From Fine Art to Engineering: Building a Career by Following Your Passion
From Fine Art to Engineering: Building a Career by Following Your Passion
Brianne Malloy’s path from fine art to engineering shows how curiosity, action, and community can shape a meaningful career in additive manufacturing.
Brianne Malloy didn’t map out a step career path on her way to becoming a principal engineer for Estée Lauder. Instead, she followed what interested her, and that passion led her to additive manufacturing and, ultimately, into design, prototyping, and innovation.
Malloy’s path from fine art student to engineer grew out of the qualities that are true to who she is: “curious, creative, playful.” In engineering and manufacturing, she said, she found a field that “is welcoming to people who enjoy making things and tinkering.”
Malloy’s path began in art school, where she was introduced to digital fabrication and 3D printing as creative tools. At Purchase College, SUNY, she learned the mechanics of fabrication while helping other students complete their projects.
Brianne Malloy, Principal Engineer, Devices & Manufacturing Equipment at Estée Lauder Companies.
Soon, Malloy found that her instinctive way of solving problems, along with her “where there’s a will, there’s a way” attitude, simply works, especially in an industry that thrives on innovation.
Her studies may have started in a studio, but her professional identity gradually expanded to include machine operation, design for additive manufacturing, prototyping, and product development.
Malloy offered some advice for young professionals: pay attention to what makes you feel energized. “I’ve always just kind of done things and learned about things that are interesting to me. And that’s kind of still true to this day,” she said.
That motivation carried her forward as she moved deeper into additive manufacturing and later pursued a master’s degree in additive manufacturing and design at Penn State University while also working full-time.
“When you add engineering into the equation, you are now able to really prove the things that you're trying to do, create experiments, repeat your experiments,” she explained.
For Malloy, action is what creates momentum and teaches lessons that passive planning never can. “Thinking about something can actually be a lot harder than just starting the actual process of actually doing the thing,” Malloy explained. “Life rewards doers.”
Careers in emerging fields, such as additive manufacturing, are often shaped by unusual combinations of skills. Malloy’s own mix of fine art, 3D modeling, machine operation, fabrication, and engineering study has become a distinctive professional advantage.
She also suggested that working with others and communicating needs and challenges is very important when everyone is facing new problems. Through Women in 3D Printing (Wi3DP) and industry meetups in New York, she found a network of people who were enthusiastic, generous, and similarly committed to growth.
Those relationships became more than social connections. Up until a few months ago, Malloy served as NYC chapter ambassador for Wi3DP. This community of women became a part of her professional toolkit.
In a multidisciplinary field such as additive manufacturing, projects can touch design, materials, software, machinery, and production. Having a network of people to learn from is essential.
“Networking and putting yourself out there is important,” she said. “When you are working in an area where you’re not the expert, having a community of people you can call and ask questions is critical.”
Malloy’s message is both practical and inspiring. Follow the work that genuinely interests you. Act on it instead of waiting for certainty. Keep adding to your skills, especially in ways that make your background distinct. And invest in the communities that can help you grow.
Cathy Cecere is membership content program manager.
Malloy’s path from fine art student to engineer grew out of the qualities that are true to who she is: “curious, creative, playful.” In engineering and manufacturing, she said, she found a field that “is welcoming to people who enjoy making things and tinkering.”
Growth through action
Malloy’s path began in art school, where she was introduced to digital fabrication and 3D printing as creative tools. At Purchase College, SUNY, she learned the mechanics of fabrication while helping other students complete their projects.
Brianne Malloy, Principal Engineer, Devices & Manufacturing Equipment at Estée Lauder Companies.
Her studies may have started in a studio, but her professional identity gradually expanded to include machine operation, design for additive manufacturing, prototyping, and product development.
Malloy offered some advice for young professionals: pay attention to what makes you feel energized. “I’ve always just kind of done things and learned about things that are interesting to me. And that’s kind of still true to this day,” she said.
That motivation carried her forward as she moved deeper into additive manufacturing and later pursued a master’s degree in additive manufacturing and design at Penn State University while also working full-time.
“When you add engineering into the equation, you are now able to really prove the things that you're trying to do, create experiments, repeat your experiments,” she explained.
For Malloy, action is what creates momentum and teaches lessons that passive planning never can. “Thinking about something can actually be a lot harder than just starting the actual process of actually doing the thing,” Malloy explained. “Life rewards doers.”
The power of community
Careers in emerging fields, such as additive manufacturing, are often shaped by unusual combinations of skills. Malloy’s own mix of fine art, 3D modeling, machine operation, fabrication, and engineering study has become a distinctive professional advantage.
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Those relationships became more than social connections. Up until a few months ago, Malloy served as NYC chapter ambassador for Wi3DP. This community of women became a part of her professional toolkit.
In a multidisciplinary field such as additive manufacturing, projects can touch design, materials, software, machinery, and production. Having a network of people to learn from is essential.
“Networking and putting yourself out there is important,” she said. “When you are working in an area where you’re not the expert, having a community of people you can call and ask questions is critical.”
Malloy’s message is both practical and inspiring. Follow the work that genuinely interests you. Act on it instead of waiting for certainty. Keep adding to your skills, especially in ways that make your background distinct. And invest in the communities that can help you grow.
Cathy Cecere is membership content program manager.
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