Dr. Betty Wright Harris a Precocious Woman


Dr. Betty Wright Harris

Dr. Betty Wright Harris was born on July 29, 1940, to Legertha and Henry Wright. Her parents purchased the land they farmed when Betty was in middle school. Legertha taught her children the importance of hard work and education. Betty was advanced in her studies starting her college journey at 16 years old. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, minoring in Mathematics at Southern University. Two years later she obtained a Master of Science in Chemistry at Atlanta University. Betty didn't stop there. She went on to receive her doctoral degree at University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee. In 1973 Betty earned a Ph.D. in Chemistry at University of New Mexico.

Betty went to New Mexico working at Los Alamos National Laboratory becoming an expert in explosives and nuclear weapons especially hazardous materials cleanup and environmental restoration. As Betty became proficient in explosives, she invented the TATB spot test. Betty created a summer program for high school students, and Girl Scouts chemistry badge. In 2002 Betty retired from Los Alamos National Laboratory. She became a certified document reviewer which decides if documents should be kept a secret or share with the public at U.S. Department of Energy Office of Classification. Dr. Betty Wright Harris is a member of the American Chemical Society, Women in Science and Engineering, and American Society for the Advancement of Science. 

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