PNNL

Frannie Smith, a chemist in PNNL’s Nuclear Sciences Division, was among the “Notable Women in STEM” recognized in a campaign to highlight outstanding female STEM voices across Washington State.

Washington STEM is a statewide non-profit program that seeks to facilitate science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and career access for all of Washington’s students. Its work leads to opportunities for those students most underserved and underrepresented in STEM fields, including women and girls, students of color, students in poverty, and students in the state’s rural areas.

Smith, a scientist specializing in nuclear waste management and disposal, discovered her passion for the subject as a graduate student in geology. Since then, she has worked alongside experts nationwide to determine the safest, most effective methods of nuclear waste disposal.

Smith is dedicated to communicating the importance of STEM work, as well as making sure that what she learns through her research is accessible to all. She also has been featured on the Daughters of Hanford series by the Northwest News Network.

With stories like Smith’s, Washington STEM hopes to bring a face to STEM careers and inspire students to follow their dreams, regardless of the obstacles that stand in their way. By partnering with teachers across the nation to bring career profiles into classrooms, Washington STEM aims to reach those students who need encouragement the most.