NES Celebrates Women’s History Month

NES is proud to celebrate Women’s History Month throughout March! Today, women only make up 32% of the renewable energy sector. Each year, we commemorate women who inspire us, both at NES and around the globe.

Within our own organization, we have a dynamic group of women who contribute to powering Music City. Teresa Broyles-Aplin serves as our President and CEO. She is NES’ first female President and CEO. Prior to serving as President and CEO, Broyles- Aplin served as NES’ Chief Financial Officer.

NES is honored to highlight women who have continued to advance the energy sector globally. Here are some female innovators we admire:

In 1922, Edith Clarke became the US’ first female electrical engineer when she was hired by General Electric. During her time there, she invented the Clarke Calculator—a tool used to solve electric power transmission line problems that gave way to today’s “smart grid” technology.

Mária Telkes was a Hungarian-American pioneer in solar energy technologies. The Sun Queen, as she became known, created the first solar-powered heating system and, in 1980, worked with the U.S. Department of Energy to create the first home powered solely by the sun.

Through her work at Argonne National Laboratory, Lei Cheng helped create a database that identifies next-gen battery technologies to further electrify transportation for a cleaner future.

Denise Gray not only founded General Motors battery lab, but the “battery czar” also led the charge for the lithium-ion battery system used in the brand’s hybrid vehicles. Her work also earned her the title of Technologist of the Year in Women of Color magazine in 2017.

Interested in learning more about women who inspire us? Follow our Instagram page @nashvilleelectric to hear from women at NES and the women who inspire them.