Technology changes quickly. For engineers, today’s expertise can become the foundation for tomorrow’s challenge. After nearly 30 years at Seagate, Stella Wu, senior engineering director of media research and development in Fremont, California, has worked across multiple generations of data storage technology. Along the way, she has continued to grow her expertise, explore new ideas, and solve complex problems with colleagues across Seagate.
A career driven by curiosity
When Stella joined Seagate, she was drawn to the opportunity to experiment.
“I was always intrigued by experimental applications of science,” she says. “This curiosity and interest in hands-on problem-solving made me excited to join Seagate’s media research group.”
That curiosity has carried her through decades of technological change. As data storage has advanced, Stella’s work has evolved with it, bringing new materials to understand, engineering challenges to solve, and ideas to test.
Helping shape the future of data storage
Stella develops advanced materials used in Seagate’s hard drive media. Throughout her career, she has helped design increasingly complex media film structures and applied her materials science expertise to products ranging from desktop to nearline drives.
More recently, her work has evolved from developing perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) media for Seagate’s Exos® nearline product family to advancing heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) and exploring what may come next.
The technologies may change, but Stella continues to draw on the qualities that first interested her in engineering: curiosity, experimentation and hands-on problem-solving.
Her contributions include more than 30 U.S. patents, over 20 peer-reviewed papers and multiple Seagate innovation awards. She has also been named a Women of Color honoree by Career Communications Group and is a member of Seagate’s Technology Innovator Circle.
Yet the achievement that stands out most to Stella was a shared one: helping develop the media design requirements that contributed to the success of the Exos nearline product family. It brought together people with different areas of expertise around a clear and challenging goal.
“I enjoy the collaborative teamwork at Seagate, working alongside team members with diverse skill sets and expertise,” she says.
I enjoy the collaborative teamwork at Seagate, working alongside team members with diverse skill sets and expertise.
Stella Wu
Senior Engineering Director of Media Research and Development, California USA
Continuing to learn and grow
When Stella began her career, she did not expect to spend nearly 30 years at one company.
“I think my younger self would be most surprised by the longevity I’ve had at a single workplace, the meaningful impact of the work we’ve accomplished, and the amazing people I’ve had the privilege to interact and collaborate with,” she says.
New technologies have continually given Stella something different to learn and work toward. Her advice to others building an engineering career is straightforward:
“Never be afraid of changes or new challenges, and never stop learning.”
Never be afraid of changes or new challenges, and never stop learning.
Stella Wu
Senior Engineering Director of Media Research and Development
Nearly three decades after curiosity first brought Stella to Seagate, it is still taking her somewhere new. There's always another problem to explore, another idea to test, and another opportunity to grow.
Explore engineering careers at Seagate and see where your curiosity could take you.
