2021 Engineering Leader Under 40: Ryan Slayton, 30
Engineering Manager, Quantum Automation, Anaheim, CA, United States, BS Mechanical Engineering, Cal State Fullerton
Ryan Slayton, 30
Engineering Manager
Quantum Automation
Anaheim, CA, United States
BS Mechanical Engineering, Cal State Fullerton
Why should this person be recognized for this award?
During my time as a Controls Engineer at Quantum Automation, Ryan was my direct report. Ryan’s responsibilities involved not only overseeing the design and programming of various systems, but also the in-house manufacturing team that brought these designs to reality, and then the installation/testing of such at customer locations. Ryan should ultimately be recognized for this award not only for the many projects he has worked on, but also for the many young professionals he has helped develop. Things I learned while working with him benefit me professionally.
Achievements, Advancement & Career-related Industry Contributions
During my time working with Ryan, which was for about 2 years, Ryan oversaw the complete design, programming, assembly, installation, and testing of control panels for various industries. Among the projects we worked on, a couple of his career-related industry contributions involve the development of an automated device to detect gunshots in real-time within neighborhoods, which would then immediately alert the local police of the location where the gunshot happened. This technology is making a big difference in communities across the United States. Other advancements involve the design and improvement of pharmaceutical conveyor belts via RFID technology such that blood samples are more readily processed and errors are minimized. Faster processing times within the pharmaceutical industry results in patients getting results faster, which for some, can be a critical point of getting appropriate care and medicine. These are just a couple examples of the contributions Ryan has made. I have personally worked with and seen him have an imprint on similar automation projects involving the health and fitness cryogenics industry, coffee brewing, and welding industries.
Non-work-related Activities & Hobbies
Ryan loves games. If you don’t see him logged onto discord you can find him either playing board games with his friends, building and painting a Gundam model, watching the Padres game, or hanging out with his fiancé. Overall, Ryan is just a fun-natured guy who likes good company and anything that gives him a challenge.
Interesting Details
- An interesting detail is that Ryan is a first-generation college graduate originally from San Diego. His hometown pride runs deep and that shows with his love for the San Diego Padres.
- Another interesting detail is that Ryan has a collection of the original 1996 Pokémon set. While he definitely works hard, he sure loves his memorabilia.
Why did they choose this career?
Ryan chose this career path because he wanted to pursue an industry that not only presents varying challenges, but also an industry where he feels he can apply his engineering knowledge to design and automate processes across industries to make people’s lives easier. Technology and innovation should be embraced in efforts of benefiting those around us. Ryan wanted to pursue a path that embodied those ideals.
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