70. Marisol Barrero

Cincinnati, Ohio · Arts and Sciences

marisolb51@gmail.com

Tell us about what you're doing with your life.
I am lead ergonomist for Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, where I am responsible for developing standards, tools, and systems through which Toyota creates ergonomic processes in North American manufacturing operations. I often travel to plants across the US, Canada, and Mexico, as well as to Japan. Prior to the seven years I have spent with Toyota, I worked in ergonomics consulting for five years. I work in Northern Kentucky, but live across the Ohio river in Cincinnati, Ohio. I have been married to Jack for almost ten years and have two little boys. Julian is two and Marco is four. There is little spare time, but when there is, I love to exercise, cook, and find the next great bottle of wine. 

What was your favorite class at Cornell, or the one you found the most useful?
Wines and Cooking were extremely useful courses that I use in everyday life. The one that defined my career path, however, was DEA 150 (Intro to Human-Environmental Relations) with Gary Evans. I took it senior year and wished that I had taken it sooner as I was so fascinated with ergonomics, product design, and the physical environment. I actually went back to Cornell in 1998 for a Masters in DEA, concentrating in ergonomics, and I have been in the field ever since.

What is your favorite memory of your time at Cornell?
So many…freshman year football games, walks to and from my North Campus low rise from Collegetown, the BIG snow storm sophomore year when they shut down classes, living with my 11 awesome housemates in one big house senior year and the wine and cheese party we had there in the fall, senior year Spring Break trip to Jamaica, and all Slope Days. Most of all, walking through the campus super tired and stressed at times but still marveling in the beauty of the campus and the architecture.

What are you most looking forward to at Reunion 2015?
I hope Hot Truck will be around—there's a WGC out there with my name on it. I also can't wait to show my kids the beautiful area where mommy spent seven years for undergrad and grad, and begin to explain why "Ithaca is Gorges"!