OAK RIDGE, Tenn., Aug. 5, 2014 – Oak Ridge National Laboratory retired researcher Peggy Emmett is the recipient of the 2014 U.S. Women in Nuclear Leadership Award, the organization’s highest honor. The award caps a 51-year distinguished career for Emmett, who was recently recognized at a ceremony in Boston.
The award is in recognition of a U.S. WIN member who has made significant contributions and demonstrated leadership in the organization’s three core values: supporting an environment in nuclear energy and nuclear technologies in which both women and men are able to succeed; providing a network through which women in these fields can further their professional development; and providing an organized association through which the public is informed about nuclear energy and nuclear technologies.
Members of the award committee noted Emmett’s contributions to the education of the next generation and encouragement of STEM careers as evidenced by her creation of the SHADES program as well as numerous other activities. SHADES, a statewide project initiated in 1991, is a series of math and science programs for middle school-age girls and their math and science teachers. The program’s goal is to show girls that the STEM fields are fun and interesting and provide excellent career opportunities.
Emmett was also active in the American Nuclear Society, Tanasi Girl Scout Council, the Southeastern Consortium for Minorities in Engineering, the American Association of University Women and the Association for Women in Science.
As a scientist, Emmett’s area of expertise is in Monte Carlo calculations, including SCALE, or Standardized Computer Analyses for Licensing Evaluation, widely regarded as one of the state-of-the-art computer software tools for modeling radiation transport, radiation shielding, criticality safety and spent fuel analysis. In addition, she taught during Tennessee Industries Week at the University of Tennessee.
In winning this award, also known as the Bryant Award, Emmett becomes ORNL’s second recipient of the honor, joining Julie Ezold, who won in 2009. The award was first presented in 2006. Other winners were from industry.
The award was presented July 28 at the U.S. WIN National Conference.
UT-Battelle manages ORNL for the Department of Energy's Office of Science. The Office of Science is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States, and is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit http://energy.gov/science/.