Grace D. Lieblein: Vehicle Chief Engineer, General Motors: raised by a Nicaraguan mother and Cuban father in Southern California, Grace learned at an early age about the importance of a solid education

Latino Leaders: The National Magazine of the Successful American Latino, Feb-March, 2007 by Mariana Gutierrez

My father's family fled Cuba after Castro had taken over and they left only with. the clothes on their backs, but they had a very strong education and were able to rebuild their lives. This experience cemented in my father the idea that everything can be taken away from you, except for your education," says Grace. "My mother's influence was also very important because she taught me to not set boundaries for myself. Since I was very young, she instilled in me the idea that I could accomplish whatever I wanted in life. So both my parents were very supportive of higher education, and going to college was expected of me."

With a solid goal, the confidence to pursue it and a special interest in math and science, Grace decided to study engineering, an uncommon field for women, especially Latinas, at the time. She earned a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering from Kettering University in 1983 and a master's degree in management--materials/logistics from Michigan State University in 1987.

"When I was studying, the female ratio was about 10%. Now, we are at around 19%, an astonishingly small increase, so we haven't been able to break that barrier. I was the only girl in some of my classes, and today at work the ratio is almost the same. That is why I am so supportive of Latinas who want to pursue this field. It is wonderful to be able to create things, whether the phone you are holding, the chair you are sitting on or the IPod you are listening to; engineers participate in the creation of everything we use in our every day lives. This idea of being able to create something new, or improve on something that is out there, is very appealing to me, and I want to inspire other Latinas to explore it."

A special passion for vehicle engineering led to a successful career at General Motors that culminated with her being named Vehicle Chief Engineer-Front Wheel Drive Trucks for the Product Development organization. Lieblein is the highest-ranking Latina at GM and the company's first Latina vehicle chief engineer. This ground breaking appointment inspired Grace to further champion women's interest in the field with the GM "Women in Engineering" initiative, and to open doors for Latinos while serving on the board for the GM Hispanic Initiative Team. With this title, however, came a big responsibility, but Grace readily embraced it "What I enjoy the most is that when we start from scratch and create something new, I am responsible for the whole process, both the good and the bad. At the end of the day, I am fully accountable for a product, but I love that feeling because I really feel like I created something."

Grace is breaking new ground, not only by setting an example of what is possible for Latinas in this field, but also by developing some of the technologies that will define the future of the Automotive industry. "Today, the biggest concern is to develop more fuel efficient technologies, and that is where most of our focus is going into" she explains. "We have to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, not only because of environmental reasons, but because it is important from an economic and political stability perspective as well. The trick is to be able to develop these technologies in a way that is cost effective, so that they are accessible to the largest number of people possible.

Talking about what GM is bringing to the table in terms of environmentally friendly technology, Grace explains: "There are many avenues we are exploring to achieve this," she continues. "Reducing the mass of the vehicle, developing more efficient tires, increasing the aerodynamics ... all of this reduces the energy necessary for a car to operate. We are developing engine and transmission technologies that play a big role, such as active fuel management, which is a fuel saving technology which enables the engine to operate on about 50% of its cylinders when full power is not required. Fifteen of our models and 2,000,000 vehicles will have it by next year. We are also reducing the revolutions per minute and engine speed with a new transmission technology that will be present in about 1.8 vehicles in 08, resulting in less gas combustion. Fuel cell technology, which operates like a battery that doesn't run down or require recharging, and that produces energy in the form of electricity and will potentially be fueled by hydrogen will be the propulsion system of the future, along with the electrification of vehicles, potentially reducing or eliminating the use of gasoline. GM is also introducing four Hybrid models this year,, like the Saturn VUE Green line, which represent really affordable hybrid technology. In terms of fuel alternatives, we are further exploring the use of E85, made of 85% ethanol, which comes from plants and therefore creates less harmful emissions. Today, we have over 2,000,000 vehicles on the road that use E85 and we are fighting to get more E85 in the pipelines of the gas stations across the US.

"GM is in the middle of launching one the industries most complete portfolios of advanced technology with the goal to improve both fuel efficiency and vehicle emissions," she concludes. "At the end, we are fighting every day to gain every tenth of mile per gallon that we can." With a daughter already interested in science, Grace's legacy is sure to surpass the futuristic dreams that we have of what cars we will be driving in the decades to come. And she is making sure to protect it. "Every day I remind my daughter that she can accomplish anything that she puts her mind to; there are no limits to what she will become."