Steminist blog: BECOMING Series
Becoming: Interview with Mallorie Harker
Olivia Atuah
Our subject, Mallorie Harker, is the Head of the PMO for Weir Minerals’ Technology Division, bringing vision, structure, and people‑centered leadership to new product development. As a woman in a male‑saturated STEM field, she is committed to elevating underrepresented voices and creating space for others to thrive. Outside of work, Mallorie is a boy‑mom who loves Legos, baseball, and her latest challenge—learning to golf.
How did you first enter your field? What sparked your interest in STEM?
From a young age, I was always passionate about science. By 10th grade, I knew I was going to study Chemistry. During my last semester at University, I joined a company in the X-ray technology space. I was doing product development and research work there in a clean-room lab; head to toe with PPE, no makeup. It was truly my happy place. I loved the technical work.
But during product development project meetings, I started noticing that many discussions lacked structure or a clear purpose; we would just be talking. I was always asking myself questions like: What’s the agenda? What are the actions? How are we going to deliver this? I naturally gravitated toward planning and leading.
Around that time, several leaders independently suggested that I look into project management, something I hadn’t considered before. I always joke that I started in chemistry, but my personality took over and pulled me into project management. I naturally try to bring people together, make sure everyone has a voice, and move things forward.
I’m the oldest of nine kids, which probably influenced that tendency. Eventually, I began project-managing the initiatives I was already working on. After getting married and having my first child, I faced a decision: lean deeper into technical work or project management. Project management allowed me to act as a translator between technical teams and leadership, and it also offered more flexibility as a mother. This was pre-COVID, so working from home wasn’t necessarily a full thing, but it was more feasible than in the lab, which would've been more challenging logistically.
Was there a specific moment in your career when you felt, “I truly belong here”? What made that moment meaningful?
There wasn’t a single defining moment, it was more of consistent affirmations from leader after leader who recognized my ability to translate highly technical details into business and delivery language and help make sense of the technical jargon.
I also worked with incredibly smart people, PhDs, physicists, and engineers, and I could understand their passion and technical depth, while also translating what it meant for the business, product delivery standpoints, and commitments. That connector role aligned perfectly with who I am. I want people to feel understood and valued, and project management gave me the space to do that.
As a project overseer, how has this role shaped your perspective on the representation and advancement of women in your field?
It's not necessarily my role as a project manager because there is project management in every industry, it’s more that I stayed in deeply technical ones. I started in X-ray technology and now work in mining, which is even more male-dominated. Women are still only about 14–17% of the workforce in mining.
I’m naturally a challenger. I don’t accept the status quo, and I bring that mindset into my work. When I joined my current company, Weir, I had the opportunity to co-found our local Weir Women’s Network chapter, which helps drive conversations, not just within the business, but locally as well.
Being in leadership rooms means I can bring perspectives others may not consider. For example, discussions around knowledge management can directly enable women by making information accessible rather than gatekept. These changes don’t just help women; they strengthen the organization as a whole.
What unexpected skills have you found essential for thriving in your career—both as a STEM professional and as a mother?
Empathy, above all. I was already empathetic, but motherhood amplified it. Growing up as the oldest of nine also shaped how I lead; I’m used to navigating different personalities, strengths, and needs. I think having so many siblings of various personalities and skill sets led me to be more able to see how teams work together despite being very different at times.
As a leader, I recognize that people show up to work carrying unseen burdens. I remember mornings when I arrived at work emotionally drained after difficult morning hours with my boys, yet no one around me knew. That awareness helps me extend grace to others. When someone reacts emotionally, I ask why instead of reacting back.
These life experiences have shown me even more that everyone is dealing with something. That perspective has made me a more thoughtful and patient leader.
How do you feel the current political climate in the United States is affecting women in STEM fields, and have you seen its impact firsthand in your work?
I live in Utah, which is majority conservative, but I work for a global company headquartered in Scotland with locations all over the world. Because of that, my professional experience hasn’t been directly impacted by U.S.-specific policy shifts. My company has reaffirmed its commitment to inclusion, gender diversity, and neurodiversity.
However, at a local level, I’ve seen programs that supported women at universities rolled back. Language around diversity has disappeared from certain public spaces, which makes it harder to have the conversations needed for progress.
From a business standpoint, diversity matters. Data shows that companies with gender-diverse leadership perform better financially. In building my team, I was intentional about ensuring balanced candidate pools. The result was a team with roughly equal representation of qualified men and women, and incredible diversity of background, nationality, and perspective. That diversity strengthens how we challenge each other and deliver results.
Looking back, is there anything you wish young women in STEM would ask more often but don’t? What guidance would you offer them?
I wish I had learned earlier that it’s okay to do things my way. As a woman in male-dominated spaces, I initially dimmed parts of myself to make others more comfortable. But being me and doing things my way isn’t a weakness, it’s a strength. It’s important to lean into that because that’s what’s going to make me authentic and, in the end, it will help me grow and continue to be able to help others.
Lean into what makes you different. That authenticity is what allows you to grow and contribute meaningfully.
I would also encourage young women to stand up for themselves. If something feels wrong, speak up. There were moments early in my career when I stayed silent because I was caught off guard. Later, I found my voice, and the outcomes were very different.
If you’re in a space that doesn’t allow you to be heard or respected, find a different space. You deserve to be somewhere that supports your growth. Supporting young women in STEM is deeply important to me. Programs like SheTech, which introduce high school girls to STEM careers, provide exposure and encouragement that I didn’t have growing up. I want the next generation to know they can pursue meaningful careers, be mothers if they choose, and succeed at both.
The message is simple: you can do this, and you don’t have to do it like anyone else.
