Last night, âNCISâ said goodbye to Pauley Perrette, whoâs spent 15 years playing Abby, a forensic specialist.
But even though Pauley was a fake female scientist, she wanted Abbyâs legacy to continue by helping real female scientists. She recently set up two scholarships, so that other women could follow in Abbyâs footsteps.
One of them is at Valdosta State University in Georgia, and the other is at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City.
Pauley studied criminal science, sociology, and psychology at Valdosta StateâĻand was planning on finishing her Masterâs at John Jay before she says she âaccidentallyâ became an actress.
She says, âAbby is not just a TV character for peopleâĻ[sheâs helped] inspire this international phenomenon of young women going into math and science and STEM programs because she made it accessible, cool, attainable, and fun.â
You have to be a woman to qualify for the scholarshipsâĻbut you probably donât have to be goth like Abby. Thatâs just sort of a bonus.
(Hereâs video of Pauley reflecting on Abbyâs legacy.)