing this immense amount of data to
analyze it and develop predictive models
in order to identify some of the characteristics
of people who may be at risk for
hypertension, " she says.
Another project is geared toward predicting
how someone will respond to radiation
therapy. Working with a group at
Tampa's Moffitt Cancer Center with expertise
in prostate cancer, Centeno and her
team are developing analyses using gene
expression profiles and machine learning
to identify the most appropriate course
of action for patients based on need and
whether they are radiosensitive or radio
resistant. " This is important because not
everyone benefits from radiation therapy, "
says Centeno. " If you put someone
through that process and nothing is
gained, then not only is it expensive for
the patient and the health-care system,
but the emotional toll is costly as well. "
Into the Disney " Lab "
With so much of her work seemingly
focused on Florida-centric populations
and industries, it was a natural extension
for Centeno to team up with perhaps
Florida's most famous locale: Walt
Disney World (WDW). She served as a
part of Disney's industrial engineering
consulting and advanced analytics
teams working on a variety of projects
for more than 16 years, up until the
time COVID-19 hit. " Disney's issues are
similar to those in health care: both
are service industries, 'guests' are
equivalent to 'patients,' reducing wait
times is always a goal as is optimizing
the use of limited resources while
meeting high demand, " she explains.
" These all fit under capacity planning,
which is what I call my umbrella
of research. "
Projects she worked on included
scheduling dancers for the various shows
around the theme park, which needed
to be optimized for efficiency while also
accommodating the required breaks, as
well as supporting a simulation project
for effective laundry operations. " How
do we best deal with the logistics of
bringing all the sheets and towels from
multiple resorts, then effectively scheduling
what to wash first, determining
order and time to dry and fold them,
how to send them back so that every day
you can have clean sheets and towels in
every room? We take all this for granted, "
describes Centeno. " I considered WDW
my lab; there I was not a professor but
another industrial engineer and, as such,
I dealt with all of the issues my students
deal with when trying to solve a problem.
That enriching opportunity made
me a relatable and relevant teacher. "
Leveraging Strengths
Alongside her teaching and research
responsibilities, Centeno has branched
out into philanthropic efforts, including
efforts promoting women's initiatives,
engineering ethics, and K-12 engineering
education. Recognizing her work both in
the classroom and outside, she has won
numerous awards and honors, including
the distinction of being the first Florida
Polytechnic professor and the first Hispanic
chosen for the Executive Leadership
in Academic Technology, Engineering,
and Science (ELATES) program in 2019.
ELATES at Drexel University is a prestigious
fellowship designed to advance
senior women faculty in academic STEM
disciplines into effective leadership roles,
and Centeno is firmly on that path.
It is a path she blazed for herself-
although she did not do it alone. " I would
not be where I am if not for my great teammates,
leaders, and mentors throughout
my career, " she says. " Having a good network
of people that support you is really
key, especially for women. But do not wait
for them to come to you, you have to look
for them. " She also makes sure to point
out that so many of her colleagues are
doing magnificent, meaningful work related
to health care.
Centeno continues to pay it forward,
advising the younger generations to take
the time and learn about the many opportunities
out there. " You don't have to stick
to the regular mold; educate yourself
so that you can make decisions about a
career that really speaks to you, " she says.
" We are all so pressured and stressed and
think we need to deliver all of the time, but
everyone deserves a little bit of grace, and
I'm speaking to myself here too. "
She goes on to chip away at the traditional
advice about finding work that
makes you happy. " I get that, but a job is
something that you get compensated for,
so don't think it has to be 'Disney World'
all of the time, " she says. " Instead, identify
what your strengths are and leverage
those to define your career. You don't have
to have it all figured out at the beginning
and not every decision is one you make
for forever. "
Coming from someone whose area of
expertise is literally optimization and decision
making-as well as someone who has
created an impactful, fulfilling career thus
far that serves her communities and furthers
our health-care system-we would
be wise to listen to Centeno.
Centeno in the classroom.
10
IEEE WOMEN IN ENGINEERING MAGAZINE DECEMBER 2021
-Leslie Prives
IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - December 2021

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