In honor of Women’s History Month, LM would like to highlight four professionals who embody excellence in their careers and provide insights into how we invite more girls and women into STEM education and careers.
Darina Castillo is an LM site manager and Presidential Management Fellow with a background in environmental engineering and experience in hydrology, environmental policy, remote sensing, and geographic information system mapping.
Castillo’s day-to-day role as manager of multiple sites requires her to leverage her education and experience in project and contract management, site inspections, and groundwater sampling, in addition to regularly meeting with community leaders, such as elected officials and staff from various regulatory agencies. The unique intersection of science and history in the Manhattan Project and Cold War sites that Castillo manages sustains her passion for her work at LM.
As a Black woman in a traditionally male-dominated industry, the weight of her own history is not lost on Castillo. In fact, she hopes it shows other young women of color that they, too, can make a difference. “I occasionally get the opportunity to mentor students of color on choosing the pathway of federal government careers, which isn’t the easiest avenue to navigate," said Castillo, who makes a point to let students know how gratifying the work can be.
Joyce Chavez, LM’s Reuse Asset manager, leads the office’s initiatives to evaluate and determine land management and facility reuse options to optimize public use of former contaminated sites. Chavez is also one of the LM’s two National Environmental Policy Act compliance officers. Her STEM journey began at an early age with a passion for science and nature that was supported by teachers and mentors.
Chavez sees the value of STEM education for young girls and other underrepresented groups, extending beyond career readiness and training and into character development. “Science also teaches individuals about resiliency. If at first you don’t succeed, try again. As all good scientists know, to grow you must fail and learn from your mistakes. Stay persistent and keep trying!"
Melinda Downing has served more than 40 years at the U.S. Department of Energy and currently sits as the first and only Environmental Justice program manager. Although the program is under the LM umbrella, it is a DOE-wide initiative. Under Downing’s leadership, the program supports policies that provide benefits to adversely affected communities. It is her belief that all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or income, have the right to a clean and healthy environment.
Downing has elevated the EJ Program to one of prominence in DOE and in the country. She has created near-term program objectives that include building capacity in affected communities; shifting discourses that centralize the voices of those most impacted by EJ; and strengthening relationships between citizens, environmental and community organizations, educational institutions, and governmental agencies.
Downing is the recipient of numerous awards in recognition of her EJ achievements and four-decades long dedication as a public servant, including being named DOE Woman of the Year and receiving an honorary doctorate from Allen University.
Sue Smiley concluded a 30-year career with DOE in December 2020, with her final assignment as an LM site manager and industry expert on site closure, environmental cleanup design and execution, and long-term surveillance and maintenance remedies. She is a certified project management professional and a registered environmental manager.
Smiley’s early career was shaped by her professional mentors who recognized her talent and offered her opportunities to develop expertise and experience that would later translate into her success as a subject matter expert and leader in the environmental remediation industry.
To young professionals looking to build a career in STEM, Smiley recommends a well-rounded, team-focused approach. “Having a strong technical background is only one component of being competent," Smiley said. “It’s also important to understand and recognize the value of work performed by others, often operating behind the scenes on the team."
Inspiration, mentorship, and resilience is the common thread connecting the diverse careers of these four LM professionals. DOE is committed to advancing women's participation and leadership in the energy workforce, and in furthering STEM education by working in partnership with stakeholders to inspire girls and women to go into science, technology, engineering, and math careers and seeking to remove barriers to participation in STEM.
