Women’s History Month: Celebrating Powerful U.S. Women in the Energy Industry
International Women’s Day is here — a day that is recognized annually on March 8 to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.
What began as an early 20th century movement and call to action for equality has since evolved into a day that is observed globally by many, and as an official holiday by some countries.
While a major objective of International Women’s Day is to uplift women and their various achievements, it also presents an opportunity for millions across the world to raise awareness on inequality issues and other gender gaps that exist in society today.
Recent reports suggest that women remain underrepresented in the energy industry today. Each year, the United States Department of Energy (DOE) collects data and releases Energy & Employment Reports, revealing demographic information about employment across U.S. energy sectors. Although women make up nearly half of the country’s workforce, research showed that they held just 26% of energy jobs in 2023.
Today and every day, the National Energy Improvement Fund (NEIF) is grateful for and proud of the women who help make our own team stronger and operations more efficient. In honor of International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month this March, NEIF is highlighting just a few of many brilliant women throughout history whose work has paved the way for advancements in clean energy and sustainability research.
History of Women in Energy — Notable Women
Edith Clarke
Today’s smart grid technology is due, in part, to the milestone achievements of Edith Clarke (1883-1959). Not only is Clarke recognized as the first woman to earn her master’s degree in electrical engineering from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1919, but she also became the first U.S. female electrical engineer just a few years later. She is credited with the invention of the Clarke Calculator, a graphical calculator that greatly simplified problems with electric power transmission lines.
Mária Telkes
Another female with ties to MIT was Mária Telkes (1900-1995), who later earned the nickname the “Sun Queen” for her trailblazing research in solar energy. Telkes made history during World War II for her invention of a solar-powered desalination kit that could be used in emergencies, making ocean water drinkable for stranded pilots and sailors. She also made significant contributions to the capabilities of residential solar-powered heating systems, having worked closely with the DOE in 1980 to create the first solar-electric home.
Annie Easley
Annie Easley (1933-2011) broke ground in the 1950s as only one of four African Americans serving as a “human computer” for the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA), where she supported researchers by working out complex mathematical calculations by hand. During Easley’s tenure with NACA and later with space program NASA, she performed innovative energy research and worked on projects involving solar, wind, and battery technology that later laid the groundwork for hybrid vehicles.
Hazel R. O’Leary
Like many of her African American peers at the time, Hazel R. O’Leary (1937-Present) was educated in a segregated school district in Virginia for her first several years of schooling before being sent to live with an aunt in New Jersey. O’Leary went on to break numerous glass ceilings for both women and African Americans, having been appointed as the first female and first African American to serve as the United States Secretary of Energy in 1993. She is recognized for her efforts in pushing funding of renewable energy and other sustainability measures.
Women’s history is American history — and NEIF will continue to empower the strong women on our team and beyond as we advance the availability and affordability of energy-efficient technology for Americans.
