New Scholarship Established in Sciences to Recruit and Support Women in STEM

Phase Change Solutions, a North-Carolina-based smart materials company, has created a new scholarship in the NC State University College of Sciences aimed at recruiting and supporting women in chemistry. The gift was made in honor of the late Suzanne T. Purrington, a longtime professor of chemistry at NC State.

The gift will create the Dr. Suzanne T. Purrington Scholarship Through Phase Change Solutions. The scholarship will provide awards to students pursuing undergraduate degrees in chemistry, with preference given to students who have demonstrated interest in creating and promoting equal opportunities for women in the field. Scholarship recipients will also be offered a paid internship with Phase Change Solutions.

Purrington was the second woman to join the chemistry faculty when she arrived at NC State in 1976. She remained at the university for 25 years, during that time earning distinctions such as the NC State Outstanding Teacher Award and the Libraries Faculty Award. She passed away in 2023.  “My mother was a champion for women pursuing careers in chemistry and on behalf of our entire family, I am thrilled that Phase Change Solutions has established this scholarship to continue her legacy,” said Nick Purrington, who is also an investor in the company.

Phase Change Solutions, based in Greensboro, N.C., develops products that aim to decarbonize end use applications through temperature management. The company was among the attendees at NC State’s recent ChemEd Summit at Talley Student Union.