A day in the life of Collins Aerospace engineers

Jodee Ross (She/Her) is a Senior Principal Electrical Engineer in Communications Hardware in Mission Systems and has been at Collins for 16 years. She is originally from North Dakota and Graduated from North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND in 2005 with an electrical engineering degree. In her time at Collins, she has primarily worked on designing digital circuit cards for military radios that support our troops in the field.

She is the Chair of the RTX WISE (Women Inspiring Success and Empowerment) ERG (Employee Resource Group, is part of the core planning committee for the Young Women in STEM event at Collins, on the steering committee for the Women Lead Change Conference, and is a den leader for her son’s cub scout troupe.

Jodee lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, enjoys trail running and is the chapter leader of Cedar Rapids She Runs This Town. She also enjoys learning stupid human tricks like handstands and raising two energetic redheaded children!

Mariama Ceesay is a Senior Engineering Manager for the Flight Control Systems Engineering group of Collins Aerospace in Cedar Rapids Iowa. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and Engineering and graduated Magna Cum Laude from the University of Texas Arlington in 2006. She also received a Graduate Certificate in Systems Engineering and Architecture from the Stevens Institute of Technology.

She joined Collins Aerospace as a software engineer to follow her passion for working on a technology that connects families through providing next-generation aviation Flight Deck Solutions. Mariama currently has 17 years of experience at Collins Aerospace. She has a wide variety of experience as a Software Engineer, Systems Engineer, Systems Integration Lead, Project Engineer, and currently works as a Senior Systems/Software Engineering Manager.

Mariama and her husband currently reside in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with their two children (Malick and Zaina). In her free time, she enjoys gardening, spending quality time with family, and driving community connections.

Shruthi Singh, a Software Engineer II in Business and Regional Avionics, is from India. Her journey towards becoming a software engineer commenced during her undergraduate studies. Her fascination with open-source software and coding led her to join IBM immediately after graduating. Just one year later, she made the decision to move to the United States by herself to pursue her dreams.

In the U.S., she pursued a Master's degree in computer science, interned with Collins, and eventually joined the company on a full-time basis. While working as a full-time engineer and taking on product owner responsibilities, she simultaneously embarked on an MBA through Collins' employee scholar program. During her tenure at Collins, she wore the hats of both a software engineer and a product owner, primarily focusing on platform software and software.

Beyond her professional life, Shruthi is an active member of RTX WISE, where she contributes to organizing events. She also dedicates her time as a mentor for Girls Who Code, an organization that introduces girls grades 3-12th to the world of coding. The organization's mission is to bridge the gender gap in technology. Shruthi firmly believes that every girl should be empowered to pursue a career in technology and aspire to be influential leaders. Her ultimate goal is to be a part of the effort to close the gender gap in the technology sector.

Currently residing in Cedar Rapids, Shruthi enjoys her free time by indulging in her love for reading at the Marion public library and exploring the city's various cafes to savor different coffees- her favorite cafe is Brewhemia! She also relishes outdoor adventures on trails with her husband and their dog.