Los Alamos' Betty Harris selected to receive a 1999 Governor's award for outstanding New Mexico women

Contact: Steve Sandoval, (505) 665-9206 (99-064)

Recent News Los Alamos scientist named Asian American Engineer of the Year Los Alamos scientist featured in NASA science update Los Alamos muon detector could thwart nuclear smugglers Wojciech H. Zurek named Phi Beta Kappa visiting scholar Four Los Alamos physicists honored by American Physical Society Los Alamos National Laboratory organizations earn seven out of 13 NNSA Pollution Prevention awards Carter Hydrick returns to the Bradbury Science Museum Feb. 15 Laboratory supports summer science program New NASA IBEX mission to carry Los Alamos instrument Beason takes top threat reduction post at Los Alamos

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., April 14, 1999 -- Betty Harris, a chemist at the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, has been selected to receive a 1999 Governor's Award for Outstanding New Mexico Women.

Harris was one of 30 New Mexico women honored in the 14th annual competition, sponsored by the New Mexico Commission on the Status of Women and the Governor's Office.

Harris will be recognized at the Governor's Award for Outstanding New Mexico Women banquet May 22 in Albuquerque. The banquet begins at 6 p.m. at the Albuquerque Hyatt Regency Hotel downtown. Tickets are $35 and can be purchased by calling the Commission on the Status of Women at (800) 432-9168.

"I received the notification in the mail that I had been nominated and oh, it was a wonderful surprise and made me smile," said Harris. "Then when I found out that I had been selected, that really elevated me adrenaline.

"It is so exciting and at the same very humbling to realize that other people appreciate who you are and what you do in life, said Harris. "I sincerely appreciate this award and the person or people who nominated me."

The Commission on the Status of Women annually honors women from around the state who are actively involved in their communities, are leaders in their profession or occupation and have worked to implement positive change in their community.

Of the 30 women recognized annually, two are selected for induction to the New Mexico Women's Hall of Fame in September.

Harris, of Los Alamos' Chemistry and Metallurgy Research/Analytical Chemistry Group, is currently assigned to the Laboratory's Diversity Office where she is working on a program to better utilize résumés the Human Resources Division receives from underrepresented groups. She also is working on a project that will help prepare members of underrepresented groups for positions in upper management.

Harris joined Los Alamos as a visiting staff member and has been at the Laboratory continuously - save for two leaves of absence to pursue a doctoral degree and a two-year stint in the mid 1980s with a San Diego company, Solar Turbine Inc. - since 1970.

Prior to joining Los Alamos, Harris taught chemistry at Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, Miss., and Southern University's New Orleans campus, and at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Harris serves on the African American Diversity Working Group, one of six employee working groups at the Laboratory. She also is actively involved in science education outreach programs in Northern New Mexico, acts as a mentor to college students working summers at Los Alamos, and recently worked with Girl Scouts to develop a chemistry badge similar to the chemistry merit badge of Boy Scouts.

She has served as president of the New Mexico Business and Professional Women's organization and holds membership in a number of professional associations, including the American Chemical Society.

In 1996, Harris was one of eight women profiled in a "Women in Science" compact disc for computers produced for the National Science Foundation. She was selected for inclusion in the CD-ROM after a nationwide search.

Harris has bachelor's, masters and doctoral degrees in chemistry from Southern University in Baton Rouge, La., Atlanta University and the University of New Mexico respectively.