Last night, "NCIS" said goodbye to PAULEY PERRETTE, who's spent 15 years playing Abby, a forensic specialist.
But even though Pauley was a fake female scientist, she wanted Abby's legacy to continue by helping REAL female scientists. She recently set up two scholarships, so that other women could follow in Abby's 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 State . . . and was planning on finishing her Master's at John Jay before she says she "accidentally"became an actress.
She says, quote, "Abby is not just a TV character for people . . . [she's 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."