Inspiring Women in Business Awards Winner

Gateshead-based Palintest is a leading provider of water and environmental analysis technologies, committed to ensuring water quality for various applications globally. Established as a pioneer in water testing, Palintest offers a wide range of innovative products that cater to the needs of municipal water treatment, industrial water management, and environmental monitoring. The company operates in multiple international markets, including the United States, China, and Europe, with a reputation for delivering reliable and accurate water testing solutions that promote sustainability and public health.

Samantha Lunn, known to everyone as Sam, has demonstrated exceptional academic and professional achievements throughout her career. She completed her Master of Chemistry degree at Newcastle University with First Class Honours and continued her studies at the same institution to earn a PhD. Her doctoral research, titled ‘Exploiting DNA surfaces for sensing and nanomaterial applications,’ was groundbreaking. Part of her PhD work, which investigated the use of enzymatic extension of repeat sequence DNA from a surface to detect microsatellite instabilities for colorectal cancer, was patented and laid the foundation for a startup company, NunaBio, where Sam is a shareholder.

Sam’s academic prowess is complemented by her experience working in the prestigious Nijhuis group at the National University of Singapore (NUS), where she collaborated with international researchers from China, India, and Russia. Her ability to excel in diverse research environments and her leadership in organising significant conferences such as the CNSN conference series at Newcastle University underscore her capabilities and dedication.

Inspiring Others and Role Model

Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives

In 2020, Sam volunteered to be the Diversity Champion at Palintest. She was responsible for distributing and guiding employees through an online Accelerate Inclusion programme, ensuring the content was accessible to all employees, including those without computer access. Sam went the extra mile by translating the programme into Polish and hosting interactive sessions.

Under her leadership, a DEI committee was formed, driving regular sessions to raise awareness on various topics such as race, neurodiversity, disability, LGBTQ+ issues, and overall inclusion within the business. These sessions have grown significantly in attendance and engagement, now featuring interactive discussions and input from employees across all departments. This inclusive approach has allowed everyone in the business to voice matters important to them, fostering a more cohesive and supportive workplace environment.

International Outreach and Humanitarian Efforts

Sam represented Palintest in an outreach event in Ghana in collaboration with Halma and the Himalayan Cataract Project. The initiative, known as the Gift of Sight campaign, aimed to solve preventable blindness. During this mission, Sam played a crucial role in administering eye drops for pupil dilation, preparing eyes for injections, providing patient care post-operation, and removing eye patches 24 hours after surgery. Her involvement in this campaign highlighted her compassion and commitment to making a tangible difference in people’s lives.

Academic and Community Engagement

Sam is passionate about inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers, particularly young females. She participates in outreach events at Newcastle University and local schools, sharing her journey and encouraging students to pursue careers in STEM. During her PhD, she served as an undergraduate demonstrator, supporting students in their practical work and marking laboratory reports. Additionally, she supervised several Chemistry and Pharmacy Masters students on their research projects and tutored local students for their GCSE examinations.

Development as a Leader

Career Progression

Sam joined Palintest as an Innovation Scientist in 2018, soon after completing her PhD. Her expertise, business proficiency, and leadership potential were quickly recognised, leading to her promotion to Sensor Development Manager in 2021. In this role, she leads the most challenging new technology sector of the business, overseeing the development of innovative sensor technologies. Under her leadership, the sensor department has successfully launched several new products, driving collaboration between the team, department, and other sections of the organisation.

When the US branch’s technical support specialist left in 2021, Sam stepped up to support the team remotely for four months. Demonstrating her leadership and commitment, she then travelled to the US for a month to integrate the new employee into the business and redefine the role. This hands-on approach ensured a smooth transition, maintained operational continuity, and highlighted her ability to manage and support international teams effectively.

Leadership Training and Mentorship

In 2022, Sam was selected by Halma’s Divisional Chief Executive to participate in the ‘Grow Your Leadership’ course, facilitated by Ivy House. This intensive six-month programme is aimed to develop future leaders within Halma. Sam attended the course alongside 20 other participants from various Halma companies worldwide, covering key leadership attributes and tools to handle leadership situations. Sam along with three other managers are now sharing the learning from the course with the colleagues in the rest of the management team at Palintest. Additionally, she has started an internal mentoring programme with a cross-functional director at Palintest to further develop her personal skills for senior leadership. And now, Sam has been mentoring two members of staff one is a Sensor Product, Quality and Improvements Technician and the other is a Team Leader on the Liquid Processing Line.

Contribution to DEI and Sustainability

DEI Advocacy

Sam continues to drive DEI initiatives at Palintest, ensuring that the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion are integrated into the company’s culture. She is committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all employees feel valued and empowered to contribute their best, such as through the facilitation of ownership workshops for her fellow employees. Where employees have a forum to discuss what is responsibility, how to escalate an issue, coaching and training, identify bad practice and staff found these sessions great for citifying responsibilities and coming up with sensible solutions everyday issues.

Sustainability Projects

Sam is about to embark on a practical project with Palintest’s Manufacturing Engineering Manager Davie Fitzimmon’s wife. Mrs Fitzimmon is a primary school teacher at Stakeford Primary School in Northumberland. Sam will be demonstrating Palintest’s water testing equipment to engage students in topics such as sustainability, the environment, pollution and generally not taking water for granted. The project aims to educate students on the importance of water conservation and the role they can play in promoting sustainable practices. Sam will also be giving these young minds a flavor of what their future careers could look like in science or manufacturing.

Additionally, Palintest is committed to evaluating sustainability in all future product designs and reassessing current products to enhance their environmental impact. A potential collaboration with Sunderland University on developing water-based inks to replace solvent-based inks is also being considered. These initiatives align with Palintest’s commitment to sustainability and community engagement, showcasing the company’s dedication to continuous improvement and environmental responsibility.

Testimonials

Georgina Perkins, Managing Director: “Sam’s dedication to DEI and her leadership in driving these initiatives have made a significant impact on our company’s culture. She embodies the spirit of inclusion and inspires others to follow her lead.”

Ian Crosby, Marketing and Product Director: “Sam’s technical expertise and leadership have been instrumental in our successful product launches and international collaborations. Her ability to manage complex projects and her passion for mentoring others make her a standout leader in our organisation.”

Achievements

Product Development

Under Sam’s leadership, the sensor department has launched several new products that have significantly contributed to Palintest’s growth and innovation. Her ability to manage projects from initial concept to product validation and productionisation for launch has been exemplary.

Academic and Professional Recognition

• Publications: Sam has authored multiple research papers, including a notable publication in ChemBioChem on the topic of duplex healing of selectively thiolated guanosine mismatches.
• Patents: She holds patents for innovative sensing technologies, showcasing her contributions to advancing the field of chemical engineering.
• Awards: Sam was awarded the Santander Mobility Award and the Newcastle University Global Excellence Fund, reflecting her excellence in research and development. She also received the 1st poster prize at the International Conference on Materials for Advanced Technologies in Singapore.

Future Plans and Leadership Potential

Continued DEI and Leadership Efforts

Sam is committed to advancing DEI initiatives at Palintest and developing the capabilities of her team. She aims to continue her leadership development, leveraging the skills and knowledge gained from the ‘Grow Your Leadership’ course and the upcoming mentoring programme. Sam is also looking forward to helping others achieve their potential by guiding them as a mentor. Her dedication to mentoring not only supports individual growth but also fosters a culture of continuous learning and development within the organisation.

Community Engagement

Sam plans to expand her involvement in sustainability projects, including the monthly litter picks where the Team Valley Businesses are encouraged to meet up and clean the Valley of litter.