EB principal engineer to receive 'Women in Science' leadership award

The Connecticut Science Center on Friday announced Kimberly McLean, principal engineer for Electric Boat, as the winner of its first Petit Family Foundation Women in Science Leadership Award.

The new award was established as part of the Science Center’s Celebrating Women in Science initiative and recognizes exceptional leadership in promoting participation and interest of women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), the center said.

The Science Center’s Women in Science steering committee selected McLean based on her mentorship, encouraging hundreds of young women to explore science and engineering through volunteer work with the Girl Scouts of Connecticut spanning 16 years, developing annual events and activities. She is also a founding member of the Society for Women Engineers New England Shoreline Section.

“I am very excited and honored to be the first recipient of this award,” said McLean. “STEM careers give girls an opportunity to make a difference in their lives and make the world a better place. It is important to me to encourage girls to pursue science and engineering, just as I was encouraged by others many years ago.”

The award will be presented Saturday night at the Connecticut Science Center’s Green Gala. The award is part of the Science Center’s Celebrating Women in Science initiative, a two year effort to raise the profile of women in the sciences and encourage girls and young women to pursue studies and careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The Green Gala event will feature tapas dining on every floor, full bars and dancing. Tickets are $175 each and available on the Science Center’s website at http://www.CTScienceCenter.org/gala. Benefactor ticketholders ($250 each) are invited to a pre-event President’s Champagne Reception from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., prior to the event. President’s Reception attendees will be joined by honored guest Jared Cohen and receive a signed copy of his best-seller, The New Digital Age. The Leadership Awards for Science Education and Women in Science will be presented at 9:45 p.m..

"Ms. McLean represents the best in Connecticut in the STEM fields. She is an excellent mentor and true teacher. Helping others learn sciences creates a stronger and more vibrant society for all of us,” said Dr. William Petit. “The Petit Family Foundation is honored to be associated with Ms. McLean and the Connecticut Science Center."