March interview series: interview with Amira Guediche (Li 215), PhD, Lawrence Livermore National Lab

Details: Published: 30 March 2026

AFAM: Hello Amira and thank you for this opportunity to ask you a few questions. The International Women’s Day will be held on March 8th and AFAM would like to meet women engineers living and working in the US.

Please tell us about your career path and area of expertise today.

Amira: I followed a path in physics and engineering that progressively led me toward materials science and optical coatings. My education at Arts et Métiers gave me a strong foundation in mechanics and problem-solving, which was complemented by a more fundamental science background from my bachelor’s degree. With time, I became especially interested in how materials can be designed and optimized for advanced technologies. Today, my work focuses on thin films and high-performance optical coatings, with a particular interest in how processing conditions and material structure influence performance. What I really enjoy is working at the intersection of science and engineering, where research can lead to very concrete technological improvements.

AFAM: What do you do every day at work? How does being a Gadz’Arts help you in your everyday tasks?

Amira: My daily work is a mix of experiments, data analysis, and collaboration. Depending on the project, I may spend time characterizing materials, analyzing results, planning the next experiments, or discussing technical questions with colleagues from different backgrounds. I also spend a lot of time thinking about how to connect fundamental material properties to practical performance goals.

Being a Gadz’Arts helps me because it taught me a very engineering- and mechanics-based way of thinking. In my work, I need to interact with engineers, and some of my issues are engineering problems, so having this background is very helpful. It also taught me to be adaptable and solution oriented. More generally, it gave me a broad engineering mindset: not only understanding the theory behind a problem, but also thinking about how to solve it efficiently in practice. This balance between scientific depth and practical reasoning is something I use all the time.

AFAM: What is the best advice someone ever gave you? Why?

Amira: One of the best pieces of advice I received was to learn how to adapt the way I communicate depending on the person in front of me. Communication is key, and what matters most is making sure people understand your ideas. I think this advice is very important because in science and engineering, it is not enough to have good ideas. You also need to know how to explain them clearly, depending on who you are speaking with.

AFAM: What is one favorite way to spend your free time (hobbies, weekend activities)?

Amira: Outside of work, I really enjoy being active and spending time outdoors. I love ice skating, surfing, backpacking, rock climbing, and trail running. I feel very lucky to live in the Bay Area, where I have access to all these activities. For me, it is the best way to disconnect, recharge, and keep a good balance.