“I think we’ve come a really long way.”
Sarah Widder
December 3, 2012 | Sarah Widder
Sarah Widder, a research engineer at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), shares her experience as a young woman in the workplace.
Widder’s work focuses on the application of technology, standards, and regulations to meet sustainable design, energy efficiency, and greenhouse-gas management goals. Before joining PNNL she participated in the Washington Internships for Students in Engineering program in Washington, D.C., writing policy recommendations concerning nuclear-waste management and researching the merits of reprocessing and recycling spent nuclear fuel. As a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers she serves on multiple national and local boards promoting sustainability and civil involvement at the educational and professional levels. She is also a member of ASHRAE and the Society of Women Engineers and is on the board of directors of her local co-op. Widder earned a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Washington and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in civil/environmental engineering from Washington State University.