5 Stories of Women Who Are Making a Difference In Energy Today

In honor of Women’s History Month, we’re celebrating the hardworking women who are leaders in energy.

While the nuclear energy industry has made great strides in increasing gender diversity, our workforce is still predominantly male, with women making up less than 25 percent of the nuclear sector workforce worldwide. That’s why NEI is committed to fostering a culture that encourages gender diversity and increasing representation of women in the sector. We’ve signed onto a Diversity Challenge to raise awareness about diversity and inclusion and are proud to support groups like U.S. Women In Nuclear and Gender Champions in Nuclear Policy.

To spotlight how women are impacting energy, here are five recent stories featuring women who are an important part of the nuclear and energy sectors.

1. Women Share Their Experiences in Energy on Off the Menu
   
   During an “Off The Menu” episode taping last year, the cameras continued rolling as guest Katherine Hamilton and host Monica Trauzzi had an open, frank dialogue about what it’s like being a woman in the energy industry.
   
   Katherine called out the importance of representation for women by saying, “Young women listen and if they hear somebody who sounds like them, they can relate and feel like they have a place.”
   
   This video extra is a must-see conversation from two female leaders.
    

   Monica and Katherine Hamilton had a candid conversation on their experiences in the energy sector- and the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry.
   
   Listen to their conversation: https://t.co/fuZrUmTVBu#OffTheMenuWithMonica@MonicaTrauzzi @CleanGridView pic.twitter.com/RgtljeI7c4

   — Nuclear Energy Inst. (@NEI) May 17, 2019

2. How the Navy Prepared Me to Become a Leader in the Nuclear Industry
   
   During her time in the nuclear Navy, Zabrina Johal experienced the challenges that come with a lack of gender diversity.
   
   “The first ship I was on I was one of the only females, and it presented a lot of challenges, especially in the leadership aspect of trying to lead teams where I was a young female, and it really took a lot to gain that trust and the respect in order to have someone really want to work with a female officer and work under one.”
   
   Now, as the director of business development for General Atomics, Zabrina is an outspoken advocate for nuclear technology that generates nearly 55 percent of our country’s carbon-free electricity.
3. With Climate Change on Her Mind, This Engineer Sees a Future in Nuclear 
   
   Katie Mummah sees herself as more than just a nuclear engineer and graduate student—she’s an environmentalist and advocate for carbon-free energy. Her commitment to protecting our environment and reducing carbon emissions has been a driving force in selecting her career path in the nuclear field.
   
   “Many of the benefits of nuclear power are synergistic with environmentalism, so for me, being a nuclear engineer and environmentalist have always gone hand in hand.”
4. What Being a Mother Taught NEI’s Maria Korsnick About Leading in a Male-Dominated Field 
   
   As the country’s first female chief nuclear officer, our president and chief executive officer, Maria Korsnick, has been a trailblazer for women in nuclear. As a leader, she has set a strong example of inclusivity and diversity of thought and experience.
   
   “Whether it's your board room or your direct leadership team, diversity should be apparent, and if it's not, you should be thoughtful about ways to include it.”
5. North Anna Nuclear Plant Engineer Driven by Service to Others 
   
   At North Anna Power Station in Virginia, Alex Garcia performs critical functions that keep the plant generating reliable electricity 24/7.
   
   “Many industries have a lot to learn from nuclear in the way we manage the plant on a daily basis and the way we manage the upgrades and maintenance we perform on the plant,” she says.
   
   Outside of her work as an engineer, Alex is dedicated to community building and service; in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, she persuaded leadership at Dominion Energy to support relief efforts for her native Puerto Rico by installing solar panels to be used as microgrids.