IfThenSheCan: Smithsonian honors ORNL scientist with life-size statue

Jennifer Burke
·2 min read
Oak Ridge National Laboratory manufacturing scientist Amy Elliott, with son John Luke, is among the women in STEM featured with a life-size statue in a new exhibit, IfThenSheCan, at the Smithsonian to commemorate Women in History month.
Oak Ridge National Laboratory manufacturing scientist Amy Elliott, with son John Luke, is among the women in STEM featured with a life-size statue in a new exhibit, IfThenSheCan, at the Smithsonian to commemorate Women in History month.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Amy Elliott is one of 120 women featured in a new exhibit, IfThenSheCan, at the Smithsonian to commemorate Women in History month.

A life-size, 3D-printed statue of Elliott, a manufacturing scientist, is now on display in the Smithsonian Castle in Washington, D.C., through March 27. The statues recognize women who have excelled in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, and is the largest collection of women statues ever assembled.

Elliott, who leads ORNL’s robotics and intelligent systems group, specializes in the inkjet-based 3D printing of metals and ceramics, a technology designed to enhance and transform advanced manufacturing in the automotive, aerospace and power generating sectors. Her inventions have been licensed by industry and have won prestigious awards, including two R&D 100 Awards. She also holds several patents and licenses including a method for 3D metal printing and additive manufacturing of aluminum boron carbide metal composites.

“As a 3D printing researcher, it was so cool to get 3D scanned for the statue and printed while expecting my first child,” Elliott said. “I love being a STEM mom and feel so honored to be part of history and the IfThenSheCan exhibit.”

Elliott met with Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm, DOE Under Secretary for Science and Innovation Geri Richmond and National Nuclear Security Administrator Jill Hruby, who toured the statues during the exhibit’s opening weekend.

In addition to the IfThenSheCan honor, Elliott was named one of the top 20 women in robotics from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers; was awarded the 2021 Tennessee Valley YWCA Tribute to Women Award in the category of science, technology and environment; and was named to the 40 Under 40 Knox.biz class, recognizing industry innovators.

Elliott has appeared on Discovery Channel’s reality TV show, "The Big Brain Theory," where she placed second out of 10 contestants. She was recruited by the Science Channel to co-host "Outrageous Acts of Science," and has traveled the world to co-host the "RoboNation" TV web series. Most recently, her work was featured on a segment of CBS’ "Mission Unstoppable."

A native of Fayetteville, Tennessee, Elliott earned her doctorate from Virginia Tech, where she was project lead for the world’s first 3D-printing vending machine, the DreamVendor. She joined ORNL in 2013 as a researcher working in the Department of Energy’s Manufacturing Demonstration Facility at ORNL.

Amy Elliott, 3D Printing Scientist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 40 under 40 Class of 2021. Pictured in Knoxville, Tenn. on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021.
Amy Elliott, 3D Printing Scientist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, 40 under 40 Class of 2021. Pictured in Knoxville, Tenn. on Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021.
The IfThenSheCan exhibit runs through March 27, 2022 at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
The IfThenSheCan exhibit runs through March 27, 2022 at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, left, meets Oak Ridge National Laboratory manufacturing scientist Amy M. Elliott and her son, John Luke, at the IfThenSheCan exhibit at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.
U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, left, meets Oak Ridge National Laboratory manufacturing scientist Amy M. Elliott and her son, John Luke, at the IfThenSheCan exhibit at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C.

This article originally appeared on Oakridger: IfThenSheCan: Smithsonian honors ORNL scientist with life-size statue