Women in Nuclear

Women have made substantial contributions to chemistry, physics and nuclear science from the earliest days of exploration of radiation through to the development of nuclear power. These contributions continue today, despite most women experiencing severe obstacles and handicaps in access to education, research and employment opportunities and funding. Many succeeded anyway, sometimes at great personal cost. In honor of Women’s History Month, we are pleased to introduce a few of these amazing scientists, researchers, innovators, regulators and leaders to you. Names in white (with corresponding black and white images) are historical contributors. Names in gold (and color images) are contemporary women working today. (Some contemporary women in the below list link directly to their LinkedIn profiles and you’ll find their image there.)

Rumina Velshi

Rumina Velshi

Rumina Velshi was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the CNSC in August 2018. Ms. Velshi has had a long ...
Lou-Martinez-Sancho

Lou Martinez Sancho

Lou Martinez Sancho is CTO at Westinghouse Electric Company, where she steers global R&D and innovation at the intersection of ...
Adriènne Kelbie

Adriènne Kelbie

Adrienne Kelbie CBE is a champion of inclusive leadership in nuclear. As the former Chief Executive of the UK’s nuclear ...
Eunice Newton Foote

Eunice Newton Foote

Eunice Newton Foote, a descendant of Sir Isaac Newton through her father, is believed to be the first scientist to ...
Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar New

Mary Lou Dunzik-Gougar

Mary Lou is the associate dean of the Idaho State University (ISU) College of Science and a senior reactor operator ...
Princess Mthombeni

Princess Mthombeni

Princess Mthombeni is a trailblazing nuclear communications strategist and founder of Africa4Nuclear, using media, movement-building, and global platforms to reshape ...
Chien-Shiung Wu

Chien-Shiung Wu

Chien-Shiung Wu, also known as the “First Lady of Physics,” was a Chinese American particle and experimental physicist who worked ...
Tikvah Alper

Tikvah Alper

Tikvah Alper (1909 - 1995) was a renowned radiobiologist and physicist whose work on identifying the infection agent in Scrapie ...
Jessica Lovering

Jessica Lovering

Jessica Lovering is a nuclear policy expert and co-founder of Good Energy Collective, with fellowships at the Energy for Growth ...
Zahra Mohaghegh

Zahra Mohaghegh

Zahra Mohaghegh is a Professor and Donald Biggar Willett Faculty Scholar in Nuclear, Plasma, and Radiological Engineering at the University ...
Rachel Pritzker

Rachel Pritzker

Rachel Pritzker is shaping the climate, democracy, and energy agenda as founder of the Pritzker Innovation Fund and chair of ...
Rita Baranwal

Rita Baranwal

Dr. Rita Baranwal is the Chief Nuclear Officer at Radiant, a Nucleation portfolio company that pioneers the world’s first mass-produced ...

Organizations Supporting Women in Nuclear

  • WiN Global (Women in Nuclear Global) — an organization of women working professionally in various fields of nuclear energy and radiation applications, with 35,000 members working in 129 countries.
  • Women in Nuclear IAEA — WiN IAEA is an organization based in Vienna committed to the advancement of qualified women in the nuclear and radiation professions.
  • Nucleation Capital — the first venture fund devoted to investing in advanced nuclear innovation and other deep decarbonization technologies and a firm founded by a woman, is pleased to have provided grant funding to the University of California at Berkeley to provide stipends to female nuclear engineering students seeking summer internships.

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