In this episode, Lucie Nurdin, a chemical engineer and former interim technical director at Terraform Industries, shares her journey transitioning from academia to the startup world and from individual contributor to manager. She discusses the technical challenges of developing economically viable synthetic fuels from CO2 and sunlight, and reflects on her experiences leading and growing a technical team. Lucie Nurdin talks about building trust, effective delegation, fostering team communication, and the importance of empowering people by leveraging both their strengths and weaknesses. She also offers insight on how to create a collaborative and feedback-driven work environment, drawing on lessons learned from both academic research and her leadership role in industry.