Women's History Month Profile: Ranjani Siriwardane

Ranjani Siriwardane, a research scientist at NETL for 33 years, is one of the Lab’s most prolific researchers. She is the co-inventor of 26 U.S. patents and has earned numerous scientific awards for discoveries that have had a profound impact on the production of clean and affordable electricity.

Her projects include sorbent development to remove sulfur from fuel gasification processes and to capture carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, generated by energy plants and industrial processes. Ranjani also specializes in the development of catalysts and oxygen carriers to produce hydrogen, a clean fuel.

Ranjani’s academic and scientific accomplishments would not have been possible without the support of family members, teachers and others who recognized her early interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), and encouraged her to pursue her dreams and overcome obstacles growing up in Sri Lanka, an island nation in South Asia.

In Sri Lanka, Ranjani explained, women were encouraged to take STEM classes, but mainly in the biological sciences only. Far less emphasis was given to placing women in educational programs for mathematically oriented physical sciences.

However, when Ranjani demonstrated a strong interest in math in the sixth grade, her parents began guiding their daughter toward higher education despite societal norms deterring women from those STEM studies.

Ranjani completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Sri Lanka, with a major in chemistry and a minor in physics. She earned her doctorate in physical chemistry at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

She serves as a scientific judge for the West Virginia Regional Science Bowl and on the NETL committee that plans events to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Ranjani also provides free tutoring to students at West Virginia University and local high schools. She believes it’s important for students to receive individual tutoring so they do not drop out of a program because of one bad grade in a math or science class.

Why is it important that women are equally represented in STEM fields?

Contributions by a large percentage of our population to improve our society will be wasted if women don’t participate in STEM fields. Women who were fortunate to participate in STEM careers, even with difficulty, have contributed to new inventions that have helped to improve our standards of living. STEM careers are very rewarding and many women don’t get to participate in them because they were discouraged due to ignorance and negative stereotypes. It is important for us to provide opportunities so that girls and young women receive STEM education and are encouraged to pursue careers in science and math.

What is one highlight of your career at NETL that you would like to share?

It is especially rewarding when a project that is developed in the lab is used in industry or elsewhere to improve our air quality and standards of living. I have had several opportunities to participate in this. That sense of satisfaction inspires me.
 

Ranjani Siriwardane