Clarice Evone Phelps
Personal Information
Born: 1981
Country of Birth: USA
Nationality: USA
Ethnicity: Black
Education
Tennessee State University BS Chemistry 2000; University of Texas Austin MS Mechanical Engineering 2020; currently a PhD student at University of Tennessee Knoxville
Professional Life
Field of Study: Nuclear Chemistry
Institution/Corporation: Oak Ridge National Laboratory; University of Tennessee Knoxville
Degrees & Memberships: Member: American Chemical Society Alpha Kappa Alpha Vice President of the Board of Youth Outreach in Science Technology Engineering & Mathematics (YO-STEM) Educational Outreach Committee for the Nuclear Science & Engineering Directorate ORNLs African American Resource Council (AARC)
Awards & Achievements
Awards: 2017 YWCA Knoxville Tribute to Women Award; 2019 selected by International Union for Pure & Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) Periodic Table of Young Chemists element einseinium; 2020 named 1 of Top 40 Under 40 Knoxville News Sentinel; 2021 GEM Fellow; Military Excellence Award; 2023 named to Peoples 23 People Changing the World list
Achievements: first African-American woman to help discover a chemical element; formerly in US Navy Nuclear Power Program & served on the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan for 4 years where she was in charge of maintaining the chemistry & radiological controls; active in several school STEM outreach programs in Tennessee schools
Part of the team that discovered tennessine
Researches the processing of radioactive transuranic elements at the US Dept of Energy Oak Ridge National Lab (ORNL)
1st African-American female involved in the discovery of a chemical element, the 2nd heaviest known element
Previously investigated the industrial uses of nickel-63 & selenium-75
Struggled academically in college
Couldn't find a job after graduation & joined the Navy; went to Nuclear Power School & learned "how to study" & graduated in the top 10% of her class
Spent 4 years on the USS Ronald Reaganoperating the nuclear reactor & steam generator chemistry controls
At a gala at ORNL to celebrate tennessine her name was left off the list & off a plaque; the lab claimed the error was quickly corrected but she fought for several months to have her name added to the plaque before they acquiesced
Is involved in several outreach programs to increase youth participation in STEM