Nance Dicciani
Nance Dicciani
 

Nance Dicciani

Founder and CEO @ RTM Vital Signs, LLC
PA
Hi! I'm Nance. I'm a chemical engineer who's travelled the world, worked with amazing people, and created products that help others. I love what I do - it's fun and meaningful! Engineering shapes everything around you. Join me in building the world you dream of. Become an engineer!

What I Do

I am the Founder and CEO of a small company which is developing critically needed medical monitors for early detection and prediction of health problems before they become serious and even before the individual becomes symptomatic. The company focus is on changing healthcare form reactive to predictive, preventive, and person-centered.

Why STEM?

I wanted to take all that I have learned throughout my career and focus on a related field (healthcare) which builds in my engineering background and address a new, important problem - effectively and efficiently improving healthcare outcomes for a broad population.

School Days

Villanova University: BS Chemical Engineering
University of Virginia: MS Chemical Engineering
University of Pennsylvania: PhD Chemical Engineering
Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania: MBA Finance

My Day At Work

Engineering design and development, materials, product design, data analytics, clinical trials, patent issues, recruitment and personnel management, marketing... basically, every aspect of a small development stage company.

Best Part

The positive impact I have been able to have on the people, products and companies I have worked with.

Proud Moments

Supporting people in their career development.
Inventing and bringing beneficial products to market.
Overcoming incredible technical challenges with teams of dedicated people from whom I learned and enjoyed working with.

Challenges

Overcoming biases, my own and those of others. Being persistent and focused. Having the personal courage to step into the unknown.

My Family

Very close, loving, and supportive!! I am most fortunate and blessed.

Dreams and Goals

Commercializing the products of my little medical device company.

Inspirations

My parents and my high school principal.

My Advice

Follow your dreams and never let anyone else tell you what you can dream, do, and achieve in your life and your career.

Hobbies

Flying, golf, history, travel.

Volunteer Opportunities

I am willing to be contacted by educators for possible speaking engagements in schools or in after school programs or summer camps., I am willing to serve as science fair judge or other temporary volunteer at a local school.
Engineering Careers

Engineering Careers

Chemical Engineers

Areas Of Interest

Materials

Overcoming Doubt

When I was in high school and considering studying engineering in college, several of my teachers discouraged me, saying that engineering was not for "girls". My high school principal gave me a small book titled "I Dare You" and she said "I dare you to follow your dreams, I dare you be the very best you can be and do and become, no matter what that is, I dare you to have the confidence to do what you dream of. And never ever let anyone else put boundaries on your dreams or tell you what you can and cannot do with your life and your career". It was the best advice I ever received. You are the sole owner of your life and your career, create your own future.

Discovering Optional Career

Engineering is a wonderful foundation on which to build many, many different life and career paths. It teaches you perseverance, and how to learn, to think, to question, and to solve problems - all skills which are beneficial to any pursuit. I began my career in engineering, then research and development, then manufacturing, then business. The skills I developed while studying engineering have served me well in every position I have ever had, and most certainly as a business leader in every aspect of decision making about creating successful products that provided a benefit to people and to the world. I am now bringing all those learnings to my own company which is focused on developing new health monitors which can detect medical issues before they become serious, improving healthcare and saving lives.

Obstacles Helpful for Youth

There will always be people both in your life and in your work who are not your supporters. That is their problem, not yours. I have encountered this several times and have learned to stay focused on what is controllable and doing my best. If you bang up against the ceiling too many times, move on. The greatest downside is to remain stuck. Always consider the worst that can happen if you move on - if acceptable (it usually is), do it.

Companies Mitigate Challenges

Mentoring programs, both formal and informal have proven to be helpful, especially in the early years of a career. Internships and corporate programs which facilitate internal movement from one function or department to another build exposure and experience.

K-12 STEM Opportunities

Calculus class

Comments about K-12 STEM

I was in school before any STEM programs or AP classes existed. I believe that exposure to science and engineering in grade school is optimal. Having the opportunity for hands-on learning such as building robots, chemistry experiments, environmental and agricultural projects, etc., as early as third or fourth grade, can instill curiosity in how the world works (desperately needed) and an acceptance that science is fun, interesting, and "cool". High school may be too late.

STEM Learning Opportunities

Independent study (self-teaching), Private University

Undergraduate Certification

A Bachelor’s Degree

Undergraduate Field

Engineering

Associate Bachelor Major

Chemical Engineering

Graduate Degrees

Master’s degree, Doctorate or Ph.D., Other

Other Graduate Degrees

MBA

Graduate Field

Engineering, A non-STEM field

Professional Certifications

Engineer in Training (EIT), Professional Engineer (PE), Other

Other Professional Certifications

Water Works Operator's Certificate

Previous Role Employed

Engineer, Manager, Scientist

Other Parts on the Path

Sometimes a lateral move to gain more experience and knowledge is more beneficial than a promotion in the same role.

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