Each March, Women's History Month offers an opportunity to recognize the women whose leadership, innovation, and mentorship continue to shape the field of chemical engineering.
In this interview, Kaytlin Henderson, Analytics & AI Leader at Dow and the Women in Chemical Engineering (WIC) Keynote Speaker at the 2026 AIChE Spring Meeting, reflects on her career journey, the lessons that shaped her confidence as a leader, and why supporting the next generation of engineers remains so important.
When you reflect on your journey from plant engineer to AI Strategy Implementation Leader, what moments most shaped your confidence and identity as a leader?
My career has taken me from R&D to plant engineering and then into digital and analytics roles, and each transition came with moments of uncertainty. I experienced imposter syndrome and felt pressure to quickly learn what I didn’t yet know. What ultimately shaped my confidence was realizing that even in unfamiliar roles, I was already an expert in the experiences I had lived and the problems I had worked on. That expertise didn’t disappear when I changed roles. It became the foundation I could build on.
As I moved across functions, I learned to be clear about what I knew and the value that knowledge created. Leaning into my background, trusting my perspective, and recognizing my unique path allowed me to show up with confidence while continuing to learn. I also came to value collaboration and learning from others as an extension of my own expertise, not a replacement for it. Leadership, for me, became about combining a strong sense of what I bring to the table with curiosity, openness, and respect for others’ expertise.
For young women who are just beginning their journey in chemical engineering, what habits, mindsets, or decisions do you believe make the biggest difference over time?
Early in your career, delivering on your core objectives is crucial. That often means excelling at the technical projects you’re assigned and building credibility through strong execution. Doing that well creates a foundation of trust and confidence, both in how others see you and in how you see yourself.
Today, we also have tools, including AI-enabled ones, that can help us learn more efficiently, organize our thinking, and move work forward. Used thoughtfully, these tools can act as supportive thought partners while you continue relying on your own judgment and engineering intuition.
Equally important is building a strong network. Many of the most meaningful growth opportunities in my career came from learning alongside others, both within my immediate environment and through the broader chemical engineering community. Organizations like AIChE show how connected our field is, and relationships outside your role or organization can offer new perspectives and strengthen your impact over time.
As an active AIChE leader and this year's WIC Keynote Speaker, what does Women's History Month mean to you personally, and what message do you most hope young women entering chemical engineering carry with them as they build their careers?
It’s been interesting to reflect on what Women’s History Month means to me personally, especially because I recognize how well supported my path has been. I entered chemical engineering with strong representation early on, saw that continue through graduate school, and have felt supported by people of all genders throughout my career. I know that experience isn’t universal.
Because of that, I feel a strong responsibility to pay it forward. Through my involvement with AIChE, WIC, and the broader chemical engineering community, I try to help create environments where more women feel supported, confident, and empowered as they begin their careers. That same sense of responsibility carries into my WIC keynote at the Spring AIChE meeting this year, which focuses on what chemical engineers need to learn about AI and what we remain responsible for as engineers when using new tools. Technology should help us do our work better, but it doesn’t replace judgment, accountability, or ownership.
What I hope young women carry with them is trust in what they bring to the table. Our field has exciting challenges ahead, and real progress happens when people step forward, collaborate, and lead with confidence in their skills and values.
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View more stories in the series AIChE Observes Women’s History Month.
