In celebration of Asian American Month, Women of Color Online is doing a series featuring past winners of Women of Color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) awards. Each weekday during the month of May, we highlight one woman of Asian descent.

Sheila Ray began her career as an electrical engineer at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in 2004. She has years of experience in the field of electrical engineering, specifically in the nuclear power industry.

Sheila helps to protect America's public health, safety, and the environment by implementing oversight for nuclear power reactors. She handles licensing reviews of operating nuclear power reactors and reviews applications for the construction of new nuclear power reactors and small modular reactors.

She was also instrumental in developing design criteria for electrical systems for advanced reactors, helping pave the way for future technologies and designs.

In 2019, Sheila was recognized as a Special Recognition honoree at the Women of Color in STEM Conference for her contributions to the NRC’s mission. Sheila makes time to share her experience and knowledge by mentoring and coaching both new and seasoned employees.

In 1999, Sheila served as an electrical engineering intern at Southern Company Services. One of her duties involved organizing and updating the fuse book for the Edwin Irby Hatch Nuclear Power Plant in the state of Georgia. A few years later, the NRC extended the operating licenses for the plant's reactors for an additional twenty years.

Sheila earned a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign and a master's degree, also in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois. She is also a graduate of the Nuclear Safety Professional Program.