A first impression of NRRI’s Coleraine Labs conveys an aging industrial site – a mish-mash of old pole buildings, other random facilities, and one towering steel structure.
Aside from the site’s newish administrative building, the labs are legacy buildings from the early 1900s. And when NRRI acquired the site in 1986, there was a lot of old equipment left to deal with.
While clean-up has been ongoing for the past 10-plus years, a new 5S initiative has put that effort into overdrive. And that has been very satisfying for Samantha Harbin. She’s a project engineer who joined the NRRI team in December 2023.
“I am thoroughly enjoying witnessing the transformation across the entire site,” said Harbin. “It’s incredible to see everyone contributing toward achieving this larger goal. And the before-and-after results are truly remarkable.”
Five S is a continuous improvement methodology: sort, set in order, shine, standardize and sustain. It’s an effort underway at all of NRRI’s research facilities, but from her vantage point in Coleraine, Harbin sees the payoff in streamlining processes and improving workplace organization.
“We’re enhancing our ability to deliver on our mission – integrated research solutions,” she added. “And then we can better value and manage resources, protect the environment and contribute to a sustainable and resilient future for Minnesota.”
Homegrown
Developing efficiencies and appreciating nicely organized packages became part of Harbin’s DNA after college.
She graduated from UMD with a mechanical engineering degree in 2008. Then worked as a packaging engineer for Minnesota Diversified Industries in Grand Rapids. She managed product costing models, coordinated production process improvements and collaborated with design and sales teams to develop competitive packaging solutions.
“My passion for learning and taking on new challenges has allowed me to develop knowledge across multiple areas, including engineering, design, accounting and business,” said Harbin.
Collaborator
In her current role, she prepares, coordinates and monitors the engineering aspects of projects, while also helping to implement innovative methods to solve complex problems. She leans heavily into her ability to be creative and collaborative.
Overseeing the installation of new equipment, for example, requires input from NRRI’s finance, safety engineering, research and maintenance teams. She also engages the manufacturer and UMD facilities, as needed.
“It truly requires a collective effort to achieve a seamless installation,” she said.
She also appreciates the effort of her colleague Principal Laboratory Technician Bailey Rohde who set up comprehensive manifests to streamline sample management, “especially as we transition an older building into a designated sample warehouse,” added Harbin.
Off Hours
Away from work, Harbin enjoys spending time with her family – husband and two young boys, ages 4 and 5. They enjoy hunting and fishing and many other outdoor activities, which is especially fun with boys this age.
“Any outing can turn into a lively event,” she laughed. “Like a catchy song on the PA while grocery shopping can prompt a spontaneous breakdancing session that would put Australian Olympian Raygun to shame!”