Q&A with Barbara Humpton, Spring 2024 Commencement Speaker

Barbara Humpton, president and CEO of Siemens, is George Mason University’s Spring 2024 Commencement speaker. Humpton guides the technology company’s strategy and engagement in the United States. 

Can you share one piece of personal or professional advice you received that has influenced your life or career and that you would like to impart to this Class of 2024?

Raise your hand. Throughout my career, I’ve often answered the call when someone reached out to me and said, “We need you to do this.” Becoming CEO of Siemens USA was different. I raised my hand and said, “I’m interested.” And when I was selected, there was this real sense of joy that I was coming into a position having expressed confidence and optimism that I could contribute. So I encourage everyone to think about what brings you joy, and then raise your hand for the kinds of jobs that will deliver that.

What is one thing every college student should do in order to set themselves up for success after graduation?

There’s not a single degree or requirement for success. Recognize the variety of opportunities available to you after college. Maybe it’s getting additional training. Maybe it’s pursuing an internship or job. The key is to be in a place where you can continue to learn and grow. Manufacturing is a place that offers this. With so much technological change, it has become a cutting-edge sector of the digital economy where people can engage at any stage of their education or career.

Also, your own mindset matters. Once you are in a field, there might be this sense that you should “move up.” Let me challenge you to ask this, “Which way is up?” For one person, it might mean working more with customers. For another, it might mean becoming an expert in a technical field. “Up” doesn’t always have to mean climbing the management ladder. Finding success is when you figure out which way is up for you and then focus on what needs to be done.

Dr. Washington believes that companies and corporations need to offer infinitely more internship opportunities to better prepare graduates with the skills and experiences employers need. How does Siemens succeed in this area, and how can that be achieved on a large scale?

Businesses have a leadership role to play in workforce development. It’s actually part of my own story. I was a senior in college studying math when IBM came to campus and offered to train me to be a software programmer. It changed my life. And I saw through that experience the value of combining academic training with hands-on training.

We recognize at Siemens that we’re a technology provider with the expertise to help develop the skills needed in high-demand sectors across industry and infrastructure. Our strong internship and talent development programs reflect this. We’ve created opportunities for students across our business—from cybersecurity and electric mobility to engineering, sales, and finance—where they can apply what they learn in the classroom to real-world projects. Both are critical to job readiness and career advancement. In addition, internships help us create the collaboration around workforce development that we need across business, academia, government, and philanthropy to build a next-generation workforce.

How would you say that George Mason’s perspective of “All Together Different” helps prepare students for the workforce?

It’s the right perspective for the moment we’re in right now. Technological advances are enabling us to do things differently than they’ve always been done. We need diverse teams bringing all sorts of ideas to the table. These are the teams that keep us innovative and competitive. Now, the next question is, how do you build them? And our perspective at Siemens is this: Belonging transforms. We want people to feel a sense of belonging on our teams and to be empowered to tap into their individual strengths. Because it’s when we combine our different strengths that we deliver the best results.

What are the three most important qualities your company looks for in an employee, and do you see these qualities in George Mason students?

I think it actually boils down to two qualities: curiosity and initiative. With these qualities we believe we can learn new things and do new things. Mason students have that. They have chosen to come to a top-tier research institution where a sense of wonder is encouraged and where they are supported to learn more. That’s what curiosity and initiative are all about. And these qualities create the growth mindset that we believe is critical as change accelerates—so critical, in fact, we made it one of our four strategic priorities at Siemens, with a focus on lifelong learning and being open to change.

You view the purpose of technology as expanding human potential. What most interests and excites you about current technological breakthroughs or innovations?

We often hear that technology will replace humans. That’s not my view at all. From the first time a human picked up a rock and used it as a tool, tools have elevated the role of the human. Today’s technologies, even something as advanced as artificial intelligence (AI), are no different. What I’m most excited about are the ways in which these tools can connect people without specialized skills to careers in industry and infrastructure. Let’s use AI as an example, what I like to call “augmented intelligence.” What we’re seeing is that AI in industrial environments can be applied in ways that empower people to do more and do more safely. We have tools now that make manufacturing work feel like playing a video game.

You started your podcast, “The Optimistic Outlook,” during the pandemic, because as you said, “in moments of unprecedented disruption we have the greatest opportunity to create the future we want.” How would you say our future has been transformed as a result of the pandemic? 

I’ve been using the term “glocalization” to describe the future. Because what we saw during the pandemic was the need for local decision-making. Our response at Siemens was to let people who were closest to the problem and closest to our customers lead. What happened was business thrived. We’ve embraced this approach ever since.

More broadly, we’re seeing the impact of “glocalization” on manufacturing and what it means for a future that’s more resilient, sustainable, and equitable. By combining global innovation with local production, we can now innovate anywhere and make things everywhere. We’re better prepared for future crises as we drive economic growth.

You and Dr. Washington are both members of the Economic Club of Washington, D.C. What role does George Mason play in the innovation and economic prosperity of Northern Virginia?

George Mason is an incredible institution to have in our region—not only because of its educational impact but because of its societal impact. Mason brings together students from every state in the nation and 130 countries. Think about the synergy that creates around research and collaboration. It’s no wonder that Mason is ranked so highly nationally for innovation. When businesses are looking to invest in the United States, or in areas of Northern Virginia, universities like George Mason are a huge asset. The synergy continues off-campus between industry and academia around a trained workforce.