Announcing Winsor’s 2026 Commencement Speaker: Leslie Dewan ’02
On June 9, 2026, Dr. Leslie Dewan, accomplished nuclear engineer and esteemed member of Winsor’s class of 2002, will return to campus to deliver the keynote address at Winsor’s 2026 commencement ceremony.
Dr. Dewan is CEO of Neutronic Designs, where she works to accelerate the deployment of advanced nuclear reactors and strengthen the supply chains that support them. She received her Ph.D. in nuclear engineering from MIT, as well as S.B. degrees from MIT in mechanical engineering and nuclear engineering. Previously, Dr. Dewan was the CEO of Transatomic Power, a company that designed safer nuclear reactors that leave behind less waste than conventional designs.
Dr. Dewan’s excellence and vision have been recognized with numerous honors and positions of leadership. She has been awarded an MIT Presidential Fellowship and a Department of Energy Computational Science Graduate Fellowship, and she has served on the MIT Corporation, MIT’s board of trustees, and the committee for the National Academy of Engineering’s study “Laying the Foundation for New and Advanced Nuclear Reactors in the United States.” She has been named an MIT Technology Review “Innovator Under 35,” a National Geographic Explorer, and a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader.
“We are so excited to welcome Leslie back to speak to the graduating class,” said Head of School Meredith Legg P’32. “Leslie’s career is truly inspiring. She is a bold thinker who puts her ideas into action. She is changing the world by making a safer, cheaper future for nuclear energy a reality. She embodies our very mission—Leslie has doggedly pursued her aspirations and is contributing her talents generously to the world.” Dr. Dewan’s return to campus marks a major milestone for the Winsor community.
The 2026 commencement ceremony will celebrate the achievements of Winsor’s graduating seniors and honor the school’s enduring commitment to imparting a joyful and fulfilling education to young women.
