Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Thomas Proffen, a neutron scattering scientist, has been awarded the 2025 STEM Advocate Award by the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network for his outstanding contributions to inspiring students in technology. Proffen’s efforts focus on promoting coding, robotics and STEM education among youth.
Devoted to his passion for educational outreach, Proffen founded Oak Ridge Computer Science Girls (ORCSGirls) in 2017 to encourage middle school girls in East Tennessee to explore careers in technology and help close the gender gap in related professions. To date, ORCSGirls has served more than 1,500 young women from across the U.S. and beyond. Proffen also volunteers as a facilitator for Science Accelerating Growth and Engagement in STEM, or SAGE, at ORNL. Hosted by the Department of Energy national laboratories, SAGE provides a free week-long summer camp for high school students to learn about working in STEM fields.
“I am particularly excited that the award recognizes my work with ORNL (Hour of Code, Science Fair, SAGE) and my work with Oak Ridge Computer Science Girls,” said Proffen.
Proffen shared that one of the best parts is giving students a safe space to explore challenging course material in a way that makes them feel confident asking questions and stepping out of their comfort zones.
“Thomas’s work toward outreach is admirable,” said Clarina dela Cruz, leader of the Powder Diffraction group, “and something ORNL scientists can aspire to include as part of our work to truly live up to our role as scientists working on problems of the present and future while also preparing the next generation.”
Tennessee STEM Innovation Network is a nonprofit organization based in Nashville, Tennessee. Their mission is to promote and expand the teaching and learning of STEM education in K-12 schools across Tennessee.
Katie McKee, a teacher from Midway Middle School who nominated him for the award, describes Proffen as a mentor who provides positive outreach to students and pours confidence into them.
“We are thankful for all Dr. Proffen has done for our school and community,” McKee said. “We know that time is precious, but Dr. Proffen never hesitates to lend support when we ask. As our very first guest speaker from ORNL, not only did he have a wealth of knowledge, but he also had a passion for working with students and introducing them to computer science. It was contagious.”
UT-Battelle manages ORNL for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. The Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, please visit energy.gov/science. — Sumner Brown Gibbs and Kaeli Dickert
