Distinguished New Engineer

Emily Schrock is a principal member of the technical staff at Sandia National Laboratories, researching compact pulsed power systems for directed energy applications. She is the principal investigator on multiple research projects and directs three principal technologists, one senior staff member, and three interns on tasks for these projects. She also advises internal and external entities on various projects.

At Sandia, Schrock has made significant technical contributions to compact pulsed power research and has demonstrated the ability to lead complex projects in basic research as well as deliverable systems for demonstration projects. She has performed basic research and development in a laboratory and successfully conducted remote testing of laboratory systems in the field. For her work, Schrock has been nominated for five individual and team employee recognition awards and has received three Sandia performance awards.

Schrock always wanted to be an engineer, and when she discovered that she enjoyed electrical engineering but was not sure what to do with her degree, Stephen Bayne, Ph.D., of Texas Tech University, sparked her interest in research and development. She started in the University Center for Pulsed Power and Power Electronics during her junior year and quickly found out that pulsed power research was the career path she wanted to follow.

Through her projects and collaborations, Schrock has become internationally recognized as a subject matter expert in compact pulsed power and directed energy. Her work has been published many times, and she holds one patent. Various organizations have requested her expertise for high-visibility projects and presentations. For example, she briefed members of the Sandia Field Office in 2022, and the laboratory director in 2023, on a Sandia-delivered Marx generator, which was successfully demonstrated by remote testing. She is serving as vice chair of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Pulsed Power Science and Technology technical committee and on organizing committees for multiple IEEE and Directed Energy Professional Society conferences.

After becoming a mother in 2020, Schrock created a nursing support group at Sandia to give parents an avenue to talk about topics related to nursing while working full or part time. She has led this group since its inception and organizes internal and external speakers. The group is now an official subgroup of the Sandia Parents Group, which fosters a culture of work/life balance.

She is deeply committed to elevating and teaching the next generation of engineers. She teaches youth of all ages about STEAM through Sandia and through her local Society of Women Engineers professional section. She currently serves as treasurer for the SWE Central New Mexico Section and has attended and helped organize section events.

Schrock earned a B.S. in electrical engineering in 2016 and an M.S. in electrical engineering in 2017 at Texas Tech University. She is married and has a 3-year-old son and two German shepherds. Her family loves spending time outdoors, and she enjoys mountain biking, running, skiing, and snowboarding.