As SCE celebrates Women’s History Month in March and Diversity Month in  April, chemist Kathleen Yhip is being honored as a role model for young  women.

“Work hard, decide what you want and work to get there.” That’s the advice  chemist Yhip gives young girls who are interested in careers in the science,  technology, engineering and math fields.

Yhip, the technical assistant to the site vice president at Southern  California Edison’s San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, tells girls not to  wait for permission to succeed in the STEM fields. That advice has held true for  Yhip, who has worked at the San Onofre nuclear power plant since 1984, starting  as a chemistry technician. 

Since then, Yhip has risen through the ranks as a chemistry engineer and the  chemistry environmental engineering supervisor, a position she held from 1987 to  1992. 

Yhip has always given back to local nonprofit organizations, making time to  volunteer on the board of the Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center of  Orange County and for Susan G. Komen for the Cure Orange County.

Of Chinese and Indian descent, Yhip was born in the Bahamas to parents from  Guyana. Her parents pushed her to study the sciences, encouraging extra homework  assignments. 

“They set the pattern for my life,” said Yhip. She later graduated from the  Florida Institute of Technology.