In celebration of the many contributions and achievements of women in the energy sector and beyond, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Economic Impact and Diversity (ED) hosted its 2023 Women’s History Month (WHM) Observance Ceremony on March 28, 2023.
President Biden’s Proclamation on Women’s History Month reflected on how women have historically and consistently paved the way in “advancing rights and opportunities for women and girls in the United States and around the world.”
“The full participation of women is a foundational tenet of democracy,” said President Biden. “Throughout history, these women have opened the doors of opportunity for subsequent generations of dreamers and doers.”
During DOE’s WHM Observance Ceremony, Secretary Jennifer M. Granholm and ED Director Shalanda H. Baker emphasized the importance of empowering women in the energy industry, as well as exploring the barriers still existing for women in the field and beyond.
“Within the energy sector, women’s representation lags behind the other sectors—again, in the United States, and across the world,” said Director Baker. “However, as women overcome barriers and take on leadership roles in multiple areas—including the leadership of our Agency—we bring attention and solutions to these challenges.”
ED Director Shalanda H. Baker gives opening remarks at DOE’s 2023 Women’s History Month ceremony.
“We are grappling with perhaps the greatest threat humankind has ever faced: climate change,” said Secretary Granholm. “To fight it, we need every ounce of talent we can muster. But there are still all too many barriers blocking all too many women from participating. Study after study has shown that diverse teams think more creatively, make better decisions, and achieve better results. So, we have to break down those barriers. Particularly along the path to DOE’s doors.”
Dr. Geraldine Richmond, Under Secretary for Science and Innovation, provided the keynote address where she talked about her career path, as well as some of the work she’s done to get more women in leadership roles within STEM nationwide and around the world. In her role, Dr. Richmond oversees DOE’s Office of Science, the largest federal sponsor of basic research in the physical sciences in the U.S., DOE’s applied R&D offices of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Fossil Energy and Carbon Management, Nuclear Energy, and Electricity, as well as 13 of DOE’s national laboratories.
Other highlights from the WHM Observance Ceremony included remarks from Veronica Jackson, Energy and Environmental Justice Policy Advisor in ED; a presentation on the importance of allyship from Kim Graham Lee, CEO of Integrating Women Leaders Foundation (IWL); and closing remarks from Patricia Zarate, Deputy Director, Office of Civil Rights and Equal Employment Opportunity.
In addition to the internal DOE celebration, on March 23, DOE hosted its virtual Women’s History Month program to more than 5,000 online viewers. Programming consisted of the Honorable Congresswoman Nanette Barragán (CA-44) as the keynote speaker and a panel discussion with several outstanding women leading the way at the department. To see the entirety of the program, click here.
Ceremonies like the one for Women’s History Month aim to raise awareness about the importance of empowering women in the energy industry, and help create an environment of diversity, equity, and inclusion. It is also the Department’s goal to continue to make strides towards gender parity in the energy sector by increasing the number of women in leadership positions and encouraging the advancement of women in all aspects of the energy industry.
Learn more about our work via the Office of Economic Impact and Diversity, and follow @ENERGY on Twitter for spotlights about women impacting the energy sector.