Clarice Phelps was raised in the American state of Tennessee. Her interest in chemistry began during her childhood when she was given a microscope and encyclopedia-based science kit by her mother. Her interest was further nurtured by her secondary school science teachers. She is an alumna of the Tennessee Aquatic Project and Development Group, a nonprofit organization for at-risk youth. Phelps completed a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Tennessee State University in 2003.
From 2016 to 2020, Phelps earned a M.S. in mechanical engineering through the nuclear and radiochemistry program at the University of Texas at Austin. , Phelps is a PhD student in the nuclear engineering program at University of Tennessee.