2022 US Black Engineer & Information Technology | CONFERENCE - VOL. 46, NO. 1

Theodore “Ted” Colbert III

Executive Vice President, The Boeing Company President and Chief Executive Officer, Boeing Global Services

36TH BLACK ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

THE

Theodore “Ted” Colbert III

Keeping Boeing the king of the skies USBE&IT Conference Issue 2022 www.blackengineer.com

How STEM City USA will change your world

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CONTENTS

FEATURES

US BLACK ENGINEER & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

4

BRINGING TECHNOLOGY HOME TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY

COVER STORY 38

Theodore Colbert III, the 36th Black Engineer of the Year, aims to hold the title high and honor all the Black Engineers of the Year who came before him.

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BEYA TIME MACHINE: WHERE ARE THEY NOW? (BEYA 1987)

32

HOW STEM CITY USA WILL CHANGE YOUR WORLD

44

2022 BEYA AWARD WINNERS

69

2022 LEGACY AWARD HONOREES

78

2022 MODERN-DAY TECHNOLOGY LEADERS

90

2022 SCIENCE SPECTRUM TRAILBLAZERS

USBE & Information Technology | CONFERENCE 2022

www.blackengineer.com

PUBLISHER'S PAGE VOLUME 46 NUMBER 1

DEPARTMENTS People & Events.................. 8 Get the latest news on retirements, promotions, conferences, and current events in today’s STEM community.

One on One ....................... 12 The 35th Black Engineer of the Year, Gerald Johnson, reflects on his past year as the BEYA STEM Conference’s top winner.

Corporate Life ................... 16

Unleash the power of social capital within.

Learn why emotional intelligence is far more than just a handy set of “people skills” and why it is the one skill you must have to succeed in today’s workplace!

Education ..........................20

So you just finished an interview for your dream job. Now what? Here are actions you can take that just may give you a leg up on the competition.

Career Voices ....................22

Amazon leaders discuss how the Amazon Leadership Principles factor into their everyday communication and leadership styles.

Leading Voices.................. 96 • Brandy Diggs McGee: Becoming Everything You Are (BEYA) • Adrienne Somerville: Identify Your Talent and Maximize Your Position

ENGAGE, LEARN, EVOLVE, ADVANCE, AND THRIVE WITH BEYA 365 Engineer the New STEM World One of the most critical questions for meetings in recent times was how the COVID-19 pandemic would reshape our world. In 2021, the Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) published a landmark study based on a survey of organizations with meeting responsibilities. Like our counterparts, Career Communications Group, Inc. (CCG) saw virtual meetings increase in 2020/21. CCG was equally involved with stakeholders in deciding on additional safety measures.

While the perception of virtual meetings improved and virtual meetings continue to have high attendance, respondents to the GBTA study still prefer in-person meetings. Over the last three decades, it has become a tradition that employers of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) talent have significant representation at the BEYA STEM Conference.

In future years, BEYA is looking to see growth among underrepresented communities.

According to a Pew Research report on the digital divide, while work and school quickly moved online during the coronavirus outbreak, families with lower incomes were more likely to face obstacles in the digital environment. In 2020, 59 percent of parents who had children in online classrooms said they faced digital obstacles, such as a lack of reliable Internet at home, no computer at home, or the need to use a smartphone to complete schoolwork. In a later report, Jody Early of the University of Washington Bothell and Alyssa Hernandez of the University of Washington, Seattle, said that although access to broadband Internet has become a basic need linking people to jobs, education, food, and information, digital inclusion is critical to progress now more than ever. That is why the Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) STEM Conference is now a year-round transformative digital experience. The BEYA platform on STEM City USA—a metaverse run by CCG—offers healthcare, finance, K-12 STEM education, mentorship, and career development information and insights. CCG has long been a catalyst for change and engagement through recognition at its BEYA STEM Conference. Our community of past award winners is now 10,000 strong, providing BEYA 365 all the resources it needs to keep us engaged, learning, evolving, advancing, and thriving within a trusted community. No doubt about it, BEYA 365 is the place for you to be everything you can be.

Career Outlook................. 99 Tech Careers of the Future

Who’s Coming to BEYA?....118 Full List of Exhibitors

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NOW THE MOST READ BLACK TECHNOLOGY MAGAZINE REACHING OVER 100,000 READERS IN THE UNITED STATES, UK, AND SOUTH AFRICA

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For more information, call us at 410-244-7101 Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/BEYASTEM Follow us on Twitter: @BlackEngineer

EXECUTIVE OFFICE Tyrone D. Taborn, CEO and Chief Content Officer Jean Hamilton, President and CFO Alex Venetta, Associate Publisher, Manager of Partner Services Eric Price, Vice President, Recruitment and Professional Training EDITORIAL AND CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Rayondon Kennedy, Managing Editor Lango Deen, Technology Editor Ada Romano, Editorial Assistant Michael Fletcher, Contributing Editor Gale Horton Gay, Contributing Editor Garland L. Thompson, Contributing Editor Roger Witherspoon, Contributing Editor GRAPHIC DESIGN Beverly Wladkowski, Art Director Bryan Davis, Digital Director Rachael DeVore, Digital Channel Manager Courtney Taborn, Digital Marketing Manager DIGITAL PLATFORM DEVELOPMENT Stacy Bowles, Digital Platform Development Manager Faye Gruzinski, Events Content Manager Nikkie Stevens, Communications and Sourcing Specialist CORPORATE AND ALUMNI RELATIONS Dr. Gwendolyn Boyd, CCG Alumni Committee Chair and President Dr. Eugene DeLoatch, Chairman, BEYA Alumni Group Vice Admiral Walter J. Davis, USN (Ret.) National Chair, BEYA Military Alumni Oliver “Bo” Leslie, Retired Program Manager, Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions, Boeing Monica E. Emerson, Women of Color STEM Conference National Chair Matt Bowman, CCG Military Program Manager, Stars & Stripes Committee; Executive Director/Chief of Staff for VADM Walt Davis, USN (Ret.) Ty Taborn, Esq., Corporate Development SALES AND MARKETING Gwendolyn Bethea, Vice President, Corporate Development Kameron Nelson, Account Executive Jay Albritton, Social Media Specialist JOBMATCH AND STUDENT DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS Ashley Turner, University & Professional Relations Development Manager Rod Carter, Recruitment Specialist, College Relations Shelia Richburg, College Coordinator CONFERENCE AND EVENTS Ana Bertrand, Conference Coordinator Jennifer Roberts, Customer Success Manager Brandon Newby, Administrative Assistant Toni Robinson, 360 MMG Rutherford & Associates, Conference Planning 17304 Preston Rd Suite 1020 Dallas, TX 75252 ADVERTISING SALES OFFICE

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US Black Engineer & Information Technology (ISSN 1088-3444) is a publication devoted to engineering, science, and technology and to promoting opportunities in those fields. US Black Engineer & Information Technology cannot be responsible for unsolicited art or editorial material. This publication is bulk-mailed to colleges and universities nationwide. Subscriptions are $26/year. Please write to US Black Engineer & Information Technology, Subscriptions, 729 E. Pratt St., Suite 504, Baltimore, MD 21202. Copyright © 2022 by Career Communications Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/BEYASTEM

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PEOPLE &EVENTS

2013 Black Engineer of the Year Wraps Up a Storied Career

Freeman Hrabowski, UMBC President Inset: 2013 Black Engineer of the Year USBE cover

After serving as president of the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) since 1992, Freeman A. Hrabowski, III is retiring. During his 30-year tenure, the college has ranked as the No. 1 “Up and Coming” university (2009–14). According to National Science Foundation (NSF) data, UMBC is a top producer of Black graduates with a Ph.D. in the natural sciences and engineering. Hrabowski has emphasized minority achievement in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as a national leader in education.

He chaired a National Academies committee, producing a 2011 report on expanding minority participation in STEM and the President’s Advisory Commission

on Educational Excellence for African Americans. Hrabowski is also known for partnering with Robert Meyerhoff to found the Meyerhoff Scholars Program in 1988 to increase the diversity of STEM leaders. Science magazine describes the program as the “gold standard for providing a path into academic research” for students from underrepresented groups. Hrabowski earned a bachelor’s degree from Hampton Institute (now Hampton University), an M.A. in mathematics, and a Ph.D. in higher education administration/statistics from the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign.

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Top: Col. Guion ‘Guy’ Bluford Jr. Bottom: Col. Guion ‘Guy’ Bluford Jr. and Dr. Sheila Brooks

To stay up to date and all news and events, Visit our webpage www.BlackEngineer.com

www.blackengineer.com

Penn State honors 1991 Black Engineer of the Year astronaut Guion ‘Guy’ Bluford Jr. Pennsylvania State University honored Col. Guion ‘Guy’ Bluford Jr. recently with the Air Force ROTC Distinguished Alumnus Award. Bluford was the first African-American astronaut in space and the top honoree at the 1991 Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) STEM Conference. According to Penn State News, Bluford, who earned his undergraduate degree in aerospace engineering in 1964, received multiple honors from his alma mater. The first event took place on Oct. 6, where Bluford was recognized for his “exceptionally meritorious and superior service to the United States Air Force and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration over 29 years.” On Oct. 8, Innovation Boulevard at University Park was named in honor of Bluford in an invitation-only ceremony.

Among the guests was Dr. Sheila Brooks, founder, president, and CEO of SRB Communications. Brooks wrote in a newsletter of her close relationship with the Bluford family after authoring a book about trailblazing journalist Lucile Bluford, an aunt of Guy Bluford Jr. Brooks said she and the SRB production team traveled to Penn State to record and attend the building naming ceremony.

(Photo above courtesy of SRB Communications).

SAVE THE DATE AAAS ANNUAL MEETING February 17–20 NSBE NATIONAL CONFERENCE March 23-27 NTA ANNUAL CONFERENCE September

Innovation Park at Penn State

WOC DTX CONFERENCE October 6-8

2004 Corporate Promotion of Education Award winner honored with Distinguished Engineering Alumnae Award Since Angela Barbee earned a master’s degree from the Ray W. Herrick Laboratories of Purdue’s School of Mechanical Engineering, the first Black woman to do so, she has succeeded in several positions with increasing influence. In 2004, Barbee received a Black Engineer of the Year Award for Corporate Promotion of Education. In addition, she has received numerous other recognitions, honoring her www.blackengineer.com

contributions to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

They include the Purdue University Outstanding Mechanical Engineer Award and Wayne State University Industry Achievement Award. In 2021, she received Purdue’s Mechanical Engineering-Distinguished Engineering Alumnae Award in recognition of her leadership in business management, product development, and large engineering enterprises, directly impacting consumer products while advocating for diversity and inclusion within the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines. Barbee is currently senior vice president for global R&D and technology for Weber Grill. S

Angela Barbee, Senior Vice President – Global R&D and Technology Weber Grill USBE & Information Technology | CONFERENCE 2022

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Change the world, not who you are.

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All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other legally protected basis, in accordance with applicable law.

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IBM and the IBM logo are trademarks of International Business Machines Corporation, registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. Other product and service names might be trademarks of IBM or other companies. A current list of IBM trademarks is available at ibm.com/trademark. ©International Business Machines Corp. 2022.

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ONE ON ONE

by Gale Horton Gay editors@ccgmag.com

PASSING THE TORCH

BEYA honoree’s year not diminished by virtual reach-outs

G

erald Johnson has worked his entire professional career at General Motors (GM). His passion for hard work and challenging himself by venturing into new automotive market segments has propelled him to his current position as executive vice president of global manufacturing and sustainability.

A year ago, when he was bestowed with the honor of being named Black Engineer of the Year, Johnson said he was taken by surprise, and it has been “amazing” to be acknowledged for “work you were going to do anyway.”

“I am incredibly humbled to be named among the distinguished list of Black Engineer of the Year recipients,” said Johnson after his selection was announced. “When I began my career,

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I didn’t set out to change the world.

However, GM has afforded me amazing opportunities to lead innovation for our industry that is lifesaving and lifechanging.”

Serving as Black Engineer of the Year has enabled Johnson to have considerable contact and communication with young professionals and students “about their desires, dreams, and passions.”

Due to the pandemic, that contact has been virtual, but Johnson said not being able to have face-to-face meetings has not diminished what he has been able to share with audiences eager to hear from him.

During those virtual sessions, Johnson has been repeatedly asked for advice and direction from those with

ambitions of pursuing engineering and other STEM careers. He was routinely asked about career challenges and if all the hard work required was worth it.

However, he was also surprised by one question that he was asked multiple times about whether there will be roles for mechanical and electrical engineers with so much current interest in computer software and software engineering. Johnson said some of the students querying about this were so concerned they were considering not pursuing careers as mechanical and electrical engineers.

“That’s not true,” said Johnson, who assures those inclined to work in mechanical and electrical engineering careers that those areas of expertise remain vital and will not disappear.

www.blackengineer.com

“When I began my career, I didn’t set out to change the world. However, GM has afforded me amazing opportunities to lead innovation for our industry that is lifesaving and lifechanging.”

director of manufacturing in 2006. In 2013, he was named GM North America Manufacturing vice president, the first African American to hold this position.

Johnson, who began his GM career four decades ago as a co-op student at what is now known as Kettering University, serves as an inaugural member of GM’s Inclusion Advisory Board, which has a goal of improving diversity and inclusion within the company through words, deeds, and culture. He earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial administration from Kettering and a master’s degree in manufacturing operations from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Today Johnson is responsible for quality and safety performance for 94,8000 employees, representing more than 118 manufacturing facilities on four continents in 13 countries.

Johnson has been a trailblazer at GM, where at the age of 24, he became the youngest superintendent in the history of the company’s Fisher Body Stamping Plant. He was also the first AfricanAmerican to hold the plant manager position at Mansfield Plant Stamping Operations in 2002 and GM Europe’s first African American executive

According to a General Motors press release, Johnson’s leadership was critical to the company’s successful COVID-19 response. For example, when production at GM was suspended at the beginning of the pandemic, Johnson and his team worked across the company to shift manufacturing and engineering resources quickly and effectively to ventilators and mask production for frontline health workers.

In addition, the press release states that he is credited with spearheading the company’s robust safety protocols and return-to-work strategies that made it possible to reopen GM plants and other operations safely.

Johnson has served as a mentor to many young professionals, a champion to GM’s African Ancestry Network employee resource group, and has played an active role in community organizations.

He offers the following advice to young people seeking to blaze their paths to success in STEM careers:

www.blackengineer.com

Johnson’s career is but one aspect of his life. He is the father of seven; was an ordained elder in Michigan; led men’s ministries in Cleveland, OH, and Zurich, Switzerland; and twice served on Boy Scouts Leadership Council and Catholic Central Dads’ Club. So, striving for a work-life balance that gives him one-on-one time with his children is one of his priorities.

Johnson advises the incoming Black Engineer of the Year to take a moment to “absorb it and bask in it. Recognize it puts a torch in your hand. People are going to recognize and look for that light.” He said the next BEYA should take some time to consider deeply the advice they want to share and reflect on their past experiences for answers to the questions that will be asked during the year. “People rightfully expect you to give them some level of guidance, encouragement, and inspiration. Lean into it.”

Johnson, who has a teenage son with NFL aspirations, said he likens the Black Engineer of the Year Award to being inducted into the Football Hall of Fame. “This is the hall of fame of my professional endeavors.”

“It has been a real honor and a great responsibility, and I am grateful…for trusting me with this torch,” he said. “It matters.” S

• Know your area of expertise.

Have depth in something.

• Become part of a team and learn how to collaborate.

• Become the leader of a team and learn how to synergize.

• Broaden yourself. Take yourself out of your comfort zone.

Gerald Johnson speaking to a team member at GM’s Factory Zero

• Continually update all the above.

Watch the 2021 Black Engineer of the Year, Gerald Johnson accept his award. https://l.ead.me/bchqIr

• Decide what difference you want to make.

USBE & Information Technology | CONFERENCE 2022

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CORPORATE LIFE

by Christopher Zacher editors@ccgmag.com

EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE FOR EMERGING LEADERS Emotional intelligence is a valued asset in the professional world. People who can understand and manage their own emotions and those of the people around them are consistently among the top performers in their organizations. In addition, this ability helps them earn the trust of their bosses and peers and stay flexible and resilient during stressful times.

A

s Dr. Donna L. Bell, director of AV & Mobility Strategy at the Ford Motor Company, says, “Emotional intelligence is often more important than IQ, as so much of success depends on how you come across to others.”

For a recent panel discussion at the 2021 WOC DTX Conference, a group

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of esteemed professionals spoke on the topic of emotional intelligence.

They each shared stories about managing emotions in the workplace and discussed how their emotional intelligence helped them succeed in their careers.

Tamberlin Golden, the executive director of General Motors’ Office of Diversity Equity & Inclusion, talks about the importance of managing emotions in the workplace. She says that there is an opportunity to gain experience and connect in every hectic or confrontational situation.

For example, Golden tells the story of receiving a promotion, only to be confronted by a co-worker who told her he did not think she was qualified.

While many people might lose their temper, she chose to see his honesty as a good thing.

“It’s easier to have emotional intelligence when you know what you’re dealing with, so I was happy that he was open about his feelings,” she says. “It told me I was going to have to be very strategic in how I led the team.”

As she took time to learn about her team members’ strengths and weaknesses, she says that she quickly learned the man “had some weaknesses he did not want me to see,” which could have been the source of his anger.

“But the reality was that his strengths greatly outweighed any weaknesses, so I took the opportunity to elevate him within the team and lean on him for what he brought to our organization.”

Over time, they grew an appreciation for one another.

Years later, the man approached her to apologize for treating her poorly when she was promoted. “It was a heartwarming moment,” she says. “Our

“Emotional intelligence is often more important than IQ, as so much of success depends on how you come across to others.” self-awareness helped me grow as a leader and him as an individual. I was proud.”

Self-awareness, the panelists agree, is an essential aspect of emotional intelligence. Understanding how people perceive you and how you affect them is crucial to managing emotions.

Of course, self-awareness comes with a sense of responsibility, a point stressed by former CIA Senior Executive Harry Coker. A self-aware person is quick to hold themselves accountable.

He tells the story of a meeting he had one morning years ago, in which his bosses wanted to discuss some mishaps that had taken place in a program he was overseeing.

“I had delegated responsibility to an officer who I like and respect, but there was a significant hiccup,” he says. “[They] wanted to know how it happened, why it happened, and how we could have handled the situation so poorly.”

While some people might blame the person they delegated for the mishap, Coker focused on his role in the project. “I held myself accountable, no excuses,” he says. “We can delegate all we want, but responsibility always falls on the person in charge.”

www.blackengineer.com

Listen to the full discussion on the CCG Media podcast: https://l.ead.me/bchqOS

While he admits that the situation was humbling (“…my boss at the time had previously been my mentor, so it was extra painful to let her down”), he later learned that his honesty had helped him keep his job. “A colleague of mine came to me and said, ‘You know, the one thing that saved you is that you took responsibility,’” he says.

she says that she often teaches the importance of accountability related to emotions.

Bernadine Thomson, deputy chief of staff for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, nods in agreement with the other panelists as they speak about self-awareness and responsibility. As a mentor to junior Army engineers,

“You have to identify the source of your anger,” she says. “If you identify yourself as the source of the emotion and it’s not the fault of someone else, take accountability.”

While someone might be upset about a particular situation—such as not receiving the promotion they want— Thomson encourages them to look inward and ask themselves why they did not receive it.

This, she says, is something that helps emotionally intelligent professionals succeed. “Anyone can say it’s someone else’s fault, but if you take accountability for your faults, you’ll learn how to deal with similar problems moving forward.” S

From the top (left to right) moderator Ms. Cynthia Miller, retired chief, human resources group, Department of Defense; speaker, Dr. Donna L. Bell, director, AV & mobility strategy, Ford Motor Company; panelist Tamberlin Golden, executive directorworkforce strategy, General Motors; panelist Mr. Harry Coker, Jr., retired CIA senior executive service (SES) member; and panelist Bernadine Thomson, deputy chief of staff, U.S. Corps of Engineers.

www.blackengineer.com

USBE & Information Technology | CONFERENCE 2022

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EDUCATION

by Meghan Randolph editors@ccgmag.com

FOUR WAYS TO EXCEL AFTER YOUR JOB INTERVIEW

Congratulations! You got an interview for a fantastic job! It is so exciting to schedule that discussion, meet the people you might be working with, and learn more about the potential role you will be filling.

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P

erforming well in a job interview is a skill all its own. But some would say the hardest part of the job search process is not getting to the interview—it is the waiting and wondering afterward.

Luckily, there are ways you can take meaningful action after the interview to continue to display professionalism, stay fresh in the interviewer’s mind, and potentially even tip the scales in your favor.

Below are four ways you can continue to excel after your interview, from the

moment it is over to the day the job is filled.

1. Be aware of your conduct as you leave the room and the building.

While the question-and-answer process may have concluded, you still have time to demonstrate your worthiness.

As you are leaving the interview, make sure to express your gratitude with professionalism.

Example: “Thank you for your time, Jen. I enjoyed our conversation, and it was great getting to know more about [company name].”

www.blackengineer.com

You should tailor this response to the individual situation so that your statement is genuine. But make sure to show continued engagement. This helps the interviewer picture you at the company. If there is a receptionist or secretary outside the interview room, thank them too, and be friendly to any other employees you encounter as you exit the office.

2. Send a follow-up note. This is standard advice for the post-interview process. It is a wonderful way to be remembered, but the success is all in the execution.

The first step is figuring out whether to send an email or a handwritten note. If you have interviewed at a large company, there is a good chance the interviewer gets a lot of emails each day. So, a handwritten note mailed to their office is much more likely to be seen and noticed. For a smaller company, an email is acceptable. But a note might make a stronger impression.

For content, it is a good idea to keep your note short. In just three to four sentences, you can thank the interviewer for the opportunity, tell them you are interested in the job, and say you look forward to hearing from them. Use the name of the company and name something that stood out to you from the interview.

Example: “I enjoyed learning about Community Health. It was fascinating to hear about your work to promote nutrition and exercise for local families. I would love to be part of your organization and believe I would be a perfect fit.

I look forward to hearing from you.”

common, particularly if the company is interested, to have follow-up questions or a request for a second interview. To help them decide and indicate that you are still present and curious, get back to them as soon as you can.

4. Be gracious, whether you get the job or not. If you are lucky enough to be hired, thank whoever calls to give you the good news! (Try to save the jumping up and down for after you hang up the phone!)

If you are not hired, it is vital to maintain your calm still and say you enjoyed the interview. This is, of course, the polite thing to do, but it has a practical purpose as well.

The company you have interviewed with may be hiring in the future for a position that uses your skills. If you make a good impression, there is an excellent chance they will remember you and call you to interview again for another job.

Taking (these four steps) after an interview does not guarantee you will be hired now or in the future, but it could establish you as an excellent potential employee.

Taking the above steps after an interview does not guarantee you will be hired now or in the future, but it could very quickly establish you as an excellent potential employee.

In short, the interview does not end when the questions and answers stop.

You are being considered for a longterm relationship with a company. That means you should make your skills, personality, and professional style clear through all interactions. Doing so means you make a positive impression, which is essential as you make your way into the workforce. S

www.BlackEngineer.com has more great stories and tips you can use!

3. Check for post-interview follow-ups. Make sure you check at least once daily for voicemails or emails, and more often if possible. It is

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CAREER VOICES

by Christopher Zacher editors@ccgmag.com

EMBRACING AMAZON’S LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES

I

f you are thinking about applying for a corporate position at Amazon, here is an important tip:

Learn about Amazon’s Leadership Principles. This list of values is critical to the company’s managers and executives, who use the principles to guide business decisions and shape the company’s culture. At the 2021 WOC DTX Conference, some of Amazon’s best and brightest came together to discuss why those who aspire to work there should understand the principles.

As Nia Jetter, a senior principal technologist in robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), explains, “The Leadership Principles describe how Amazon does business, how leaders lead, and how we keep the customer at the center of our decisions.”

To be clear, this is not some mission statement printed in an employee onboarding manual—Amazon leaders refer to the principles often, using them to assess potential decisions on every project.

“It’s an easy-to-understand framework that establishes the expectations of our focus and our day-to-day behaviors,” says Sandra McNeil, general manager of operations. “It’s a roadmap for prioritization.”

While each “LP” has an expanded passage published on the Amazon Jobs website, they are certainly open to interpretation. As Jovonia Thibert, engineering director for Prime Air, says, each department is constantly reinterpreting the principles and deliberating on applying them to a particular situation.

“For example, when we’re diving into a look at our customers’ needs or delivering results, we have to ask ourselves what success looks like in this situation,” she says. “It’s going to

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be unique for each organization and project, but that’s where adaptation comes in.”

However one chooses to interpret them, the fact is that the Leadership Principles are a framework for life at Amazon, and they are a part of day-today business.

So, as the panelists point out, aspiring hires may give themselves an advantage by familiarizing themselves with the

Leadership Principles before they interview.

“Prepare for your interview by organizing your thoughts and imagining your career narrative through the headlines of those Leadership Principles,” says Carla Vernon, VP of consumable categories. “That’s a piece of advice I was thankful to receive, and I tell people as much as possible. When we say we are going to discuss your

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So, what are Amazon’s Leadership Principles?

They are as follows: •

CUSTOMER OBSESSION

•

OWNERSHIP

•

INVENT AND SIMPLIFY

•

ARE RIGHT, A LOT

•

LEARN AND BE CURIOUS

•

HIRE AND DEVELOP THE BEST

•

INSIST ON THE HIGHEST STANDARDS

•

THINK BIG

•

BIAS FOR ACTION

•

FRUGALITY

•

EARN TRUST

•

DIVE DEEP

•

HAVE BACKBONE; DISAGREE AND COMMIT

•

DELIVER RESULTS

•

STRIVE TO BE EARTH’S BEST EMPLOYER

•

SUCCESS AND SCALE BRING BROAD RESPONSIBILITY

career and experience through the framework of the Leadership Principles, that’s the facts.”

Tonya Hallett, VP of the company’s People Experience & Tech department, adds, “I encourage you to study the principles, adopt the lexicon, and use the words we use as you talk about your past experiences during your interview.”

plans to work at Amazon, most of the Leadership Principles apply to all types of work. For example, most business owners are obsessed with their customers, and “learn and be curious” is a valuable mantra for any professional committed to continuous self-improvement.

But that is exactly why our panelists love and appreciate them. As Hallett says, “We call them the ‘Amazon LPs,’ but they can be something that you adopt as your standards as you go about life.”

“I find myself having conversations with my boys about ‘having backbone,’” she says, joined by laughter from the other panelists. “I’m like, ‘It’s okay to disagree, but we have to commit to our decision.’” S

From the top (left to right) Amazon panelists: Sandra McNeil, general manager of operations; Jovonia Thibert, engineering director, Prime Air; Nia Jetter, senior principal technologist, robotics AI; Tonya Hallett, vice president, people experience technology; and Carla Vernon, vice president, consumable categories

“Prepare for your interview by organizing your thoughts and imagining your career narrative through the headlines of those Leadership Principles.”

Listen to the full discussion on the CCG Media podcast: https://l.ead.me/bchqXJ

And even for those who have no

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Expanding our Trust Greater diversity is expansive, not restrictive, and contributes to company growth and profitability

African Americans are more likely than whites to die of diabetes and have a higher prevalence of hypertension and heart disease. *

“In my community, there’s a distrust of the healthcare sector because of its inaccessibility to lower income families and subsequent lack

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families. If we can improve in my community and others, we may see greater openness to treatment and begin to trust the system again.”

Malik Price DEI Team Intern https://www.healthcatalyst.com/company/careers/ Connnect with Health Catalyst

*Source: JAMA

THE

BEYA

Time Machine: Famous Inventors in the

Black Community 1987 BLACK ENGINEER OF THE YEAR AWARD (BEYA) WINNERS: WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

By Lango Deen editors@ccgmag.com

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www.blackengineer.com

The 1800s Have you ever heard of Elijah McCoy (the real McCoy)? How about Garrett Morgan (inventor of traffic lights), Granville T. Woods (“Black Edison”), Sarah E. Goode (inventor of the folding bed), George Washington Carver (developer of technologies made from peanuts), or Lewis Latimer (contributed to the inventions of the light bulb and the telephone)?

But do you know Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) winners like George Carruthers (the designer of a telescope that went to the moon as part of NASA’s Apollo 16 mission), Patricia Bath (inventor of laser cataract surgery), Mark Dean (led development of the color PC monitor and the first gigahertz chip), Lonnie Johnson (inventor of the Super Soaker), and John Brooks Slaughter (developer of computer algorithms for system optimization)?

1987 Black Engineer of the Year Recently, the University of Southern California (USC) Rossier School of Education and USC Viterbi School of Engineering announced the appointment of John Brooks Slaughter, Ph.D., as Deans’ Professor of Education and Engineering. He is also associate director of the Center for Engineering in Education in USC’s Pullias Center for Higher Education.

Slaughter is the 1987 Black Engineer of the Year, the very first winner of an award that boasts an exclusive club of only 36 men and women to date. He earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Kansas State University in 1956, a master’s degree in engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1961, and his Ph.D. in engineering science from the University of California, San Diego, in 1971. In 1980, Pres. Jimmy Carter appointed Slaughter to become director of the National Science Foundation. During his tenure, he implemented policies that supported

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the establishment of programs designed to expand science and engineering education and research efforts at historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs).

As chancellor of the University of Maryland, College Park, Slaughter led an effort to increase the number of students from racial/ethnic demographic populations underrepresented in science and engineering, resulting in significant increases in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). As Occidental College president, Slaughter used his position to increase the representation of minorities in both the student population and among faculty and staff. He is now president emeritus of Occidental College.

Slaughter’s current research focuses on higher education leadership, diversity and inclusion (D&I), people from populations underrepresented and underserved in STEM, and affordability and access to education. Slaughter’s leadership and influence have impacted

efforts such as the American Society for Engineering Education Deans Diversity Pledge, which USC Viterbi spearheads.

As a result, more than 250 engineering deans pledged to take specific concrete actions to broaden participation and outcomes for demographic populations underrepresented in engineering and STEM fields.

1987 Most Promising Engineer Award Winner For more than 40 years, Lanny Smoot has spent his days on the job bringing ideas and thoughts to life. Because of his ingenuity, the winner of the Most Promising Engineer award at the 1987 BEYA STEM Conference has earned more than 100 patents during his trailblazing career.

“We are excited to report that longtime Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development Imagineer and Disney Research Fellow Lanny Smoot just received his 100th career patent from the US Patent and Trademark Office,” said a Disney Corporate Communications

John Brooks Slaughter, Ph.D., Deans’ Professor of Education and Engineering, University of Southern California (USC) Rossier School of Education and USC Viterbi School of Engineering Inset: 1987 USBE Cover: First BEYA Edition

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include patents for new ride systems and 3D displays where you do not need to wear 3D glasses. Coming to the Walt Disney World Resort in 2022 is the extendable lightsaber and the lightsaber training experience, both of which will be a part of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser multi-day experience.

‘The wonderworking Disney Imagineer visits STEM City USA’ Lanny Smoot, Research & Development Imagineer and Disney Research Fellow Inset: Lanny Smoot, Honored at the First BEYA Awards in 1987

press release. “His 100th patent (number 11,080,779) makes Lanny one of the most prolific Black inventors in American history, based on patents issued, according to Disney patent attorney Stuart Langley.”

Smoot’s work will be featured as part of the upcoming exhibit “Breaking Barriers: Honoring Extraordinary Black Inventors” at the National Inventors Hall of Fame (NIHF) Museum located in the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The NIHF exhibit is presented in partnership with the USPTO and the Black Inventors Hall of Fame. The virtual museum seeks to immortalize the genius of innovation in the African-American community.

Smoot has spent 42 years as a theatrical technology creator, inventor, electrical engineer, scientist, and researcher— with 22 of those years at The Walt Disney Company. He joined Walt Disney Imagineering as the head of its research and development site in New York and moved to the Los Angeles Imagineering headquarters a few years later.

Subsequently, he joined Disney Research (the most forward-looking part of R&D) and became a Disney research fellow in 2014. As a Disney research fellow, Smoot 28

is in a select group that can pursue their ideas wherever they might lead.

Today, 71 of Smoot’s patents are from his inventions at Disney, the press release said. Smoot has patented technologies that allow The Walt Disney Company and the theatrical community to create new magic, illusions, and entertainment.

Smoot’s work can be seen throughout Disney’s theme parks and resorts. Some of his favorite patents and innovations while working at Disney include:

• “Where’s the Fire?” at Innovations, formerly at EPCOT

• Special effects in the Haunted Mansion

• Glowing lightsabers used in the Star Wars Launch Bays

• Virtual and interactive koi ponds at the Crystal Lotus Restaurant at the Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel

• Fortress Explorations interactive adventure at Tokyo DisneySea

• “Power City” at Project Tomorrow

in the post-show area for Spaceship Earth

Disney said that some of Smoot’s more futuristic inventions had not yet found a home in Disney parks and resorts. They

USBE & Information Technology | CONFERENCE 2022

During the summer of 2021, Smoot was hosted by BEYA Stars & Stripes Career Day Saturday to give insights into what it means to be a Disney Imagineer and provide career advice for those interested in following in his footsteps.

The event took place in STEM City USA—a virtual arena operated by Career Communications Group, where people can engage with the metaverse. Ada Romano, an editorial assistant for Career Communications Group, covered the virtual event.

Over the hour-long Q&A session, Smoot shared his favorite projects, including the Madame Leota crystal ball and the changing portraits in the Haunted Mansion. In addition, he talked about the interactive koi fish floor in Hong Kong Disneyland, which features digital koi fish that splash and scatter when feet movement is detected, Romano wrote.

A Disney Imagineer is the official term that the Walt Disney Company uses to describe people in charge of researching and developing ideas for the company.

Imagineers create the magic behind Disney parks and resorts around the world. They design and build Disney theme parks, attractions, cruise ships, spas, and much more.

How it all began Born in Brooklyn, New York, Smoot said he did not have much growing up, but that did not stop him from using his imagination. At an early age, he knew he wanted to work in science and engineering. Smoot said he has always been an inventor and recalled when he built a unicycle using the front wheel of a www.blackengineer.com

“BEYA ONE WAS A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE. WINNING THE AWARD WAS GREAT, AND ESPECIALLY THE CEREMONY WHERE I RECEIVED THE AWARD AND BEING ABLE TO SEE AND MEET OTHER FOLKS WHO WERE ASPIRING AS I WAS. SOMEHOW, I MADE THE PROMISE OF THE AWARD.” - LANNY SMOOT

discarded tricycle, a length of iron pipe, and an old bicycle seat as a young child.

“About two or three months later, I came home to find a brand-new unicycle leaning up against my bed, and I went crazy,” Smoot said. “I knew my dad couldn’t afford that kind of stuff.”

During his senior year at Brooklyn Technical High School, Smoot received college offer letters from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Columbia University but could not accept. His parents had not attended college, and he had not taken the time to learn about college recruiters and the many scholarships offered to young people.

“This is something I don’t want you to do if you’re a young person,” Smoot advised the young audience. “Because I was at a good school, colleges came to the school to recruit kids to go to college and offer scholarships.”

However, one day as he was sitting in class, Smoot heard his name over the loudspeaker, asking him to report to the principal’s office. His first thought was, “What did I do?” but he was not in trouble at all. Instead, he was introduced to Jim Stewart, who was recruiting for a program in Bell Labs, a research and engineering company. The program introduced Black students to careers in STEM, and Smoot jumped at this incredible opportunity. At Bell Labs, Smoot began his career designing circuitry for telephone systems in rural areas, a job that allowed him to travel frequently.

1987 BEYA winners visit STEM City USA metaverse Smoot’s 2021 career day event presentation inspired young people

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like BEYA Career Day teen ambassador Salihah Hurst.

“I was excited to learn about Mr. Lanny Smoot’s career at Disney,” Hurst said. “It is nice to see someone who looks like me rising to one of the highest career levels at such a well-known company.”

At the Walt Disney Company, Smoot is one of the brains behind the iconic entertainment that can be experienced exclusively at Disney theme parks and resorts. Smoot said Walt Disney himself envisioned providing a look into the future for all his guests.

Winning BEYA’s 1987 Most Promising Engineer Award While working at Bell Laboratories and then Bell Communications Research, Smoot earned patents in developing video-on-demand technology, video conferencing, a television system for displaying multiple views of a remote location, and fiber optic receivers that can be used in harsh temperature environments. In addition, his inventions solved traffic tie-ups in high-speed selfrouting packet switches that send data through a telephone network, much as one would send a letter through a public mail system. Those early patents won him the first-ever Most Promising Engineer Award at the Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA).

STEM, including William Massey. He won a BEYA for College-level Promotion of Education.

“Jim (James West) is an African American and the inventor of the electret microphone,” Smoot said. “You and I are on a conference call right now.

And I’m speaking through the telephone.

You may be speaking into an iPhone, iPad, or another device. I guarantee you that it has an electret microphone in it. Many people don’t know that. Over the last 30 or 40 years, that’s been the predominant technology. Every single telephone in the United States now uses an electret microphone,” Smoot explained.

At the 1987 BEYA gala, Pat White, Smoot’s boss, also won an award. White was then at Bellcore and was the official architect of the U.S. telephone network, Smoot added.

Smoot said he tries to do as much as possible to get young people interested in science and technologies that make the world work. First, however, he said parents must understand that their children can do anything.

“BEYA One was a wonderful experience,” Smoot recalled in a recent interview with US Black Engineer magazine. “Winning the award was great, and especially to attend the ceremony where I received the award and being able to see and meet other folks who were aspiring as I was. Somehow, I made the promise of the award,” he noted, adding that BEYA means you have been selected from other folks who are amazing.

Category winners of the Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) honor their predecessors by lengthening the chain of helping hands stretching back decades.

For example, Walter Hawkins, the first Black scientist at Bell Labs, was a mentor to James West. Later, West won the 2008 Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Engineering Deans Award. In addition, West was recognized for mentoring a long line of minorities in

“Your children are the future and will build the new world we’re moving into,” he advised. “You only get good at something by doing it,” he said. To students, he recommended growing opportunities in virtual reality and augmented reality. “Virtual reality (VR) is where you put a headset on and are completely immersed in another world, and augmented reality (AR) is where you are being helped by a pair of glasses that show you what you need to know as you’re walking down the street or anywhere in the world.”

Smoot has mentored dozens of young people, all of whom have successful careers at The Walt Disney Company and elsewhere. In addition, he has often spoken to students from university-level to grade schools to encourage young people, especially people of color, to consider careers in the sciences and themed entertainment. Smoot earned both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Columbia University. S

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We’re committed to driving and achieving real change — creating a tomorrow we can all be proud of, standing together as one.

Jacobs’ Action Plan for Advancing Justice and Equality is about achieving true equality for all of our employees current and future, with a focus on empowering women and employees of color to advance and achieve at Jacobs. It’s about doing our part as a global leader to educate and change the culture in our communities — reaching bright-eyed future talent early to highlight and celebrate futures ripe with potential.

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H OW

W I L L

C H A N G E

YO U R

WO R L D

BEYA winners help build the metaverse

By Lango Deen editors@ccgmag.com 32

USBE & Information Technology | CONFERENCE 2022

www.blackengineer.com

I

nnovative people in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) have shaped events hosted

by Career Communications Group for more than four decades. But the life stories of the first winners of the Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) and Women of Color in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) awards go back even longer.

For example, when Pres. Dwight D. Eisenhower announced that the United States would launch an artificial satellite to mark a new era of scientific interchange, John Brooks Slaughter, the 1987 Black Engineer of the Year, had never met a Black engineer.

As Slaughter told the story at the very first BEYA STEM Conference, when he graduated from college in 1956 with a shiny new baccalaureate in electrical engineering, the proportion of African Americans in America’s engineering workforce was less than one-half of a percent.

“The launching of Sputnik and the subsequent space race, as well as an increasing public awareness of the huge loss in human potential that was occurring as a result of discriminatory hiring practices in industry, brought about inexorable change,” Slaughter said at the BEYA STEM Conference.

‘INEXORABLE CHANGE’ On Jan. 31, 1958, a U.S. Army Jupiter-C rocket launched the first American satellite, Explorer I, into orbit three months after the Soviet Union successfully orbited Sputnik I, the first artificial Earth satellite. Fast forward to 2000 when Slaughter introduced Mark Dean, Ph.D., as Black Engineer of the Year.

“The person we are called upon to honor tonight can rightly be called a renaissance man,” Slaughter said. “If by renaissance we mean a person who exhibits all the virtues of the innovative times in which we live, then surely Dr. Mark Dean qualifies, hands down. ” Dean arrived at IBM right out of school and began to work on the team that developed the original IBM personal computer. What came out of that collaboration was computer technology

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The Education and Discovery Center Main Lobby

architecture that allowed IBM PCs to run high-performance software and work with peripheral devices.

Dean holds three of IBM’s first nine PC patents and invented the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) system bus that made it possible to upgrade PCs. In addition to Blue Gene, a supercomputer, Dean led the team that built the first gigahertz-speed computer processor.

The SIM remains a unique solution, consisting of a microprocessor chip and an operating system that provides secure access to the mobile network.

According to Statista, in 2020, the number of unique mobile Internet users stood at 4.28 billion, indicating that over 90 percent of the global Internet population uses a mobile device to go online.

Nine years after Dean won the Black Engineer of the Year Award, Facebook had 30,000 web servers supporting its operations. These servers hosted billions of photos and served hundreds of thousands of photos to their users every second. According to Data Center Knowledge, this placed Facebook among the largest Internet companies in 2009.

ENTER THE METAVERSE

However, 30 years ago, Giesecke+Devrient (G+D) delivered the world’s first commercial SIM card to a telecommunications company in Finland. At the time, hardly anyone could have imagined the success this smart card would achieve. But growth did not stop there—the Internet of things (IoT) sector is rapidly driving the SIM evolution.

The SIM card connects the world and stores data securely—this fundamental basis has not changed in the last 30 years, even though the range of functions has grown significantly.

Last year, during the height of the pandemic, Career Communications Group (CCG) decided to put its web servers, game servers, and application servers to use in STEM City USA. There are millions of web servers worldwide, and CCG does not yet have as many as Microsoft. Still, CCG’s goal is to increase the number of its servers as it expands the work of supporting online 3-D virtual environments through personal computing.

CCG also introduced the use of virtual and augmented reality headsets on its platform, STEM City USA. In this city in the sky, CCG is expanding the use of metaverse space to STEM education, intending to reach thousands of people.

“This is transformational because it can bring thousands of people who care about the community and who

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a link to the STEM City airport that will take you to STEM City Detroit, STEM City New York, all these other places where STEM City will exist.”

As of now, there are five imposing buildings in STEM City, and each building will become a portal for all kinds of activities. The city planners are also working on a subway system to take you to the different specialty centers around STEM City. Each building has an auditorium, where live activities are taking place. There are also private rooms, which are not public facing. For example, the NNOA Symposium was held in a private room.

‘THE METAVERSE IS BRINGING ALL THESE RESOURCES TOGETHER FOR OUR COMMUNITIES’

The Steward Multicultural Center

have excellent services to offer to this platform to cover that information in a way that people can easily consume,” Tyrone Taborn said. Taborn is the founding chief executive officer of Career Communications Group, cofounder of the BEYA STEM and Women of Color STEM Conferences, and president of STEM City USA. “We have created a digital journey, and the key is for you to own it, give back, and bring the content to contribute to the mission to make a better world,” Taborn said. “Spread the word about STEM City. We are up, we are functional, and I believe this will be a catalyst for a new way to connect with people professionally online.”

In recent presentations on STEM City USA, Taborn has spoken at length on what the new metaverse will offer baby boomers, Generation X, millennials, Generation Z, and the more recent generations.

“STEM City USA has recruiting opportunities, educational opportunities, and professional development opportunities. Eighteen months ago, few would have felt comfortable doing a video conference.

Yes, we were all doing audio conferences and webinars, but the ability to do a video conference was put on the back burner. Doctors did not do 34

it for legal reasons. People in the office did not do it because of privacy issues.

Indeed, our young people and parents were not doing video conferencing, but the technology existed. Then came the pandemic.

“What the pandemic did is what Mark Dean and so many others did with computing. They made it accessible to the millions and billions of people who now consume it so quickly. Because of this shift, STEM City USA was created.

“STEM City is a significant employee and professional volunteer platform. It is a way to be close to one another via a digital twin experience. What this means is that most of what you see in STEM City will always be live and interactive,” he said.

‘WHAT YOU CAN SEE AND DO IN STEM CITY USA’ Since April 2020, STEM City USA has hosted several activities, including a town hall on infrastructure by U.S. Sen. Ben Cardin and the 2021 National Naval Officers Association Leadership, Professional Development & Training Symposium.

“STEM City is interactive,” Taborn said.

“We will have games and all kinds of hidden eggs in the system for people to stay engaged. As we grow, there will be

USBE & Information Technology | CONFERENCE 2022

Career Communications Group founded the Black Family Technology Week Program, La Familia Technology Awareness Week, and the Native American Technology Awareness Project more than two decades ago.

Taborn says these awareness programs promoted health and well-being, certification and training, and access to opportunities.

“All of these are represented here in STEM City,” Taborn said. “What the metaverse does is bring all these resources together for communities to take advantage of. “We will have all types of resources to advance health and wellness knowledge for everybody.

You will come across prerecorded content, and activities will be live.

K–12 programs will have their rooms.

They will be able to explore different programs and activities that will help them build their career goals. We will be getting as many certification programs as possible and training opportunities so that anyone, no matter where they are, will find the resources that will help make a meaningful change in their lives.

For example, a high school graduate with no experience may train in STEM City and become a programmer in one of the fastest-growing companies. This means they can become certified and come out earning $50,000 a year at the very start of their career,” he said.

Rod Adkins was a leading innovator in www.blackengineer.com

MANY OTHERS DID WITH

country. The digital twin experience is all about creating digital content. The users are creating content as they move along. The second piece, even more importantly, is that you have agency, you can move around, you make the decisions about where you are going and when.”

COMPUTING. THEY MADE

HBCU VILLAGE

“WHAT THE PANDEMIC DID [WITH TECHNOLOGY] IS WHAT MARK DEAN AND SO

IT ACCESSIBLE TO THE MILLIONS AND BILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO NOW CONSUME IT SO QUICKLY. BECAUSE OF THIS SHIFT, STEM CITY USA WAS CREATED.” solutions ranging from mobile devices to the world’s largest supercomputers.

His significant contributions included helping to develop the personal computer industry, launching the IBM ThinkPad mobile PC, leading IBM’s POWER business to become the dominant player in the UNIX market, and helping to pioneer what became IBM’s portfolio of Smarter Planet solutions. He is also the 2007 Black Engineer of the Year.

“You will notice the people in the pictures up on the wall around the lobby in STEM City USA,” Taborn said.

“You can click on each image to learn more about the person, like the famous Rod Adkins from IBM, who is a big supporter of this platform,” Taborn said.

CAREER DAYS IN STEM CITY USA “Career days have been extremely popular so far, and we plan on hosting many more. What is fun and unique about things like career day is that young people are hosting the program.

They are doing the interviews; they are involved, and they are all over the www.blackengineer.com

“In the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Village, students can take control of each room. Parents and students can open links to learn about news or any information about each school. They can also take a virtual tour of the schools, allowing students to picture themselves in the schools in which they are interested.”

Other buildings in STEM City USA include a Tribute Hall, tracing the history of African-American participation dating from the American Civil War (1861–1865) to selecting the first Black secretary of defense, Lloyd J. Austin, in 2021.

“The Tribute Hall not only provides a safe space for conferences to be held by groups in the armed forces, but it honors the people in uniform as well,” Taborn said. “This is a museum of service history, and each branch of the armed forces currently has its room, which are all unique to each branch. For example, the NNOA Symposium was held here, in the Tribute Hall. Every day they had seminars for each branch of the sea services through a protected government Zoom session. This is an example of STEM City providing the platform, technical support, and setting up the Zooms, which are always available. They also include recruiting information and other pieces of information throughout the year.

And that is why this is called a 365-day strategy.”

ENTERTAINMENT “Live entertainment from all around the world will be available for visitors to enjoy anytime. In addition, you can invite friends to join you in the Jazz Club so you can collectively enjoy the performances in an online environment that feels like you are there.” S

Be sure to experience STEM City USA for yourself at https://stemcityusa.com/

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YEAR-ROUND EXPERIENCE WITH 365-DAY ACCESS 36th

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B E YA

2022

BEYA WINNERS

“My earliest mentors gave me a lot of advice on leadership…other mentors have been advocates and given me feedback that I wouldn’t have otherwise received…all these mentoring experiences have taught me about creating pathways to opportunity. Mentors help you see your superpowers, harness those traits, and accelerate your goals.”

THEODORE “TED” COLBERT III Executive Vice President The Boeing Company President and Chief Executive Officer Boeing Global Services

By Rafael Gonzalez & CCG Editors, editors@ccgmag.com 38

USBE & Information Technology | CONFERENCE 2022

www.blackengineer.com

2022 BOEING LEADER, DIVERSITY CHAMPION, AND INNOVATION PIONEER IS THE 2022

Black Engineer of the Year “Be fearless, find your voice, find the confidence to embrace yourbyselfLango Deen editors@ccgmag.com worth, knowing that there will be challenges along the way. You win and lose sometimes, but never lose sight of the fact that you do have a voice and can contribute from any corner of the world.”

Winning the Black Engineer of the Year Award The night before receiving the call to inform him that he is Black Engineer of the Year, Theodore “Ted” Colbert III was spending time in a colleague’s Boston, MA home, which had unique historical significance.

“It turns out that the basement of this home was part of the Underground Railroad system,” Colbert recalls. “The evening was significant. You feel spiritual energy when you are in certain places, and being in a space that my ancestors and those of others occupied in their endeavors for freedom is still on my mind,” he continued. “We still have a long way to go, and I’m honored to be part of this story of progress.”

Now, 245 years removed from his ancestors’ search for freedom, and as the 2022 Black Engineer of the Year, Colbert embodies the progress made and hopes to use his voice to inspire continued progress for years to come.

By Rafael Gonzalez & CCG Editors editors@ccgmag.com

www.blackengineer.com

Colbert says that while he never planned on winning Black Engineer of the Year, all the attributes he saw in previous winners—excellent leadership skills, a focus on technical talent, getting things done, building great relationships, giving back to the community, and having a

sense of pulling everyone else up with you—motivated him toward building his framework as he developed his career.

“These pioneering leaders raised the bar for all of us, and it is an absolute honor to be counted among them today. I hope to continue their legacy of inspiration and spur on the next generation of minority leaders to step up and change the world, starting right in my own home,” Colbert shared. “My wife Trista and I are blessed with two sons—Theo and Miles—and they inspire me every day to help create a world in which they can thrive and have endless opportunities. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the truly incredible and unwavering support of my family—particularly my wife who has just gone above and beyond for me and our family—and I’m so grateful to have the opportunity to demonstrate to my sons all of the exciting possibilities that lie ahead for them.”

In addition to the example set by previous winners of this award, Colbert emphasized the significance of mentorship—both formal and informal—in shaping his leadership.

“Every mentor that I’ve had has made a difference,” Colbert said. “They have added something to my values as a leader.

My earliest mentors gave me a lot of

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B E YA

2022

BEYA WINNERS Theodore Colbert represents Boeing Global Services at the 2021 Dubai Air Show

organizations are more successful. Diverse companies, diverse boards, deliver more innovation to our society.”

advice on leadership…other mentors have been advocates and given me feedback that I wouldn’t have otherwise received… all these mentoring experiences have taught me about creating pathways to opportunity. Mentors help you see your superpowers, harness those traits, and accelerate your goals.”

While Colbert’s mentors invested in him and guided him to become the person he is today, his reputation as a gifted leader precedes him.

Patrick Cazeau, a 2007 Black Engineer of the Year—Modern Day Technology Leader and senior director at Boeing, highlights three key attributes of Colbert. First, his technical and business acumen. Cazeau shared that the executive vice president of The Boeing Company and president and CEO of Boeing Global Services “has demonstrated leadership in the auto industry, financial services, and now aerospace.” Second and third, he spoke about Colbert’s drive for professional excellence and commitment to diversity and inclusion.

to students and the next generation of leaders entering the aerospace industry and beyond. We are delighted to celebrate this great recognition for Ted. He is incredibly deserving to be recognized with the Black Engineer of the Year Award.”

Colbert says he takes every challenge seriously, puts in the hard work to get results—even if that takes time—and works toward his goals in a way that is true to his core values. “I try to get things done with a level of humility that allows me to engage in collaborating with others,” he said. “One of my high school coaches, his strategy for winning games was not about the ‘Hail Marys.’ Instead, his strategy for winning games was running the ball down the field one play at a time.”

Charting the course as talent leader and champion of diversity and inclusion

Boeing’s president and CEO Dave Calhoun also spoke highly of Colbert, sharing they both joined Boeing in 2009 and he has had the privilege of championing Colbert’s development and career since that time.

Over the past decade, Colbert and Boeing have worked with students, faculty, and administrators to support and empower underserved and minority populations.

Since 2018, Boeing has invested more than $10 million in historically Black college and university (HBCU) partnerships and developed programs that have increased HBCU intern hiring by more than 400 percent.

“Ted serves with tremendous impact, leading a diverse team of colleagues spanning more than 70 countries while building valued relationships with our customers, suppliers, and stakeholders,” Calhoun said. “His longstanding commitment to STEM exemplifies leadership in action, bringing his experience, perspective, and learnings

During the spring of 2020, Colbert beamed with pride as he spoke to a group of students from HBCUs who were beginning an internship with Boeing as part of the Boeing | Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TCMF) Scholar program, which he helped launch. “It’s opened up a new world of possibilities,” Colbert said. “The fact of the matter is all the data says that diverse

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The interns that have joined Boeing in this time have done tremendous work for the company. “Just last year, an HBCU intern modified a factory floor design, while another created a roller tray cover for the 787 cargo deck, both to enhance safety and productivity,” Colbert said. “These are just the beginnings of tremendous impact for our company, our industry, and these young professionals’ careers.”

Colbert currently sits on the TMCF board of directors, and his passion for this program has been described by leadership as “infectious.” The first cohort of students that completed the two-year internship program will move into full-time roles at Boeing after graduation. “The investment is an example of Boeing’s commitment to building a diverse pipeline of future talent through scholarships, internships, on-campus engagements, and immersive opportunities at Boeing,” Colbert mentioned. “And it’s my absolute honor and privilege to support it.”

Colbert also serves as chair of the board of New Leaders, which aims to ensure high academic achievement for all children— especially students in poverty and students of color—and is an active member and executive sponsor of the Boeing Black Employees Association, which strives to provide Boeing employees space to build inclusive communities.

“Ted’s personal history and experience as a young Black engineer provides a role model for HBCU students to emulate,” added Harry L. Williams, president of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund (TMCF).

“His life of hard work and thoughtfulness is exactly the example that young people need to emulate.”

Having been a curious, adventurous young adult himself—and now a father of two curious sons—Colbert has long held a passion to encourage, support, and inspire these future leaders to achieve great things.

“The young culture today has more www.blackengineer.com

2022 Theodore Colbert and the Boeing team support STEM in the Kershaw commmunity

courage than my generation,” Colbert observed, noting the plentitude of entrepreneurs and great ideas. “I admire that. But just like the Kenny Rogers song, ‘you got to know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, and know when to run.’ So, what I would tell myself at 16, 20, or 24 is what I amplify strongly: Be fearless, find your voice, find the confidence to embrace your self-worth, knowing that there will be challenges along the way. You win and lose sometimes, but never lose sight of the fact that you do have a voice and can contribute from any corner of the world.”

Early Career Growing up in Maryland, Colbert received an 8-bit Commodore 64 home computer.

His friends came over to play what they assumed were computer games. They later discovered that they had been enjoying computer programming. Colbert’s interest in math and science led him to pursue engineering, particularly simulation and applying technology to solve business challenges. But he might have landed on the political science track or in the legal world if a high school teacher had not encouraged him to focus on physics and math classes. Colbert’s hard work led to his selection as an AT&T Bell Labs Distinguished Scholar, with a full college scholarship and internships from 1992–1996. He earned a dual degree from Georgia Institute of Technology and Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA, in industrial and systems engineering and interdisciplinary science.

“In figuring out which field of engineering worked best for me, industrial systems engineering brings together systems, technologies, the engineering discipline, and business in a way that pulls all those things together to solve big problems in small factories, problems in how businesses operate, problems with how we build things and optimize resources.

So, I realized this would be a good match,” Colbert said.

He credits his parents as the inspiration for his people skills. His mother worked as a social worker for 40 years. His father

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worked in human resources labor relations.

“The emphasis in my home was on people skills, on valuing people and diversity,” Colbert says.

Colbert joined Ford Motor Company after graduating from college. He participated in the Ford College Graduate Program. In 2001, he embarked on his first international assignment and first management role with Ford Motor Company in the UK. He continued to rise through the ranks at Ford before moving to Citigroup. Colbert held several executive positions in information technology at Citigroup, including his first vice president role in 2007.

Colbert joined Boeing in 2009 as director of IT Infrastructure for Enterprise Network Services. In 2013, he took on the chief information officer (CIO) role at Boeing.

He served as the company’s most senior IT leader responsible for the IT strategy, operations, processes, and more than 8,000 IT people. In 2016, Colbert added the title of senior vice president of IT and became a member of the Boeing Executive Council. In addition, he supported the growth of Boeing’s business by partnering with the company’s business units on IT and analytics-related revenue-generating programs.

In a 2018 interview published by McKinsey Quarterly, Colbert is described as an evangelist for data analytics. He is credited with spreading the importance of data to Boeing engineers, scientists, mathematicians, and statisticians who achieve amazing things at the world’s largest aerospace company and manufacturer of commercial jetliners.

Colbert was named president and CEO of global services in October 2019. He is responsible for leading Boeing’s aerospace services development and delivery model for commercial, government, and aviation customers. He leads a team of 23,500 employees in more than 300 locations across more than 70 countries.

“There’s no more inspiring place to work than Boeing,” Colbert said. “Our mission around connecting, protecting, exploring, and inspiring is what we do every day. To solve the most pressing problems for our customers, the most important thing is to be a good listener. We have to understand the problems that our customers are having and couple those with great capabilities to develop the best talent in the industry to solve those problems.”

Recent Accomplishments His recent accomplishments include the 2021 CapitalCIO Leadership ORBIE Award; recognition as one of the Most Influential Black Executives in Corporate America

by Savoy magazine in 2020; receiving the first Fisher Center prize for Excellence in Driving Transformation in 2018; winning the 2018 Forbes CIO Innovation Award; recognition as one of the Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America by Black Enterprise magazine in 2017; receiving the 2017 Morehouse College Bennie Leadership Award for Excellence in Business; recognition as the 2016 National Society of Black Engineers Golden Torch Legacy Award winner; recognition as the HMG Strategy 2016 CIO of the Year; and being named a 2015 Ebony Power 100 honoree. He was also recently appointed to the board of directors for ArcherDaniels-Midland Co. S

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LaTasha Starr

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Lockheed Martin Associate Fellow Aeronautics Company The Linda Gooden Legacy Award

Demia Readoux

Senior Manager, Digital Engineering Solutions Enterprise Operations Outstanding Technical Contribution in Industry Award

Leaders in Innovation.

We are honored to recognize our winners at the 36th Annual BEYA STEM Conference. The men and women of Lockheed Martin commend you for your achievements and thank you for your dedication to excellence and innovation.

Learn more at lockheedmartin.com/diversity

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Modern Day Technology Leaders:

Ronald Bass

David Battle

Terrence Bradford

Matthew Brown

Rachael Garrett

Ebonee Gocha

Abdurahman Hussein

Eric Johnson

Adrian Knight

Donald Lafrance

Chandra Langhorne

Terry Lescott

Aaron McDowell

Matthew Murray

Marcell Pierre

Renan Scott

Jered Sellers

Addi Stone

Hirute Tesfaye

Sheldon Thomas

Sheila Walker

Steven Walker

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Science Spectrum Trailblazers:

Akil Alexander

Naomie Baptiste

Anthony Barnes

Julius Berry

Alain Bissereth

Dr. Justin Boone

Daniel Boyd

Lakim Desir

Karissa Diggs

Charles Faminu

Thaddaeus Irby

Jason Jones

Kenneth Mills

Marvin Powell

Charles Richberg

Jean Serushema

Eric Thompson

B E YA

2022

BEYA WINNERS

2022 WINNERS Black Engineer of the Year

FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES, Career Communications Group has made it its mission to show that Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) winners are shining demonstrations of what happens when the field of competition is leveled, and people of talent, drive, and initiative are allowed to give their best performance. As with past winners of this award, among those listed here, some knew they wanted a science, technology, engineering, or math-based (STEM) career at an early age. For others, their efforts and determination to succeed led them to a STEM career. Some went to school at night for two degrees while working blue-collar STEM jobs during the day. Since the deans of historically Black college and university (HBCU) engineering schools joined Career Communications Group in shaping BEYA to serve as a fitting tribute to Black History Month, more than 10,000 people have received various awards. Join us as we salute the 2021 award winners who have made significant contributions to innovation during a time of tremendous shifts in technology.

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www.blackengineer.com

Career Achievement in Government Award

Most Promising Engineer In Government Award

ADEDEJI B. BADIRU, PH.D., P.E.

CAPTAIN DEION HARDY

Dean, Graduate School of Engineering and Management Air Force Institute of Technology

COMMANDER DESMOND WALKER

Prospective Executive Officer, USS BAINBRIDGE (DDG 96) U.S. Navy

Career Achievement In Industry Award DENISE RUSSELL FLEMING

Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Boeing Defense, Space & Security The Boeing Company

THOMASINA RUSSELL WRIGHT

2022

QF-16 Deputy Lead Engineer, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/Air Dominance Division U.S. Air Force

DAQUAN STYLES

Electrical Engineer, Ship Self-defense System On-site Installation Coordinator Dahlgren Division, Dam Neck Activity, NAVSEA Naval Surface Warfare Center U.S. Navy

Most Promising Engineer In Industry Award SHALISHA WITHERSPOON

Program Director Huntington Ingalls Industries

Software Engineer, IBM T. J. Watson Research Center IBM Corporation

Community Service Award

SHONDA WITHERSPOON

VELDESTA B. EVANS

Manager, Systems Engineering 3 Northrop Grumman Corporation

Software Engineer, IBM T. J. Watson Research Center IBM Corporation

JAYNELLE PEMBERTON

Most Promising Scientist In Government Award

STACIA M. GRAHAM

KARLA VANESSA MORRIS WRIGHT, PH.D.

North Florida Water Group Leader Jacobs Program Manager F-15 U.S. Air Force Sustainment, Avionics Hardware The Boeing Company

Dave Barclay Affirmative Action In Government Award CAPTAIN GIANNA-ROSE ACOSTA

F-15E Lead Weapon Systems Officer U.S. Air Force

Dave Barclay Affirmative Action In Industry Award VIA VAN LIEW

Principal Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion The Aerospace Corporation

Educational Leadership - College-Level Promotion Of Education Award BEVLEE A. WATFORD, PH.D., P.E.

Professor, Engineering Education, Associate Dean, Equity and Engagement, Executive Director, Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity, College of Engineering, Virginia Tech

Lifetime Achievement Award LAURA W. MURPHY

President Laura Murphy & Associates LLC

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Principal Member of Technical Staff Sandia National Laboratories

Most Promising Scientist In Industry Award JANELLE ROWELL, PH.D. Senior Biotechnologist The MITRE Corporation

ABDALLAH DIAGNE, PH.D. Research Investigator Corteva Agriscience

Outstanding Technical Contribution In Government Award CHRISTINE DEDRICK

Systems Engineering Lead, Infrared Countermeasures (IRCM) U.S. Department of Defense, Aircraft Survivability Equipment Project Office, IRCM Product Office U.S. Army

Outstanding Technical Contribution In Industry Award

DEMIA READOUX

Senior Manager, Digital Engineering Solutions Lockheed Martin

Professional Achievement In Government Award RODERICK K. JACKSON, PH.D. Distinguished Member Research Staff, Laboratory Program Manager, Building Technologies Research National Renewable Energy Laboratory

BRANDICE WEATHERS, PH.D.

Materials Research Engineer, Center for Corrosion Science and Engineering United States Naval Research Laboratory

Professional Achievement In Industry Award PHILIP JUNE

Vice President of Safety & Quality for Boeing Global Services (BGS) The Boeing Company

MARIA SHAW

Senior Director, Program Management Office, Infectious Disease Developed Markets Abbott Rapid Diagnostics

Research Leadership Award TOLESSA DEKSISSA, PH.D.

Director of Water Resources Research Institute College of Urban Sustainabiity and Environmental Sciences University of the District of Columbia

RAKHEE PALEKAR, MD, MPH Chief Scientist for Public Health and Epidemiology The MITRE Corporation

CHRIS JENKINS, PH.D.

Principal Member of Technical Staff Sandia National Laboratories

Senior Investigator Award PAULIN BUAKA, PH.D.

Technical Advisor-Applied Mechanics, Durability Team Leader Cummins Emission Solutions

Technical Sales And Marketing Award TREVOR DUNWELL

Executive Director, Tactical Strike Product Area, Raytheon Missiles & Defense Raytheon Technologies

WESLEY LEGGETTE

Distinguished Engineer & Chief Technical Officer, IBM Cloud Storage IBM Corporation

JAMES T. O'NEAL, JR.

Principal, Health and Life Sciences The MITRE Corporation

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B E YA Adedeji B. Badiru, Ph.D., P.E. Career Achievement In Government Award Dean, Graduate School of Engineering and Management Air Force Institute of Technology

Dr. Adedeji Badiru’s career as an industrial engineer extends over 35 years. Since 2013, he has served as dean in the Graduate School of Engineering and Management at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT).

In addition to his contributions to AFIT, the U.S. Department of Defense, and other industrial and scientific communities, he has over 30 administrative and leadership accomplishments, authored and coauthored 83 books/chapters, 22 guidebooks, 90 publications, and has led or contributed to over 220 conferences, presentations, keynotes, and lectures. In addition to his membership in the federal Senior Executive Service (SES), Badiru is distinguished as an AFIT pioneer through building an institutional diversity team. “Dr. Badiru has amassed a plethora of extraordinary accomplishments as an ardent professional, colleague, citizen, and community paladin.

I am honored to recommend Dean Badiru for this prestigious award that will truly recognize a phenomenal lifetime of career achievement,” said Walter F. Jones, Ph.D., Air Force Institute of Technology.

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Commander Desmond Walker Career Achievement In Government Award Prospective Executive Officer, USS BAINBRIDGE (DDG 96) U.S. Navy

Commander Desmond Walker has made quite an impression at sea and ashore.

In 2017, he received the National Naval Officers Association (NNOA) Captain Sallee Kafer Mentoring Award and the NNOA Doris “Dorie” Miller Award in 2018 for improving the connection between accession, retention, and mentorship of naval officers. In June 2020, his commentary titled “The Burden of a Black Naval Officer” was published in Proceedings, a monthly magazine published by the United States Naval Institute. “CDR Walker’s extensive record of mentorship, selfless service, and dedication to developing talented leaders demonstrates his steadfast and exceptional commitment to the U.S. Navy and our nation,” said Captain R.C. Francis, U.S. Navy. “He is, therefore, most worthy of the recognition afforded by the Black Engineer of the Year Career Achievement Award.”

Originally from Hollandale, MS, Walker graduated from Norfolk State University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science in electronics technology. He also earned a Master of Engineering Management from Old Dominion University in 2012, a Joint Professional Military Education Phase I from Naval War College in 2015, and a Master of Business Administration from Central Michigan University in 2020.

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2022

BEYA WINNERS

Denise Russell Fleming Career Achievement In Industry Award Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Boeing Defense, Space & Security The Boeing Company

Throughout her career, Denise Russell Fleming has become accustomed to being a pioneer. She is the first Black woman to serve as vice president of information technology and chief information officer at Boeing. She is part of the leadership teams of the CIO and the chief engineer of Boeing and that of the president and CEO of Boeing Defense, Space & Security. Her work has a significant impact on the nation’s safety, as she is responsible for IT strategy and delivery of digital and analytics capabilities for this $26 billion division of Boeing— across its portfolio of defense products spanning seabed to space. During her career at Sprint, she served as chief of staff to the CEO and led a $6 billion profit and loss account culminating in her becoming the first Black woman to be promoted to vice president. She also champions diversity in STEM through board service at several universities and nonprofits. “It is evident that Denise is an outstanding leader who displays a tireless commitment to inspiring her team and giving back to her community,” said Pat Cazeau of The Boeing Company.

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2022 Thomasina Russell Wright

Veldesta B. Evans

Jaynelle Pemberton

Career Achievement In Industry Award

Community Service Award

Community Service Award

Manager, Systems Engineering 3 Northrop Grumman Corporation

North Florida Water Group Leader Jacobs

Veldesta Evans leads an engineering and science team in Northrop Grumman’s mission systems, including Cyber & Processing Engineering Emerging Technology for the Network Information Structure Intelligence and Sensing Solutions Engineering leadership. She has been an integral part of the successes within several programs to include cybersecurity, intelligence, software, and hardware development, which has spanned the United States, Japan, Australia, and England. Evans is enthusiastic about giving back and volunteers in a multitude of ways. Her contributions include being an active NAACP member (Loudoun Chapter), a STEM judge for local/regional science fairs, and youth minister at her church.

Within Northrop Grumman, Evans is active with employee resource groups, supports initiatives that help enhance the corporate culture, and works in a mentorship capacity to support new employees. Evans does more than just function as a leader for the Northrop Grumman community. With the tireless work that Evans puts in, she demonstrates that she is an incredible asset to the community, notes William T. Lidane of Northrop Grumman Corporation.

Jaynelle Pemberton started her career as a civil engineer with CH2M in 2002 (acquired by Jacobs in 2018). Currently, she serves as the Jacobs North Florida Water Group leader. She manages municipal water work and is responsible for career coaching, salary discussions, and workload management for over 20 direct reports.

Passionate about giving back to her local community, Pemberton volunteers her time for community activities and initiatives, including managing the Jacobs Jacksonville Office Bikes n Bytes Program, running for 18 consecutive years. Under her leadership, the program has impacted more than 800 students and families and has expanded to other cities. In addition, she serves as chair of the Jacksonville Mayor’s Commission of the Status of Women in her local community. In addition, Pemberton has an active leadership role in the Jacobs Women’s Network and the Jacobs Black Employee Network Group (Harambee).

She is a founding member of Harambee and has recently served as the global chair of the network. “Jaynelle Pemberton is committed to the field of engineering, she presents a compelling business case for women and girls of color to choose STEAMrelated careers, and she is passionate about giving back to her community,” said Dee Wilcox of the AnnieRuth Foundation.

Program Director Huntington Ingalls Industries

Thomasina Wright has been leading the way at Huntington Ingalls Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division for more than 38 years. Throughout her distinguished career, she has not only been the first African American but the first female to perform many of the critical roles she has held. She has been a staple in trade leadership for over two decades, serving as trade director and production trade director. In 2020, she became the first Black program director at NNS with overall responsibility for refueling and complex overhaul of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, the more than 4,000-person workforce, and managing the $3 billion budget. In addition to her commitment to business results, Wright is committed to mentoring countless shipbuilders and youth within the community. She remains committed to ensuring that although she may have been the first Black woman director at NNS, she will not be the last.

According to Xavier L. Beale, Wright continues to raise the bar and embodies what it means to impact positive change.

Her value to the organization, community, and STEM is incalculable.

www.blackengineer.com

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Celebrating

DIVERSITY and Excellence in

STEM

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MODERN-DAY TECHNOLOGY LEADERS LEGACY AWARD

Said Adem

Camille Carter

Adiam Desta

Anderson Elzie

Sharrod Hines

Frederick Ige

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George Shores

Notashia Thomas

Cordel Gordon

CACI is proud to celebrate the achievements of its 10 2022 BEYA honorees, whose contributions to STEM inspire and challenge us and help ensure the security of our nation. We are committed to advancing a culture of inclusion and allyship that enables all employees to thrive with passion and excellence.

We are equally honored to support the BEYA STEM Conference in its mission to highlight and advance diversity in STEM careers.

Learn more at careers.caci.com A Fortune World’s Most Admired Company

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2022 Stacia M. Graham

Captain Gianna-Rose Acosta

Via Van Liew

Community Service Award

Dave Barclay Affirmative Action In Government Award

Dave Barclay Affirmative Action In Industry Award

F-15E Lead Weapon Systems Officer U.S. Air Force

Principal Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion The Aerospace Corporation

Program Manager F-15 U.S. Air Force Sustainment, Avionics Hardware The Boeing Company

In early 2006, several months after graduating from Tennessee State University with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering, Stacia Graham and her sister joined The Boeing Company in St. Louis, MO as a reliability and maintainability engineer. During her 12 years in this position, she supported various defense aviation platforms, including the AV8B, F/A-18, F-15, and T-45 programs. She led a lean manufacturing initiative that used checklists to ensure accuracy and uniformity in project changes, saving 700 labor hours across the team. Graham believes strongly in giving back to the community and is an avid volunteer. She is a member of the National Society of Black Engineers—St. Louis Gateway Chapter, assisting with the Pre-Collegiate Initiative that introduces K-12 students to STEM activities. Graham also volunteers with the Tennessee State University St. Louis Alumni Chapter, United Way of Greater St. Louis, and the Boeing St. Louis Leadership Association. She is a member of the Society of Women Engineers. “Stacia is a dynamic individual who has already made an impact on her company, her profession, and community. I am excited to see the contributions she will make in the future,” said Pat Cazeau of The Boeing Company.

www.blackengineer.com

Capt. Gianna-Rose Acosta is an F-15E lead weapon systems officer and assistant chief of scheduling for the 494th Fighter Squadron. As an F-15E lead weapon systems officer, she executes a full array of higher-level directed missions against high-value targets worldwide. She is also responsible for scheduling flights for more than 60 aircrews on training and combat missions to keep aircrews combat-ready and accomplish the president of the United States’ intent when deployed. While Acosta excels in tactical knowledge, her real strength is her passion for impacting future minority Air Force officers and aspiring fighter aviators of color. When COVID-19 forced the world into lockdown, Acosta participated in several mentorship programs geared toward underrepresented youth. She presented and spoke to students and parents of the Legacy Flight Academy, discussing the process of becoming a fighter aviator from college through mission qualification. Air Force Lt. Col. Jonathan Hutto said that in his view Acosta is a force in the community who will spark positive change for years to come. “She is a shining star in making the change to show young women of color to excel in STEM and aviation-related fields,” he added.

Since assuming the role of principal director of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Aerospace Corporation, Via Van Liew has restructured the company’s Executive Diversity Council by adding six senior vice presidents. She also implemented a diversity scorecard and dashboard and increased representation in the Board of Trustees. Van Liew co-chairs the council, which is chaired by Aerospace Corporation’s CEO. In addition, she manages an equality committee, overseeing diversity, equity, and inclusion actions across recruitment, representation, retention, education and training, K-12 STEM, and community outreach. In 2020, Van Liew implemented a pilot program to help women re-enter the workforce as part of an initiative with iRelaunch and the Society of Women Engineers. Van Liew has also been active in an annual Adopt a Family Program since 2015, along with pupil services and a homeless education program. “Via has significant influence on members of our employee resource groups and exemplified the mission of diversity, equity, and inclusion at Aerospace,” said Heather Laychak. “Her skills, knowledge, willingness to help others, and commitment to Aerospace and the community make her an excellent candidate for this award.”

The Dave Barclay Award recognizes efforts to promote affirmative action and diversity management in education, job promotion, small-business development, and community activities.

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Innovation driven by diversity AD Raytheon Technologies honors our engineers for shaping the future of aerospace and defense — and celebrates all the recipients of this year’s Black Engineer of the Year Awards.

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Trevor Dunwell Technical Sales and Marketing Award Raytheon Missiles & Defense Product Area Director

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B E YA

2022

BEYA WINNERS

Bevlee A. Watford, Ph.D., P.E.

Laura W. Murphy

Captain Deion Hardy

Educational Leadership - CollegeLevel Promotion Of Education Award

Lifetime Achievement Award

Most Promising Engineer In Government Award

Professor, Engineering Education, Associate Dean, Equity and Engagement, Executive Director, Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity, College of Engineering, Virginia Tech

Laura W. Murphy, president of Laura Murphy & Associates, is a business consultant and an influential national civil liberties and civil rights leader. She pioneered the process for conducting civil rights audits of businesses with her groundbreaking audit of Airbnb in 2016 and her widely reported audit of Facebook in 2020. Murphy recently authored a report, “The Rationale for and Key Elements of a Business Civil Rights Audit,” endorsed by the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and made possible by the financial support of The Ford Foundation.

That report was developed with over 30 civil rights, worker rights, and shareholder advocacy organizations. Murphy was a 2016 fellow in the Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University. She was recently featured in Businessweek, honored numerous times, and cited as a top lobbyist

by Roll Call and The Hill newspapers. She received awards from three ACLU affiliates.

In addition, the Congressional Black Caucus honored Murphy with the William L. Dawson Award for significant contributions to legislation addressing the needs of minorities in the United States.

Dr. Bevlee Watford has secured over $12 million in funding and support for the College of Engineering’s Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity (CEED) at Virginia Tech. Her research activities have focused on the recruitment and retention of students in engineering, with a particular emphasis on underrepresented students. “Dr. Watford is passionate, motivated, dedicated, and holds fast to the Virginia Tech motto, Ut Prosim, That I May Serve,” said Dr. Tremayne Waller. “In summary, Dr. Watford is a very impressive individual and mentor to many. She has had a substantial and positive impact on STEM education.”

In 2019, Dr. Watford was named the founding associate dean for equity and engagement. In addition, she serves as a professor of engineering education and executive director of CEED. Following an initial position as an assistant professor at Clemson University, in 1992, she joined Virginia Tech as CEED director and associate professor of industrial and systems engineering. In 1997 she became the associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Engineering. She earned her current rank of professor of engineering education in 2005 and served as interim department head from 2010–11.

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President Laura Murphy & Associates LLC

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QF-16 Deputy Lead Engineer, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/Air Dominance Division U.S. Air Force

Capt. Deion Hardy is a senior systems development engineer supporting aerial targets programs in the acquisition cycle phases. As deputy lead engineer for QF16, a modified platform of the aging F-16 aircraft, Hardy participates in modifying existing systems assigned to the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center Armament Directorate. He oversees junior engineers in the branch and provides technical direction in the acquisition cycle. He also controls engineering efforts in the QF-16 branch, assuring the resolution of technical problems consistent with program objectives and related engineering, schedule, and performance consideration.

Before his current assignment, he served as a foreign material exploitation project engineer. He produced scientific and technical intelligence for the warfighter, acquisition community, and policymakers while in the Foreign Material Exploitation Squadron National Air and Space Intelligence Center, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. “Capt. Hardy exemplifies the Air Force mission with his dedication and unique talents. He has exhibited superb leadership and technical skills as deputy lead engineer for the $1.4 billion Full-Scale Aerial Targets program,” said Bridget L. Smith, USAF.

www.blackengineer.com

2022 Daquan Styles

Shalisha Witherspoon

Shonda Witherspoon

Most Promising Engineer In Government Award

Most Promising Engineer In Industry Award

Most Promising Engineer In Industry Award

Electrical Engineer, Ship Self-defense System On-site Installation Coordinator Dahlgren Division, Dam Neck Activity, NAVSEA Naval Surface Warfare Center U.S. Navy

Software Engineer, IBM T. J. Watson Research Center IBM Corporation

Software Engineer, IBM T. J. Watson Research Center IBM Corporation

Since joining IBM full-time, Shalisha Witherspoon has emerged as a leader and valuable contributor. A strong example of this has been her work on the Federated Learning (FL) framework. The FL framework was a collaborative effort from multiple IBM lab locations, including Yorktown, Almaden, and Singapore, to develop a federated learning platform capable of supporting popular machine learning frameworks such as TensorFlow, Keras, and Pytorch. Because of her proficiency in the Pytorch Machine Learning Framework, Witherspoon was onboarded to lead the development of adding Pytorch support to the framework. Thanks to her contributions, the IBM FL framework was awarded a highly selective IBM A-Level Accomplishment. “Shalisha possesses what I refer to as a growth mindset, where she takes the initiative in new directions, takes on complex tasks, and delivers on them.

Shalisha has proven herself as a promising engineer and a future leader in the field,” said Dr. Bijan Davari, IBM fellow. While a graduate student, Witherspoon was offered a prominent internship at IBM TJ Watson Research Center in 2017 as a developer for the distributed artificial intelligence department. She contributed to a project researching acoustic analysis for roaming Internet of things (IoT) devices.

Shonda Witherspoon works on artificial intelligence and Internet of things (IoT)related projects. Before working full-time at IBM, Witherspoon started as a developer intern, where she stood out as a top candidate after her team won first place in IBM’s Bluehack Hackathon. In addition, Witherspoon stood out as an intern when she and her team of fellow interns entered IBM’s first virtual hackathon, competing as the only all-female team out of a total of 77 teams from 20 different IBM sites around the United States. Witherspoon’s team placed 1st in the IoT-TJbot category, developing an IoT device capable of interpreting the manual alphabet using IBM technology. After the victory, Witherspoon was invited by IBM staff to speak for a group of children enrolled in IBM Girls and Boys Go Techknow summer camp, where she shared her background and obstacles she overcame to become a graduate student. “Through her passion and many foundational technical contributions, Shonda has advanced the state-of-theart in many technical areas in addressing significant real-world problems. Most importantly, recognizing Shonda will go a long way in encouraging the diverse technical community in IBM and beyond,” said Dr. Nicholas Fuller, IBM Research.

Daquan Styles is a distinguished leader, willing to take on the most challenging combat system computer program installations aboard aircraft carriers and amphibious ships. In so doing, he exceeded expectations for delivering new capability and lethality to our warfighters. During the pandemic, he spearheaded Ship Self-defense System (SSDS) software installations aboard four U.S. Navy amphibious assault ships and three aircraft carriers, despite travel restrictions, and other COVID-19 related challenges. He resolved over 150 interface issues with the SSDS Baseline 10 Software Engineering Build, which ensured the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) SSDS upgrade remained on schedule, delivering a three fold increase in combat capability. “Beyond Daquan’s bravery over the past year, he is consistently a high performer and trailblazer amongst his peers for whom he sets the bar and then works tirelessly to help others cross it,” said Tara Lalonde, head of the Combat Systems Readiness Division. “In every example of achievement I can provide for him, there is another in which he has mentored or coached a teammate to great success. I can think of no other individual within our organization more deserving of this nomination and consideration for the award.”

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2022

BEYA WINNERS

Karla Vanessa Morris Wright, Ph.D. Most Promising Scientist In Government Award Principal Member of Technical Staff Sandia National Laboratories

In early 2011, Dr. Karla Morris applied for a staff position at Sandia. She joined Sandia’s Reacting Flow Research Department that year. “Karla is most assuredly one of the ‘most promising scientists’ at Sandia. I am thrilled to have been part of Karla’s initial hiring and even more thrilled that she continues to be among the most prolific and impactful early-career scientists at Sandia,” said Andrew McIlroy, Integrated Security Solutions, Sandia. Morris led the development of the ForTrilinos and Morfeus software packages. She collaborated with and supported new and visiting users of ForTrilinos and Morfeus from industry and academia in the United States and abroad.

Morris was the co-inventor of the short course “Object-Oriented Programming in Fortran,” taught in government laboratories, universities, and conferences in the United States and Europe. She later became the formal verification software lead for different Sandia projects.

Additionally, Morris was actively engaged with the FIRST Robotic Competition Silicon Valley, Richard Tapia Celebration of Diversity in Computing Conference, and Broader Engagement Program at the Supercomputing Conference.

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Janelle Rowell, Ph.D.

Abdallah Diagne, Ph.D.

Most Promising Scientist In Industry Award

Most Promising Scientist In Industry Award

Senior Biotechnologist The MITRE Corporation

Research Investigator Corteva Agriscience

Dr. Janelle Rowell is a senior biotechnologist at The MITRE Corporation.

After earning her Ph.D. in cellular and molecular medicine, Rowell served in the Food and Drug Administration’s prestigious ORISE STEM fellowship program. She helped assess the performance of a candidate universal influenza vaccine in mouse models of prior immune history.

As senior biotechnologist in the Emerging Technologies Innovation Center, she leads efforts to support the National Institutes of Health in navigating the regulatory requirements of early-stage medical technologies. Rowell guided a team in executing work to help NIH provide commercialization support to many innovators developing medical products. Her initiative and influence have helped establish NIH as a reliable source of regulatory knowledge that supports the innovator community. She has helped advance MITRE’s work for the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Defense through her work. “Since Janelle joined us three years ago, she quickly established herself as an indispensable member of the MITRE team.

With her impressive and growing list of accomplishments, Dr. Rowell demonstrates the boundless potential for future scientific contributions,” said Dr. Jason Providakes of The MITRE Corporation.

After receiving a doctorate in synthetic organic chemistry from Northwestern University in 2017, Abdallah Diagne joined Corteva as a crop protection discovery chemistry group member. “Despite only being with the company for a few years, he has already contributed to the Corteva pipeline through his innovative and creative research,” said Dr. Martin Walsh. “Furthermore, he has leveraged his position within the local ACS [American Chemical Society] section to impact his community in positive ways. Beyond all of this, Abdallah is a thoughtful, engaging, and respectful individual and makes those around him better.” Since joining Corteva, Diagne has been highly engaged in cross-functional collaborations to drive the development of next-generation crop protection products. For example, Diagne has been central to the success of a new chewing insecticide molecule that is progressing through the Corteva Discovery pipeline. Diagne has also committed himself to leadership outside of the laboratory. He is an active participant in multiple business resource groups within Corteva, including the Professional Learning Acceleration Network (PLAN) and the Global African Heritage Alliance (GAHA).

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Congratulations to Dr. A. Boh Ruffin who has been recognized by the BEYA STEM Conference as the 2022 Spectrum Science Trailblazer for actively creating new paths for others in science, technology, engineering, and development.

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B E YA

2022

BEYA WINNERS

Christine Dedrick

Wesley Leggette

James T. O’Neal, Jr.

Outstanding Technical Contribution In Government Award

Outstanding Technical Contribution In Industry Award

Outstanding Technical Contribution In Industry Award

Distinguished Engineer & Chief Technical Officer, IBM Cloud Storage IBM Corporation

Principal, Health and Life Sciences The MITRE Corporation

Systems Engineering Lead, Infrared Countermeasures (IRCM) U.S. Department of Defense, Aircraft Survivability Equipment Project Office, IRCM Product Office U.S. Army

Christine Dedrick currently serves as systems engineering lead for the Infrared Countermeasures (IRCM) Product Office providing support to the Common Infrared Countermeasure and the Advanced Threat Infrared Countermeasures system. She leads her team across IRCM programs, including specification updates, technical readiness assessment updates, software updates, and technical refresh efforts.

In addition, Dedrick is responsible for talent management of the engineering workforce, which comprises production, software development, cybersecurity, test & evaluation, modeling & simulation, and systems engineering. Her professional affiliations include the Federally Employed Women (FEW) organization and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) North Alabama Professionals chapter. “In addition to her technical accomplishments which protect American soldiers in harm’s way, she embraces the role of mentoring and developing the next generation of engineers,” said Jeffrey Langhout of the

Wesley Leggette’s technical contributions and leadership at IBM, and his significant patent portfolio (600-plus issued and pending), directly enabled the creation of one of IBM’s most successful public cloud offerings, IBM Public Cloud Object Storage (COS). As an intern at Chicago startup Cleversafe, Inc., Leggette has consistently created and driven key product transformations that enable critical customer wins across financial services, telecom, media, and entertainment.

Cleversafe’s dispersed object storage technology was a first of its kind, ushering in previously unseen advances in storage efficiency and reliability in the industry. Leggette joined IBM when it acquired Cleversafe for $1.4 billion. He led the evolution of Cleversafe from an on-premises-only product to become part of the IBM Cloud, transforming the development from archive-only focus to become the foundation of IBM’s AI and analytics strategy.

Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Aviation & Missile Center.

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James O’Neal is a health and life sciences principal in the Health Innovation department within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Alliance to Modernize Healthcare Federally Funded Research and Development Center.

In this role, O’Neal leads the project responsible for developing and executing the strategic outreach and education program supporting the Federal COVID-19 Response for Therapeutics. His technical contributions while at MITRE have been diverse and enduring. For example, O’Neal co-authored the VA cloud computing strategy to allow VA to transition to cloudbased enterprise services effectively.

Additionally, he helped manage the work for the Food and Drug Administration’s Business Management Team acquisition program. He also co-developed the Federal Acquisition Simulation Tool (FAST) to promote efficiencies in federal procurement processes. According to his colleagues, the impact of his technical leadership has been felt across federal agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Aviation Administration, National GeospatialIntelligence Agency, and Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts. “James is dedicated to making our nation more equitable, safer, and more resilient,” said Dr. Jason Providakes of The MITRE Corporation.

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2022 Demia Readoux

Roderick K. Jackson, Ph.D.

Brandice Weathers, Ph.D.

Outstanding Technical Contribution In Industry Award

Professional Achievement In Government Award

Professional Achievement In Government Award

Senior Manager, Digital Engineering Solutions Lockheed Martin

Distinguished Member Research Staff, Laboratory Program Manager, Building Technologies Research National Renewable Energy Laboratory

Materials Research Engineer, Center for Corrosion Science and Engineering United States Naval Research Laboratory

Dr. Roderick Jackson is the laboratory program manager for buildings research at NREL. He sets the strategic plan for NREL’s buildings portfolio while working closely with senior laboratory management.

Jackson came to NREL from Oak Ridge National Laboratory, where he was the group manager for Building Envelope Systems Research. He was at the forefront of connected communities research, leading an effort that established Alabama Power’s Smart Neighborhood. At NREL, Jackson was recognized as a Distinguished Member of Research Staff. In addition, he is serving a three-year appointment to the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy Research Advisory Board, which began in 2021. He has been a member of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers and has received several awards in his career, including the National GEM Consortium Alumni of the Year and Greater Knoxville Business Journal’s 40 under 40. “Although I was initially a mentor for Roderick, he has taught me a great deal, not only about building science and impactful research but also how fortunate we are to have such a champion for making this world better for all,” said Dr. Johney Green of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Dr. Brandice Weathers is a materials research engineer in the Center for Corrosion Science & Engineering. She is a recognized expert in corrosion control, material selection, and cathodic protection, and is currently serving as system integration team lead for the next class of attack submarines, where she has technical authority on corrosion and cathodic protection items. Her involvement in Navy platforms and systems situates her to recognize reoccurring fleet issues, identify knowledge gaps, and create research opportunities. For example, Weathers identified an environmental cracking risk with fasteners being proposed by the vendor and brought this concern to the Unmanned Maritime Systems Program Office and the Fastener Technical Warrant Holder. In addition, Weathers’ initiative has resulted in a collaboration with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division on hydrogen embrittlement studies of high-strength fastener alloys. “Dr. Weathers continues to provide innovative approaches to technical challenges, and her contributions to the U.S. Navy ship and submarines communities is greatly deserving of this recognition,” said Commander Eric C. Duncan of the Navy Sea Systems Command.

Demia Readoux leads the Digital Engineering Solutions (DES) team at Lockheed Martin by driving speed, agility, and competitiveness across the engineering organization. She manages a portfolio of products and services targeting the digital capabilities needed to engage a productive workforce. She has held several leadership positions for the Advanced Technical Leadership Development program and the Recognized Technical Talent program. “Demia is an avid STEM advocate and catalyst for change in her work and her broader community. It has been a privilege to know and work with this brilliant and dedicated engineering leader and mentor,” said Lockheed Martin’s Daniel J. Heller. Readoux began her career as a project manager at Lockheed Martin after completing a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) degree in management information systems. She accelerated growth through a variety of assignments as a systems engineering, planner, and manager. She earned a master’s degree in management and has acquired training/certifications such as the Lean Six Sigma Black Belt and certified control account manager, directly aligned with Lockheed Martin’s critical capabilities.

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B E YA

2022

BEYA WINNERS

Philip June

Maria Shaw

Tolessa Deksissa, Ph.D.

Professional Achievement In Industry Award

Professional Achievement In Industry Award

Research Leadership Award

Vice President of Safety & Quality for Boeing Global Services (BGS) The Boeing Company

Senior Director, Program Management Office, Infectious Disease Developed Markets Abbott Rapid Diagnostics

Director of Water Resources Research Institute College of Urban Sustainabiity and Environmental Sciences University of the District of Columbia

Maria Shaw joined Abbott in February 2021. As a senior director in the program management office for rapid diagnostics, she manages a team that produces tests for COVID-19 and HIV. “Maria galvanized a large team to optimize our manufacturing network,” wrote Dr. Karen Rodriguez. “This required ensuring adequate production capacity, minimizing distressed inventory, managing our asset base, and negotiating with suppliers. In addition, Maria is driving a monumental program to dramatically increase COVID test volume in response to the delta variant. This program is expected to garner over $1 billion in revenue and is the highest priority for the rapid diagnostics business.” Shaw began her engineering career as a Kettering University co-op student with General Motors.

After publishing a confidential thesis resulting in a $20 million savings, she won a Truck Group Manufacturing Engineering Exceptional Contributions award.

Shaw spent 10 years at General Electric Healthcare (GEHC), delivering $31 million in savings and $250 million in revenue.

She also served as an operating leader of the GEHC African American Forum (AAF).

In recognition of her performance and significant STEM contributions, she was named General Electric’s AAF Icon of the Year.

Dr. Tolessa Deksissa has been instrumental in building excellence in environmental research, teaching, and training capacity at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). He co-led the establishment of the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES), initiating national laboratory accreditation and new research projects and courses, and securing extramural funding through the United States Geological Survey (USGS), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and National Science Foundation (NSF). “Dr. Tolessa Deksissa has made a difference at our university,” said Dr. Victor McCrary. “He articulates the mission of the university through his research efforts and builds resilience in our communities. His knowledge, research prowess, and demeanor to help others make him an excellent candidate for this award.” Deksissa is the founder and current director of the Professional Science Master’s Program in Water Resources Management and Environmental Quality Testing Laboratory. He has authored or co-authored more than 40 publications in peer-reviewed journals and conference presentations. He serves as the 2021–2022 president of the American Water Resources Association National Capital Region Section.

Philip June holds a patent for novel code to support Boeing Commercial Airplanes’ (BCA) services statement of work. In addition, he has received several awards, such as NASA’s prestigious Snoopy Award for his support during the launch of the Space Shuttle and the Supplier Management Excellence Award. “Philip is deeply motivated by developing the next generation of aerospace leaders who will change the world. His contributions to safely delivering aerospace products and services that connect, protect, and inspire the world, as well as his mentoring efforts, single him out as a dedicated leader, “ said Pat Cazeau of The Boeing Company.

Currently, June is responsible for quality functional oversight for all products and services across Boeing Global Services. He is a trailblazer, the first Black male to lead a significant structures program for product development. June’s groundbreaking accomplishments include delivering the first 737-800 converted freighter in aviation history. It is now the most highly sold Boeing converted freighter.

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2022 Rakhee Palekar, MD, MPH

Chris Jenkins, Ph.D.

Paulin Buaka, Ph.D.

Research Leadership Award

Research Leadership Award

Senior Investigator Award

Chief Scientist for Public Health and Epidemiology The MITRE Corporation

Principal Member of Technical Staff Sandia National Laboratories

Technical Advisor-Applied Mechanics, Durability Team Leader Cummins Emission Solutions

Dr. Rakhee Palekar is the chief scientist for public health and epidemiology at the MITRE Corporation. She is a national and international thought leader in pandemic preparedness and response, especially to influenza and respiratory virus disease threats and emergencies. “Rakhee has dedicated her career to forging unique, impactful, global research innovations. The work of our company, and by extension government sponsors and the public, have been undeniably and deeply enriched

by Dr. Palekar’s many contributions,” said Dr. Jason Providakes of The MITRE Corporation. Palekar is also a primary care physician and infectious disease epidemiologist. Early in her career, she worked as a primary care physician within a federally qualified health center. She then transitioned into public health, first as a Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Epidemic Intelligence Service officer, then as a medical officer within the CDC Influenza Division, and finally as a team lead for the Influenza and Respiratory Virus Team for the World Health Organization America’s Regional Office. Palekar mentored many students and colleagues in public health and epidemiology during her public health career and published more than 30 scientific articles in prestigious peer-reviewed journals based on her work.

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Over the last two years, Dr. Chris Jenkins has partnered with Purdue University to determine the strength of a moving target defense (MTD) algorithm he created. In addition, his work has explored integrating MTD into real-time communication systems employed in space systems and national security-relevant communications architectures. The MTD has been issued a patent. Jenkins’ record of significant technical contribution to essential areas, coupled with his demonstrated commitment to leadership, collaboration, mentoring, communication, and service, make him an excellent candidate for this award,” said Michael J. Burns, associate lab director of national security programs. A highly respected leader and contributor to many aspects of the critical field of cyber-physical and embedded systems cybersecurity, Jenkins has made significant contributions to several national capabilities during his 10-year tenure as a cybersecurity engineer at Sandia National Laboratories. His current research represents Sandia’s national commitment to space systems and Sandia’s strategic investment in the Science and Technology Advancing Resilience for Contested Space Mission Campaign.

Dr. Paulin Buaka works with multiple sites in North America, China, India, Brazil, and Europe by developing and executing test procedures and standards for structural validation of diesel and natural gas engine exhaust after-treatment systems to meet emission regulation requirements. In addition, he is one of the talent scouts for Cummins North America Applied Mechanics discipline, holding the responsibility to screen resumes, conduct interviews, recommend hiring for internships, and coach and mentor junior engineers. “Considering his development of technology speeding the development of cost-effective and durable products, his application and adaptation of those methods, his mentoring of new engineers, and his recruiting efforts for the next generation of Cummins engineers, I believe Dr. Paulin Buaka an excellent candidate for this award,” said Dr. Jeffrey Liu, executive scientist/ director of analysis and testing technology, Cummins Emissions Solutions. Buaka joined Cummins in 2008 as a technical specialist in the Applied Mechanics Group. Paulin excelled in multiple roles before his career with Cummins, including new product introduction, mechanical structural dynamics analysis, and digital signal processing while working for TDK Magnecomp Precision Technology. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering with a minor in electromechanics from the University of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.

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B E YA

2022

BEYA WINNERS

Black Engineers of the Year (1987-2021)

Trevor Dunwell Technical Sales And Marketing Award Executive Director, Tactical Strike Product Area, Raytheon Missiles & Defense Raytheon Technologies

Trevor Dunwell is the executive director of the Tactical Strike product area at Raytheon Missiles & Defense, a business of Raytheon Technologies. He is responsible for solidifying and executing the annual operating plan; resource management; establishing the strategy, vision, and direction for the program area; and building strong relationships with customer and industry partners. Dunwell brings more than 20 years of program and multi-functional experience across various sectors. He recently served as the product area director for the Multi-Domain Attack Systems portfolio. He was responsible for the strategic growth and day-to-day execution of all programs. Before joining the supply chain team, Dunwell was part of business development. He rotated in positions at Integrated Defense Systems as a business development manager supporting homeland security and network-centric systems as a business development operations manager working on special projects and budgets. Dunwell also worked as a systems engineer when he first joined Raytheon in 2005, supporting PATRIOT. “Bottom line, Trevor represents the best of our future,” says Thomas A. Kennedy of Raytheon Technologies. “He takes on the challenges and gets the required results—the right way, based on strong values. He is the standard by which high-potential, mid-career leaders should be measured.”

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John Brooks Slaughter 1987 Erroll B. Davis 1988 Donnie Cochran 1989 Arlington W. Carter 1990 Guion “Guy” Stewart Bluford 1991 Arnold F. Stancell 1992 James W. Mitchell 1993 William R. Wiley 1994 Walt W. Braithwaite 1995 Albert J. Edmonds 1996 Arthur Johnson 1997 Joe N. Ballard 1998 Paul Caldwell 1999 Mark E. Dean 2000 Shirley Ann Jackson 2001 Rodney O’Neal 2002 Lydia Thomas 2003 Anthony James 2004

William D. Smith 2005 Linda C. Gooden 2006 Rodney C. Adkins 2007 Reginald Van Lee 2008 Wanda M. Austin 2009 John D. Harris 2010 Lloyd Howell 2011 David L. Steward 2012 Freeman A. Hrabowski 2013 Stephanie C. Hill 2014 Ed T. Welburn 2015 Christopher T. Jones 2016 Eugene DeLoatch 2017 Alicia Boler Davis 2018 Anthony Mitchell 2019 Bruce T. Crawford 2020 Gerald Johnson 2021

V Y T V C L

I S I T O U R C C G M E D I A O U T U B E PA G E A F T E R H E E V E N T F O R F U L L I D E O R E P L AY AWA R D E R E M O N Y: . E A D . M E / B B T1T X

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AD CONGRATULATIONS O’Dale Satterfield 2022 BEYA Dr. Lydia W. Thomas Legacy Award Winner

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Leidos is proud to support its Black Engineer of the Year Award Winners Rodney Adkins Legacy Award Winner

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A premier partner of BEYA

Modern Day Technology Leader Winners

Olufemi Akinbobola Countermeasures Engineer

Lemech Barnes Software Developer

Juan Cannon Cyber Intelligence Analyst

Maria Cotton Endpoint Cyber Engineer

Da'Mario Ellis Associate Project Manager

Samuel Garner Agile Coach, Technical Contributor

Jessica Green Database Administrator

Nathaniel Tall Site Lead

Jonathan Buckner Principal Splunk Engineer

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D'Arrys D'Abramo Electrical Engineer

Christopher Dixon Associate Software Engineer

Kenneth Greene Network Engineer Analyst

Margo Keese Senior Business Analyst

Kent Patton IT Systems Architect

Randy Starks Network Modeling Analyst

Frantz Tanis Senior Software Developer

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We congratulate our team members: Kenneth Harris II Modern-Day Technology Leader

Karolyn Young Science Spectrum Trailblazer

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Via Van Liew Dave Barclay Affirmative Action in Industry Award

Join Our Team. We are seeking individuals with a background in: Aerospace/Astro Engineering | Business | Computer Engineering | Computer Science | Cyber and Cybersecurity | Electrical Engineering | Information Technology | Materials | Mathematics | Mechanical Engineering | Optical/Imaging | Physics | Software Engineering | Systems Engineering U.S. citizenship is required for most positions.

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2022

Legacy

2022B E YA Before 2016, Legacy awards were Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) special recognition category awards. Legacy awards were introduced at BEYA’s 30thanniversary science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) conference to celebrate the scientific and technical contributions of people who have won the top award since 1987.

The awards honor BEYA’s legacy that dates to the beginning of this prestigious event held each February during Black History Month. Legacy awards presented annually at the BEYA STEM Conference recognize outstanding contributions to mentoring and STEM talent development and excellence in the STEM workforce.

The Engineering Deans Breakfast at BEYA has been the place for special recognition honorees to receive Legacy Awards for more than five years.

AWA R D WI N N ER S

• THE GENERAL LESTER LYLES LEGACY AWARD Captain Miranda Bray F-15E Fighter Pilot, Weapons/Tactics Officer U.S. Air Force

• THE STEPHANIE C. HILL LEGACY AWARD Ronald E. Moore Chief Information Security Officer General Dynamics Mission Systems

• THE DR. JAMES W. MITCHELL LEGACY AWARD Usang Ekpe Principal-Wireless Translations Engineer, AT&T Network Engineering & Operations AT&T • THE ARLINGTON W. CARTER LEGACY AWARD Charlisha (Charli) Greene Vice President, Supply Chain Commodities, Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) The Boeing Company • THE DR. WANDA M. AUSTIN LEGACY AWARD Johnny M. Jackson Jr., P.E. Manager of Projects—Aviation Jacobs • THE DAVID STEWARD LEGACY AWARD Demetrias Jones Manager, Information Technology Textron Aviation • THE ADMIRAL MICHELLE HOWARD LEGACY AWARD Reginald D. Key, Jr. Specialist, Software Engineering L3Harris Technologies, Inc. • THE RODNEY ADKINS LEGACY AWARD Monica Lee Business Technology Solutions Manager Leidos

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• THE JOHN D. HARRIS II LEGACY AWARD Trena Lilly Principal Professional Staff Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

• THE DR. CHRISTOPHER JONES LEGACY AWARD Elise Morris Engineer Missile Defense Agency • THE DR. JOHN TRACY LEGACY AWARD Bernard Roberts Bearings, Lubrication, and Tribology Engineer The Boeing Company • THE DR. LYDIA W. THOMAS LEGACY AWARD K. O’Dale Satterfield Chief Engineer—Operations Manager The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company • THE LINDA GOODEN LEGACY AWARD LaTasha Taylor Starr LM Associate Fellow, Systems Engineer Senior Staff Lockheed Martin Aeronautics • THE DR. EUGENE M. DELOATCH LEGACY AWARD Notashia Thomas Product Manager, HighView Technology Group CACI International

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B E Y ALegacy THE GENERAL LESTER LYLES LEGACY AWARD

Captain Miranda Bray

F-15E Fighter Pilot, Weapons/Tactics Officer U.S. Air Force Capt. Miranda Bray is an F-15E fighter pilot and weapons/tactics officer for the U.S. Air Force. In her time in the military, Bray lives with the idea that representation matters. Her role as a leader and role model for women military figures, women aviators, and women fighter pilots is something that she does not take for granted. Her first assignment with the military was to be a military training officer at the United States Air Force Academy Prep School, the preparatory school used to enhance diversity within USAFA. When she began her Air Force Pilot Training, she was selected to fly F-15E Strike Eagle. She is the only female pilot in her squadron. “In my view, KAOS, which is her fighter pilot callsign, is in a league of her own,” said Air Force Lt. Col Jonathan Hutto. “Our job as fighter pilots is busy enough, and in a few short years, she has impacted our career field in a way that will reverberate for years to come. She is a shining star in volunteering her time to show young women that they can excel in STEM.”

THE DR. JAMES W. MITCHELL LEGACY AWARD

Usang Ekpe

Principal-Wireless Translations Engineer, AT&T Network Engineering & Operations AT&T Usang Ekpe is currently serving as a Tier 2/3 technical expert and trainer for mobility provisioning engineers responsible for Nokia hardware and software. His role includes working on emerging technologies in conjunction with AT&T Labs, third-party vendors, and multiple internal teams to design and test new technology concepts needed to deliver new, state-of-the-art processes/ procedures that must be rolled out to

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production engineers in the U.S. and Brno, Czech Republic.

In addition to his excellence at AT&T, Usang brings promise to his communities by volunteering to share his skills and expertise tutoring at-risk youth. He continues to self-develop by earning an MSc in electrical engineering from Ohio University in 2018 and a certificate in computer and information systems security/assurance from Kennesaw State University in 2019. “In addition to his technical abilities, Mr. Ekpe’s expansive technical experience, expertise, and out-of-the-box ideas have resulted in a scope of influence beyond his department that has contributed to AT&T’s ability to deliver innovative customer solutions, especially in 5G technologies,” said Joe Taylor of AT&T.

THE ARLINGTON W. CARTER LEGACY AWARD

Charlisha (Charli) Greene

Vice President, Supply Chain Commodities, Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS) The Boeing Company Charlisha Greene is the Boeing Company’s BDS Supply Chain Commodities, Systems, and Supplier Diversity vice president. A remarkable talent in many areas, Greene has a knack for creating campaigns that connect and move her team toward its business goals.

Realizing that employees can mitigate bad decisions when assessing the impact on the business, people, and product before acting, she created a “Give and Expect Excellence—Tell the

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BEYA WINNERS Story—Know the Impact” campaign to focus on three critical components in managing suppliers. First, a previous campaign titled “Grey Poupon” highlighted the value of “top-shelf” relationships and how they effectively get things accomplished. This was instrumental during her role as a senior executive when an entire team was moved from operations into the supply chain. Second, Greene used the campaign to help the 1,400-person organization feel welcome and for the former group to continue to partner with them during the transition. Finally, the “Yellow Brick Road” campaign was created while starting a new organization and setting new goals. “Charli works to create a culture of inclusion, and her genuine connection with people allows her to deliver the highest levels of performance. Charli truly embodies the professional excellence and leadership traits honored by BEYA,” said Pat Cazeau of The Boeing Company

THE DR. WANDA M. AUSTIN LEGACY AWARD

Johnny M. Jackson Jr., P.E. Manager of Projects - Aviation Jacobs

Johnny Jackson is a senior airfield civil engineer (B.S., MCE from the University of Louisville) with Jacobs Engineering based in Dallas, TX. Before relocating to Dallas, Jackson worked on the O’Hare Modernization Program, a challenging $6.6 billion airfield reconfiguration program. He was the master civil engineer lead for the extension of R/W 10L-28R, the new R/W 10C-28C Runway, and their enabling projects. Within Jacobs, Jackson serves in multiple People & Places Solutions roles. In addition to his daily work activities, Jackson also serves as the chair for Jacobs’ Black Employee Network Group, Harambee. The network’s

www.blackengineer.com

2022 mission is to enhance the Black employee experience through recruitment, development, and retention of Black talent and by partnering to strengthen the Jacobs brand, business objectives, and commitment to inclusion and diversity.

“He is committed to the development of Black engineering professionals, as indicated by his participation in Harambee, an internal Jacobs employee network chartered with recruiting and retaining Black employees,” said Michael Vonic of Jacobs.

THE DAVID STEWARD LEGACY AWARD

Demetrias Jones

Manager, Information Technology Textron Aviation Demetrias Jones is an IT manager responsible for customer experience application development at Textron Aviation, located in Wichita, KS. During the COVID-19 global pandemic, his team built a suite of COVID-19 applications to help support the business through a challenging time. The first was the Info Hub, a portal where global team members could access any information about the pandemic and the company. Jones and his team later implemented the daily screening form, self-quarantine request form, visitor entry form, return to work form, and a vaccine clinic scheduling application. All these tools were created

by Jones’ team of determined individuals working together to provide the best support they could for their peers and the business. The suite of applications above won the Textron Corporate IT Innovation Award for COVID-19 Support.

“What impresses me the most about Meach is that he leads in alignment with our company values: Be Human, Be Trustworthy, Be Collaborative, and Be Legendary. What Meach did to help our company through the COVID-19 pandemic

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was nothing short of legendary, and we are honored he shares his talents with the Textron Aviation team and our customers daily,” said Chuck Passannante of Textron Aviation.

THE ADMIRAL MICHELLE HOWARD LEGACY AWARD

Reginald D. Key, Jr.

Specialist, Software Engineering L3Harris Technologies, Inc. Reggie Key is a software engineering specialist at L3Harris Technologies, working for a $400 million portfolio of programs. He is a pivotal member of the portfolio-level cybersecurity software engineering team, which scans all deliverable software products for cybersecurity weaknesses and vulnerabilities, reports those to the software developers, and guides them on mitigating the risks of the problem code blocks. He joined L3Harris Technologies in 2015 after his commitment to the United States Air Force was completed. Key has excelled and spearheaded several other tasks for L3Harris. One is the introduction of Coverity, a static code analysis tool.

Another is the development of the CT&E Range, a laboratory that will focus on educating many SW engineers on the proper way of coding with cyber in mind.

“Reggie has a great personality that attracts people to him. He is soft-spoken, knowledgeable, and carries himself with confidence. These attributes and work skill sets have surpassed my expectations, and he has shown L3Harris that he is one of our most promising engineers,” said Russell Sinkula of L3Harris Technologies.

THE RODNEY ADKINS LEGACY AWARD

Monica Lee

Business Technology Solutions Manager Leidos As a software specialist/software system

analyst for Leidos from 2006 to 2019, Monica Lee spearheaded several system processes for the commercial energy solutions (CES) operation’s capital, hardware, and software asset management. In 2019, Lee was promoted to business technology solutions manager for the CES operation, supporting more than 1,750 users and $300 million in revenue. During the last two years, Lee and her team addressed the necessity for business coverage and employee development training. As a result, multiple teams, including Lee’s group, relocated and reconfigured office and data center infrastructure, resulting in an ongoing annual cost savings of more than $250,000. In addition, they created and implemented software/hardware processes, resulting in more than $100,000 in hardware and software cost annual savings. “In the last 15 years, it has been exciting to observe Monica’s strong work ethic, integrity, and commitment to the company as she moved from IT help desk support to now leading the Leidos CES operation’s Business Technology team. She continues to serve as an excellent resource and role model to young adults—especially women interested in the STEM field—through her mentorship,” said Leidos’ Mitzi Rein.

THE JOHN D. HARRIS II LEGACY AWARD

Trena Lilly

Principal Professional Staff Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Trena Lilly is an accomplished systems engineer and operations research analyst, as well as a technical leader, for the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory

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B E Y ALegacy “I AM HONORED TO BE AMONG THIS DISTINGUISHED LIST OF NOMINEES. WHAT WE DO TODAY WILL SET THE STAGE FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS, JUST AS THOSE WHO WALKED DOWN THE AISLE AND ACCEPTED THIS AWARD 20 YEARS AGO SET THE STAGE FOR US.” - Linda Gooden, 2006 Black Engineer of the Year (APL), where she has been appointed to principal professional staff in recognition of her demonstrated technical expertise, leadership, and dedication to the organization’s mission. “Trena is one of the finest technical leaders I have ever seen during my 19-year career with APL. Trena has been a driving force in bringing more awareness of diversity and inclusion to APL,” said Dr. Sunita K. Bhatia of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Lilly is an expert in systems engineering and mission-level analysis for the Department of Defense and national security applications and served as a project manager. She has influenced decision-makers at the highest levels of the United States Navy, serving as a scientific liaison officer in support of the Chief of Naval Operations Staff at the Pentagon. Lilly was selected as one of 72 fellows for the Military Operations Research Society (MORS). She also served as president from 2011–2012 and serves on its Board of Directors. She has the distinction of being the youngest president of MORS and the first AfricanAmerican woman president.

THE STEPHANIE C. HILL LEGACY AWARD

Ronald E. Moore

Chief Information Security Officer General Dynamics Mission Systems Ronald Moore became part of the General Dynamics Mission Systems 74

(GDMS) information technology team in 2015. Within his first year, he took the podium at a leadership training event to share the new GDMS cyber initiative with over 75 information technology (IT) colleagues. More recently, he has implemented vital applications and processes to ensure GDMS stays ahead of cyber threats and evolve its Zero Trust model of operations, protecting them from malicious attacks. “A critical component of Ron’s value to our team is his ability to navigate the current cyber landscape and translate critical business needs into action,” said Carl Walser of General Dynamics. As the organizational lead for GDMS, Moore is responsible for establishing and maintaining the enterprise security vision, strategy, and culture to ensure information assets and technologies are protected and comply with federal and state law and General Dynamics corporate security policies.

Before joining GDMS, Moore worked in commercial and federal environments, establishing effective security programs with global ramifications.

THE DR. CHRISTOPHER JONES LEGACY AWARD

Elise Morris

Engineer Missile Defense Agency Elise Morris is an engineer for the Missile Defense Agency (MDA). Her achievements include, but are not limited to, successfully reaching across internal and external organizations in support of technology maturation activities.

These activities include cavity flow

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BEYA WINNERS sensors and wind tunnel testing. Her leadership and expertise support the Hypersonic Defense (HD) Component Technology initiative in the Department of Defense. A key member of MDA and Air Force Research Laboratory collaboration efforts, Morris identified critical cross-technology community of interest (COI) activities among the sensor, electronic warfare, and weapons COIs. She successfully teamed with senior engineers to plan and execute numerous HD Engineering Test Infrastructure Roadmap workshops. “I am proud to have her as a member of my organization and proud to nominate her for her dedication and passion for the advancement of HD technologies in support of the needs of the DOD and the Warfighter,” said Dr. Shari Feth of the Department of Defense.

THE DR. JOHN TRACY LEGACY AWARD

Bernard Roberts

Bearings, Lubrication, and Tribology Engineer The Boeing Company According to his colleagues, Bernard Roberts is one of the unsung heroes of the aviation industry.

He invented a revolutionary lubricant that keeps every commercial airplane in the air running smoothly today. He joined Boeing in Seattle, WA, in 1991, working with fluids, lubricants, and bearings. He was the first Black engineer in his workgroup.

He is the first Black chemical engineer to be named a Boeing Designated Expert in bearings, typically a mechanical engineer. He became the first engineer to be embedded with Boeing Supplier Management to help with parts shortages; today, some 30 engineers are in this role.

Today, Roberts is a bearing, lubrication, and tribology engineer in Seattle with Boeing Research & Technology. Tribology is the study of friction and wear; as www.blackengineer.com

2022 Roberts explains it, his job deals with the movement of machines. He has been the lead for his group for 20 years. “Whether he is working to reduce friction through the use of lubricants and bearings or helping to smooth the path to success for young and minority engineers, Bernard has dedicated his life to removing obstacles to exceptional performance,” said Pat Cazeau of The Boeing Company.

THE DR. LYDIA W. THOMAS LEGACY AWARD

K. O’Dale Satterfield

Chief Engineer - Operations Manager The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company Kelven O’Dale Satterfield is the chief engineer and operations leader for the Goodyear Akron Test Center.

Before this, he was the quality manager for the Innovation Center of Manufacturing.

Satterfield began working with Goodyear in March of 1999 and spent his first 12 years learning the Goodyear processes and systems while earning eight promotions and his Six Sigma Black Belt at the Union City, TN plant. He was previously the Technology Team leader at the Goodyear Danville facility in Danville, VA. He was also the tire room DEC coordinator and CI coordinator. While coordinating all these positions, the tire rooms’ DEC and CI processes became the benchmarks for the plant as to how the leadership expected each of these pillars to operate. “He takes the safety and well-being of Goodyear associates as his priority but continues to hold each team member accountable to deliver. He also holds each associate accountable to treat others with respect and dignity and understands the role not only in Goodyear but the larger community,” said Matthew List of Goodyear.

www.blackengineer.com

THE LINDA GOODEN LEGACY AWARD

LaTasha Taylor Starr

LM Associate Fellow, Systems Engineer Senior Staff Lockheed Martin Aeronautics LaTasha Taylor Starr began her career as a systems engineer for Lockheed Martin Space (LMS) in 2007 at the Advanced Technology Center in Palo Alto, CA. Less than a year later, Taylor was one of 15 engineers throughout LMS selected to participate in the Engineering Leadership Development Program (ELDP). She has embraced challenges with technical excellence, including a software systems engineer role on the GOES-R/ SUVI program. She was responsible for designing, testing, and validating solar telescopes to monitor the sun’s activity.

In addition, she is the CEO of ESTe²M Dreamers. This nonprofit organization strives to improve the academic success rate of local youth by providing opportunities for STEM-focused summer camps, tutoring, and after-school activities throughout the school year.

“LaTasha is an amazing engineer and advocates for aspiring engineers. She has demonstrated technical excellence in her career and continuously mentors young engineers, and gives back to the community by inspiring youth to pursue a career in STEM and entrepreneurship.

She is just an amazing woman and role model who I am proud to call my mentor,” said Bria Miles of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.

THE DR. EUGENE M. DELOATCH LEGACY AWARD

Notashia Thomas

Product Manager, HighView Technology Group CACI International Notashia Thomas is a Highview product manager for CACI International Inc, an international provider of expertise

and technology serving enterprise and mission defense, intelligence, and federal civilian government customers. In this role, she is responsible for leading and managing a diverse group of employees for the Highview program, a content management framework for FOIA/ declassification, document exploitation, and intelligence mission support. Thomas began her career with CACI as a software tester, and it was not long before she was promoted to a supervisory role as a head tester. Through Thomas’s championing, her team drives innovation and growth within the organization and the Highview program. Thomas is a true leader who develops people both internally and externally. In addition, Thomas dedicates herself to volunteering for Black Girls CODE, a nonprofit organization that focuses on providing technology education for AfricanAmerican girls.

Thomas is an inspiration to young girls, encouraging them to pursue careers in STEM. S

2 0 2 2 S P E C I A L R E C O G N I T I O N : V I S I T O U R C C G M E D I A YO U T U B E PA G E A F T E R E V E N T F O R F U L L V I D E O R E P L AY AWA R D C E R E M O N Y https://l.ead.me/bbt1Tx

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Lorenzo Fletcher working on a virtual reality headset at the off ices in Lexington Park, MD.

B E YA

2022

BEYA WINNERS

MODERN-DAY TECHNOLOGY

LEADERS The Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) Modern-Day Technology Leader award is given to people shaping the future of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). According to one employer, winners of this award bring expertise and passion for helping organizations make platforms smarter for customers.

For example, one software/ configuration management principal delivers the highest quality of products thanks to understanding a problem from different perspectives. For another, experience in team building helped make him a standout leader. Never satisfied with the status quo, a quality tester was recognized for an ability to deep dive for solutions that perform as intended. Each year, incredibly talented STEM professionals join the illustrious roster of Modern-Day Technology Leaders. They have expertise in cybersecurity, and, as one top executive put it, beyond BEYA, employers are proud to celebrate them during Black History Month.

The 2022 Tech Leaders are helping transform information technology programs to further STEM.

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For example, one early-career engineer leads modernization efforts for defense clients, and a lead technologist helps a cyber team develop a forensics program to stay ahead of the curve. One expert helps clients achieve critical accreditation milestones, serves on an inclusion advisory committee, and mentors students outside of work. Some actively mentor engineers on their team to support clients in systems architecture and systems engineering. For most, it is about empowering others. Whether they are a quality assurance lead, an Agile coach, scrum master, or volunteer, they work at the forefront of STEM and lead acquisition and integration projects as they champion groups dedicated to igniting K-12 interest in STEM careers.

2022 EACH YEAR, INCREDIBLY TALENTED STEM PROFESSIONALS JOIN THE ILLUSTRIOUS ROSTER OF MODERN-DAY TECHNOLOGY LEADERS.

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A

Salvador Cordero

EMC/Safety Product Engineer Abbott

Cherent Dinke

Senior Mechanical Engineer Abbott Principal Engineer Abbott

Kande Horne Kara

Senior Program Manager Abbott

Janice W. Jenkins Senior Engineer Abbott

Desarae Johnson

Senior Specialist Good Manufacturing Practice Abbott

Senior Network Support Manager AT&T

Enrique Eulloqui

Director, Technology AT&T

Celena Jackson

Senior, Network Support AT&T

C

Said Adem

Senior Engineer CACI International Inc

Camille Carter

Network Engineer CACI International Inc

Adiam Desta

Sara Joy

Enterprise Cybersecurity Manager CACI International Inc

Venugopal Koneru

Anderson Elzie Jr. Systems Engineer CACI International Inc

Associate Director, Technology AT&T Director, Technology Transformation AT&T

Cordel Gordon

Sneha Krishnapillai

Business Process Consultant CACI International Inc

Akm Newaz

Senior Software Developer CACI International Inc

Principal, Applications Developer AT&T

Sharrod Hines

Principal, Network Design Engineer AT&T

Sean Palacio

Keith Boykin

Christopher Raymond

Tanya Titus

Eric Fombah

George Shores

Jessica Dorismond, Ph.D.

Sheldon Greene

Vanessa Ross

Marcus Smith, Ph.D.

Kristen Hurley

Joe Croffie

Carl Toussaint

Tara Travis

Senior Manufacturing Engineer Abbott Senior Manager, R&D Program Management Abbott Director, Integrated Systems Test Abbott General Research Engineer Air Force Research Laboratory Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Air Force Research Laboratory—Aerospace Systems Directorate Air Force Research Laboratory

Robert Fraleigh, Ph.D.

Assistant Research Professor Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State

W. Myles Heath

Cyber Information Systems Security Officer (ISSO) Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State

Jessica Hoyt

Proposal Specialist Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State

Qiana Jackson

Manager of Advancement and Retention Initiatives Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State

Erik Lenzing, Ph.D.

Adam Nickels, Ph.D.

Assistant Research Professor Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State

Isaac Porche III, Ph.D.

Deputy Director Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State

Catalina Rivera

Student Programs Specialist Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State

Dara Sanoubane, PhD

Leadership Development Specialist Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State

Jasper Short

Research and Development Engineer Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State

Annaprabha Athappan, Ph.D., P.E. Principal Business Manager AT&T

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Principal Test Engineer BAE Systems, Inc. Principal Systems Engineer BAE Systems, Inc. Senior Principal Systems Engineer BAE Systems, Inc. Senior Principal Systems Engineer BAE Systems, Inc. Technical Professional II Bell Textron

Bahirah Adewunmi Associate Data Scientist Booz Allen Hamilton

Karolyn Babalola, Ph.D.

Senior Lead Engineer/ML Engineer Booz Allen Hamilton

Michelle Carrington Lead Associate Booz Allen Hamilton

Stephanie Jenkins

Chief Technologist Booz Allen Hamilton

Germaine Johnson

Lead Senior Technologist Booz Allen Hamilton

Christa Jordan

Lead Associate Booz Allen Hamilton

Nicholas Jabari Lee, Ph.D.

Data Scientist/Software Developer Booz Allen Hamilton

David Roberts

Principal/Director Booz Allen Hamilton

LaToya Robinson

Lead Engineer Booz Allen Hamilton

Ashleigh Smith

Lead Technologist Booz Allen Hamilton

Lead Simulation and Test Engineer CACI International Inc

Senior Software Engineer CACI International Inc Lead Programmer Cornerstone Shared Services LLC Analytical Chemist Corteva Agriscience Global System Team Manager, Fuel System Integration Cummins

F

Cynthia Gumbs

Integration and Demand Manager Ford Motor Company

Shanikia Little

Software Engineer Ford Motor Company

G

Saray Checo

Engineering Project Lead General Dynamics Electric Boat

David Ferber

Engineering Supervisor, Systems General Dynamics Electric Boat

Larry Wiley III

Chief of Training General Dynamics Electric Boat

Debra Boston

Senior Data Analyst General Dynamics Information Technology

Charles Clark Jr.

Senior Systems Administrator General Dynamics Information Technology

L E A D E R S

Research Fellow Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State

B

Frederick Ige

Senior ServiceNow Software Developer CACI International Inc

T E C H N O L O G Y

Laurice Neal

M O D E R N - D A Y

James Eaddy

Joseph Behar

2022

Walter Coleman III

Senior Network Administrator General Dynamics Information Technology

Akilah Crowner

Systems Engineer Manager General Dynamics Information Technology

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B E YA

Anthony Coleman

Juan Esquer

Kenneth Davis

Dukenson Merisier

Leonel Estrada

Jermaine Green

Eddie Washington

Luis Garnica

David Hailu

Bryson Bailey

Marco Gutierrez

Ronald Harris II

Taylor Fanner

David Hernandez

LaDarrius Hatchet

Jarvis Freeman

Gabriel Hernandez

Errick Holton

Tamara Harris

Carla Juarez

Steven James

Jeanne D. Henderson

Esteban Ley

Charles Johnson

Wallace Hill IV

Magdaly Lopez

Sean Mosesly

Christopher Nelson

Salvador Lopez Portillo

Anthony Moten

Clint Allan Hayes Toyer

Deborah Malacon

Tamarcus Person

Theojuana Tullos

Annely Matas

T E C H N O L O G Y

L E A D E R S

Training Specialist, Advisor General Dynamics Information Technology Senior Training Specialist General Dynamics Information Technology Senior Software Developer General Dynamics Information Technology Senior Business Administrator General Dynamics Information Technology Cyber Engineer Associate General Dynamics Information Technology Enterprise Systems Engineering Lead General Dynamics Information Technology Training Integration Lead/System Engineer General Dynamics Information Technology Senior Training Specialist General Dynamics Information Technology Senior Program Director General Dynamics Information Technology Software Development Manager General Dynamics Information Technology Cybersecurity Manager General Dynamics Information Technology

John Richardson

Senior Training Specialist General Dynamics Information Technology

Darrell Ricks

Senior Systems Administrator General Dynamics Information Technology

Terry Roberts

M O D E R N - D A Y

BEYA WINNERS

JL Davis

Data Analyst Manager General Dynamics Information Technology

Training Specialist, Expert General Dynamics Information Technology

Nicole Shifflett

IT Service Desk Manager General Dynamics Information Technology

LaChandra Spencer

Senior Web Designer/Data Analyst General Dynamics Information Technology

Suntosha Starkey

Deputy PM/Senior Principal Network Engineer General Dynamics Information Technology

James Stocks

Network Engineer Advisor General Dynamics Information Technology

Joseph Walker III

Systems Administrator General Dynamics Information Technology

Vivian King

Senior Mechanical Engineer General Dynamics Land Systems

Takita Zielieke

Program Manager General Dynamics Land Systems

Kyle Burks

Reliability Engineer, Operational Support General Dynamics Mission Systems

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Senior Technical Manager General Dynamics Mission Systems Advanced Systems Administrator Specialist General Dynamics Mission Systems Advanced Systems Administration Specialist General Dynamics Mission Systems Software Developer General Motors Stamping Planner and Engineer General Motors Senior Design Release Engineer General Motors Quality Engineering Manager General Motors Senior Contract Domain Expert General Motors Packaging Engineer General Motors Progressive Press Group Leader General Motors Technical Lead Engineer General Motors

Electrical Integration Technical Lead for Global Interior Seating General Motors

George Wade III

Engineering Group Manager General Motors

Shanika Word

ME Manager General Motors

Alejandro Aguilar

Stress Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace

Manuel Avalos

Production Control Leader

Gulfstream Aerospace

Alejandra Barajas

Quality Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace

Ramon Beltran

Engineering Lead Gulfstream Aerospace

Samuel Carrasco

Operations Leader Gulfstream Aerospace

Adriana Castro

Training Specialist Gulfstream Aerospace

Teresa Chavez

Procurement Specialist Gulfstream Aerospace

Decibel Corona

Electrical MRB Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace

Daniela Costich

MEP IV Gulfstream Aerospace

Manufacturing Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Tooling Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Supplier Quality Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Design Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Operations Leader Gulfstream Aerospace Stress Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Materials Planner Gulfstream Aerospace Design Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Continuous Improvement Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Operations Manager Gulfstream Aerospace Operations Leader Gulfstream Aerospace Operations Leader Gulfstream Aerospace

Alberto Nuñez

Quality Lead Gulfstream Aerospace

Carlos Palacios

Operations Leader Gulfstream Aerospace

Ana Sofia Peña

Materials Planning Lead Gulfstream Aerospace

Ramon Perez

Design Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace

Juan Vicente Quintero Operations Leader Gulfstream Aerospace

Alicia Berenice Rodriguez Operations Leader Gulfstream Aerospace

Angel Rodriguez

Materials Planner Gulfstream Aerospace

Pedro Rodriguez

Operations Manager Gulfstream Aerospace

Alejandra Salgado

Design Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace

Carlos Sanchez

Operations Leader Gulfstream Aerospace

Francisco Tirado

Operations Leader Gulfstream Aerospace

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Donato Torres

Operations Leader Gulfstream Aerospace

Fernando Valle

Manufacturing Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace

Sergio Villegas

H

Associate Manager, Operations Management

Jessica Green

Cloud Solutions Architect

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Leidos

Eric Dixon

Kenneth J. Greene II

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Leidos

Michael Etheredge

Margo Keese

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Leidos

Triesha Fagan

Kent Patton

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Leidos

Lead, Systems Engineer

Lead, Electrical Engineering

Network Engineer

Senior Business Analyst

Health Catalyst

Brian Harris

Senior Specialist, Electrical Engineering

Randy Starks Sr.

Malik Price

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Leidos

Health Catalyst

Robert (RJ) Johnson Lead, Systems Engineer

Nathaniel Tall

Randie T. Dyess Jr.

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Leidos

Huntington Ingalls Industries

Sanford Johnson

Senior Specialist, Software Engineering

Frantz Tanis

Cainesha Holloway

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Leidos

Huntington Ingalls Industries

Patrice Lalor

Specialist, Electrical Engineering

Joshua Walker

Tania Johnson

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Leidos

Huntington Ingalls Industries

William Neely

Senior Manager, Product Management

Stephen Williams

William H. Johnson

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Leidos

Huntington Ingalls Industries

Tonya Poole

Ronald Bass II

Eric Scott

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Lockheed Martin Corporation

DEI Team Lead

DEI Team Intern

Engineering Technician 3

Nuclear Engineer 3

Chief Electrical Engineer

Electrical Engineer 4

Manager Engineering

Huntington Ingalls Industries

Scientist, Systems Engineering

JMICS Systems Architect

OSS and 5ESS Lead

Site Lead

Senior Software Developer

Engineering Supervisor

International Operations & Logistics Lead

Engineering Program Manager

Jerome Reed

David Battle Jr.

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Systems Engineer Senior

Alonzo Smith

Lead, Software Engineering

Huntington Ingalls Industries

Lakeia Simon

Terrence Bradford

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Manager Process Improvement 3

I

Sylvester Ezeani Technical Lead

IBM

Andre Harris

Associate Partner, Finance & Supply Chain Transformation—SAP Practice

IBM

Joel Wennik

Head of B2B Mobile Engineering & Maps

IBM

Geoffrey Williams

Senior Managing Consultant

IBM

Deputy Chief Information Officer

Idaho National Laboratory

J

Angelica Lilly

Section Supervisor/Senior Engineer

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

L

Reneisha Byrd

System Integration/Test Engineer, Senior

Consuela Smith

Matthew Brown

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Senior Manager, Engineering Management—Systems

Engineering Project Management Principal

Tyrell Thompson

Rachael Garrett

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Specialist, Integration/Test Engineering

Software Engineering Associate Manager

Olufemi Akinbobola

Ebonee Gocha

Leidos

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Lead Cyber Action Officer

Program Quality Engineering Manager

Lemech Barnes

Abdurahman Hussein

Leidos

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Software Developer

Systems Engineer Senior Staff

Jonathan Buckner

Eric Johnson

Leidos

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Principal Splunk Engineer

Quality Engineer

Juan Cannon

Adrian Knight

Leidos

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Cyber Intelligence Analyst

Project Specialist Senior Staff

Maria Cotton

Donald Lafrance

Leidos

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Endpoint Cyber Engineer

D’Arrys D’Abramo

Research Engineer Senior Staff

Chandra Langhorne

Senior Analyst, Human Resources Information Systems (HR IS)

Senior Supervisor, Specialty Engineering

Electrical Engineer

James Callender

Christopher Dixon

Lockheed Martin Corporation System Integration/Test Engineer

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Leidos

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Associate Software Engineer

Leidos

Terry Lescott Jr.

Ava Campbell

Da’Mario Ellis

Lockheed Martin Corporation Senior Systems Engineer

Senior Specialist, Software Engineering

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Project Manager

Leidos

Aaron McDowell

Latira Coley

Samuel Garner

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Leidos

Cyber Software Engineering Manager

Senior Supervisor, IT Security

Senior Associate, Software Engineering

L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

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Agile Coach, Technical Contributor

L E A D E R S

Diedra Hollins

Senior Member Engineering Staff

T E C H N O L O G Y

Delinah Hailey

Senior Supervisor, Software Engineering

M O D E R N - D A Y

MEP IV Gulfstream Aerospace

Amira Cooper

2022

Matthew Murray

Lockheed Martin Corporation

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B E YA Marcnell Pierre

Kayode Sanni, Ph.D.

Renan Scott

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Samuel Semakula

Lockheed Martin Corporation Systems Engineer Principal

Jered Sellers

L E A D E R S

Cyber Software Engineer

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Addi-Neequie Stone

ELDP—Senior Member Engineering Staff

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Hirute Tesfaye

Black Hawk Staff Systems Engineer

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Senior Mathematician/Lead Scientist and AEGIS SPY-1 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Project Lead

Mechanical Engineer

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division

Albert Wright Electrical Engineer

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division

Ashley Williams

Lockheed Martin Corporation Software Quality Engineer, Senior

Lockheed Martin Corporation

M

Michael Fellows

Lead Systems Engineer, NGI Program

Missile Defense Agency

Latoyna Pettway

Lead System Security Engineer

Missile Defense Agency

Jessica Richardson Program Analyst

Missile Defense Agency

Sheana Walters General Engineer

Missile Defense Agency

Demetra Williams

Deputy Lead Engineer, AN/TPY-2 Development Project Office

Missile Defense Agency

N

Olivia Briscoe IC2&I

Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Webster Outlying Field

Eric Bagho

Systems Engineer

Naval Air Warfare Center, Training Systems Division

Taylor Rosemond

PMS 401 Acoustic Systems Engineer

Naval Sea Systems Command

Sarai Neloms

AN/SLQ-32(V)6 Failure Review Board and Liquid Cooling Unit Lead Engineer

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division

Christopher Brown, Ph.D. Lead Scientist

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division

Derrick Roberson

Associate Partner and Business Manager—Civil Engineer

Manager, Quality Assurance

Electronics Engineer

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division

O

Electrical Engineer

Robert Lester

Otis Elevator Company

Angela Penn

Manager, Global Mobility Operations

Guilherme Fernandes

Otis Elevator Company

Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport

Software Engineer

Principle Technical Lead

Dylan Sumler

Otis Elevator Company

Soutongonoma Zongo

Ainsworth Townsend

Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport

Otis Elevator Company

Electronics Engineer/Systems Engineer Project Lead

Edwin B. Staples Jr.

Senior "Front-End" Developer

NetApp

Shawnette Adams

Senior Principal Human Systems Integration Engineer

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Eric Auzenne

Principal Software Engineer

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Brigette Blair

Manager, Mission Assurance

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Andrea Burgess

Manufacturing Engineering Manager 3

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Joi Carter

Senior Principal Systems Engineer

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Cynthia Cloud

Manager Quality Engineering

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Alanté Dancy

Principal RF Microwave Design Engineer

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Jeffrey Gray

Weapons Integration Engineer

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Raul Ibarra

Enterprise Services Program Manager

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Devin Gavin

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division Electrical Engineer

Operating Unit Engineering Lead

Otis Elevator Company

Ashley Johnson

Reginald Heggie

Reginald White

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division

Myesha Dabney

Software System Safety Technical Lead

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Robert Pettis Jr.

Advanced Electrical Systems Technical Specialist

Field Sales Support Systems Engineer Senior Staff

Engineering Department Manager

Admir Horta

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Steven Waker

Krystle Stringfellow

Nounveau Innovation Alliance LLC and ATLAS

Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City Division

Chief Engineer

Senior Principal FTL-Systems Engineer—Remote Terminal Rack FPGA Lead

Software Test Engineer

Sheldon Thomas

Sheila Walker

T E C H N O L O G Y

BEYA WINNERS

Tony T. Moss

Systems Engineering Senior Manager

M O D E R N - D A Y

2022

Principal Electrical Engineer

Faraji Leary

Sr. Principal Quality Engineer

Northrop Grumman Corporation

Fabio Nelson

Senior Electrical Engineer

Anika Vanhoenacker Manager, OTIS ONE/REM

Otis Elevator Company

Q

Isaiah James

Broadcast IT Engineer

Qurate Retail Group

Codi Okonkwo

Senior Manager, Product Design

Qurate Retail Group

Michael Parsons

Director Cybersecurity

Qurate Retail Group

Michael Barnett

Master Control Operator

QVC

Derek Bennett Technical Director

QVC

Karl “Twin” Culbertson Production Artisan

QVC

Jade Franks

Senior Associate Producer, Integrated

QVC

Kristen Hazel

Manager of Talent Operations

QVC

Blaine King

Assistant Director

QVC

Bruce Neal

Senior Infrastructure Engineer (US)

QVC

Xavier Patterson

Senior Master Control Operator

QVC

Manager Software Engineering 1

Northrop Grumman Corporation

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Ebony Roberts

James Taylor

QVC

Sandia National Laboratories

Associate Producer

2022

Engineering Support Technologist

Armon Holt

Connected Digital Systems Manager

The Boeing Company

Lateef Scott

Melissa Andrews

Chiqueta Howell

QVC

Splunk Inc.

The Boeing Company

Manager, Video Commerce Operations

Camille Waters Associate Producer

Sales Engineering Manager

T

Digital Marketing Program Manager

Matthew Howell

Technical Lead Engineer, Propulsion

R

Texas Instruments

Tochi L. Iheagwara

Tewabech Alemu

Brandon Samuels

Senior Program Manager

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

Section Manager, RF & Microwave Products

Field Application Engineer

Manager, Electrical Engineering

The Boeing Company

Jessica Jones, Ph.D.

Hisham Ali, Ph.D.

Staff Aerodynamicist

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

The Aerospace Corporation

James Lankford, Ph.D.

Denisha Clayton

Kenny Harris

Aerodynamicist

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

The Aerospace Corporation

Damien Martin

Kameran Davis

Karel Marshall

Manager, Production System Analysis

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

The Aerospace Corporation

Denzel Mayo

Purity Dele-Oni

Bosah Agolua

Computing Architect

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

The Boeing Company

Clement Mokua

Alexzandrea Harris

Monica Allen

Manufacturing Engineer

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

The Boeing Company

Lesley Ekue Ngwe Neh

Sharneice Amber Henderson

Christie Alston

Airplane Systems Safety Engineer

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

Mechanical Engineer II

V2500 CSE CIPT Aftermarket Deputy (CAIPT Lead)

Senior Software Engineer I

Aerothermal Engineer

Research Engineer

Electrical Engineer

Member of Technical Staff

Senior Project Engineer

Member of Technical Staff

Flight Test Engineer

Enterprise SEIT Governance and Operations Manager

Propulsion Engineering Manager

The Boeing Company

Francis Odiase

John Kennedy III

Jeremy Asomaning

Program Manager, Network Communication Solutions

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

The Boeing Company

Angelica Okorom

McKenzie McNeal III, Ph.D.

Elaine Banks

Modeling and Simulation Engineer

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

The Boeing Company

Sara Olimb

Emeka Nolisa

Torik Blankson

Communications Capability Lead, Manager

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

The Boeing Company

Jessica Rainey

John Pickens

Janaki Buckson

Senior Business Operations Specialist

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

The Boeing Company

Kendrick Rice

Kailani Redding

Samuel Cain Jr.

Flight Test Engineer

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

The Boeing Company

Isaac Richardson

Sheldon Robinson

Rozlyn Chambliss, Ph.D.

Executive Assistant to Vice President

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

Manager III, Systems Engineering

Manager, Systems Engineering

Senior Principal Software Engineer

Associate Director

Senior Engineer

Principal Engineer

Software Engineer

Director, Supply Chain Systems Governance

Service Engineer

Senior Systems Engineering Manager

Advanced Manufacturing Capability Lead

Production Engineering Manager

Glenn Shanks Jr.

Dominique Cunningham

Test & Evaluation Engineering Manager

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

The Boeing Company

Jonathan Shields

Michael Wallace

Darius Dennis

Software Engineer

The Boeing Company

Raytheon Technologies

The Boeing Company

Ryan Slaughter

Tiana Ellison

Materials, Process & Physics Engineer IV

The Boeing Company

Senior Software Engineer I

Senior Manager, Systems Engineering

S

Logistics Analyst III, Team Leader

Information Technology (IT) Business Partner

Rosa A. Singletary

Product Systems Software Manager

The Boeing Company

Katherine Smith

SAIC

Terrell Felter

Business Operations Specialist

DeJuan Stocks

EE System Design Engineer

The Boeing Company

The Boeing Company

Kia Smith

SAIC

Chandler Frink

Space & Launch Project Engineer

Gerard Bennett

Quality Systems Specialist

The Boeing Company

The Boeing Company

Lesslie V. Terrell

Sandia National Laboratories

Romelle Harvey

Program Manager/Control Account Manager

Mark Onuigbo

Engineering Integration Systems Engineer

The Boeing Company

The Boeing Company

Odies Turner Jr.

Sandia National Laboratories

Ieisha Hinson

The Boeing Company

System Engineer Senior Manager

Systems Engineer

Aeronautical Engineer

Senior Member of Technical Staff

Materials and Process Engineer

L E A D E R S

The Boeing Company

Johngeline Sykes

T E C H N O L O G Y

Textron Systems

Xavier Brown

M O D E R N - D A Y

QVC

Gregory Duperon

IT Product Specialist

The Boeing Company

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B E YA Allen R. Walker IV

Security Design Engineer

U.S. Army

Cameron Showell

Walmart

The Boeing Company

U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center

Manish Dubey

James White

DeJuan Carter

Walmart

The Boeing Company

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Bill Johnson Jr.

Bobby Duplantier

Walmart

Software Engineering Manager

L E A D E R S

W

MacKinzie Washington

Manufacturing Research & Development Engineer

Cedric Carter Jr.

Mobile, Embedded, and Cyber-Physical Security, Principal (GL)

The MITRE Corporation

Christine Harvey, PhD

Principal High-Performance & Analytic Computing Architect

The MITRE Corporation

Jamie Williams

Principal Adversary Emulation Engineer

The MITRE Corporation

Shaik Zainuddin, PhD

Associate Professor of Materials Science and Engineering

T E C H N O L O G Y

25th Division Engineer Facilities Chief

BEYA WINNERS Michael Botts

The Boeing Company

Tuskegee University

Supervisory General Engineer, NH-0801-04/00

Regional Business Director

Senior Project Manager

Senior Director Security Engineering

Senior Systems Engineer, Cybersecurity

Senior Technical Expert

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Guto Lopes

Allison Pride

Walmart

Architect

Advanced Systems Engineer, Cybersecurity

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Silja Nair

Armoni Towner

Walmart

Mechanical Engineer

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Chicago District

Kendrick Lawrence Program Manager

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Expeditionary District

Advanced Systems Engineer, Cybersecurity

Sakae Raw

Senior Risk Specialist, Cybersecurity

Walmart

Heather Rustin

Principal Technical Program Manager

Walmart

Frederick McNeely

Justin Simpson

Capt Brandon Bailey

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Japan District

Walmart

U.S. Air Force

Biologist

Electrical Engineer

Director

Assistant Director of Operations

Pamela Backus

Steven Flenory

Michael Black

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District

Warner Bros. Games

U.S. Air Force

Kimberly Edwards

Head of Advanced Narratives & Neurotechnology

U

VC-25A/E-4B Flight Manual Manager

Vice President, Platform Technology

Arvel Chappell III WarnerMedia

Major Brittany Carter

Hydropower Optimization Manager

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Nashville District

Dyllon Young

U.S. Air Force

Shahidou Mariko

WarnerMedia

Chief, Department of the Air Force Cyber/IT Programs & Weapon Systems

Captain Allan J. Collins

Communications Flight Commander

U.S. Air Force

Capt Adrian Herrera

Director of Staff/F-15E Instructor Aviator

U.S. Air Force

Victoria Pearson Systems Engineer

M O D E R N - D A Y

CW4 Weaver Prosper

2022

U.S. Air Force

Mechanical Engineer

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Savannah District

Herman Moore Computer Scientist

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center

Brianna Thompson, Ph.D. Computer Scientist

William Rice

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center

U.S. Air Force

Electrical Engineer/Flight Test Director

Electronic Engineer

Master Sergeant Bonnie Rushing USAF Academy Instructor

U.S. Air Force

1Lt Samuel Sentongo

Chief of Hill Air Force Base Aircraft Battle Damage Repair Engineering

U.S. Air Force

Jaclyn Simpkins, Ph.D.

Data Science Lead, Data Operations Branch

U.S. Air Force

Keith Sylvester

Lead Systems Engineer

U.S. Air Force

H. Martez Taylor Systems Engineer

U.S. Air Force

Raymond Worley

Commander Support Staff Superintendent

U.S. Air Force

Alexandria Camunas

Rihana Williams

U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command

Cadet Tarran Johnson Cadet

U.S. Coast Guard Academy

LT Raymond Snell Division Officer

U.S. Navy

April Smith, Ph.D.

Reliability and Risk Analyst

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Ryan Taylor

Senior Project Engineer

U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission

Staff Product Manager

Javon Coleman

Supplier Diversity Program Manager

World Wide Technology

Antonio Demerett Jr.

Associate Consulting Systems Engineer

World Wide Technology

Chris Foster Client Executive

World Wide Technology

Milu George

Lead Solutions Architect

World Wide Technology

Milan Jones Consultant

World Wide Technology

David Keen Jr. Client Executive

World Wide Technology

Anthony Robinson Jr. Engineering Manager

World Wide Technology

Z

Nanya Origbo

Senior Software Engineer

Zulily

LTC Andrea M. Peters, Ph.D.

Deputy Director, West Point Leadership Center

United States Military Academy

Aaron Kelley President

UpSlope Advisors

Utilities Operations & Maintenance Technician

U.S. Army

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Stephanie C. Hill Legacy Award Ronald E. Moore

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR AWARD WINNERS!

Science Spectrum Trailblazer Award Ching Duan Nedra Johnson Wilmer Lambert

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Modern Day Technology Leader Outstanding Achievement Award Vivian King

Alicia Berenice Rodriguez

Esteban Ley

Angel Rodriguez

Magdaly Lopez

Pedro Rodriguez

Leonel Estrada

Deborah Malacon

Alejandra Salgado

Debra Boston

David Ferber

Annely Matas

Carlos Sanchez

Kyle Burks

Luis Garnica

Dukenson Merisier

Nicole Shifflett

Samuel Carrasco

Jermaine Green

Sean Mosesly

LaChandra Spencer

Adriana Castro

Marco Gutierrez

Anthony Moten

Suntosha Starkey

Teresa Chavez

David Hailu

Alberto Nuñez

James Stocks

Saray Checo

Ronald Harris

Carlos Palacios

Francisco Tirado

Charles Clark

LaDarrius Hatchet

Ana Sofia Peña

Donato Torres

Walter Coleman

David Hernandez

Ramon Perez

Fernando Valle

Anthony Coleman

Gabriel Hernandez

Tamarcus Person

Sergio Villegas

Decibel Corona

Errick Holton

Salvador Lopez Portillo

Joseph L. Walker III

Daniela Costich

Steven James

Juan Vicente Quintero

Eddie Washington

Akilah Crowner

Charles Johnson

John Richardson

Larry Wiley III

Carla Juarez

Darrell Ricks

Takita Zielieke

Alejandro Aguilar

JL Davis

Manuel Avalos

Kenneth Davis Jr.

Alejandra Barajas

Juan Esquer

Ramon Beltran

Terry Roberts

BEYA WINNERS

SCIENCE SPECTRUM

TRAILBLAZERS

B E YA

2022

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SCIENCE SPECTRUM

TRAILBLAZERS Prof. Gary Harris (1953–2020), a trailblazing Science Spectrum honoree, presented more than 200 papers at scientific conferences. He also advised the research theses and dissertations of more than 150 graduates. He was a nationally recognized, ardent advocate for science education. In 2018, Harris took a trip to North Carolina to meet communities facing challenges from coal ash contamination and wastewater discharges from manufacturing and agricultural production facilities. As he described it in USBE Online, he presented a program that impacts environmental and climate injustices.

“We believe that communities affected by environmental stresses need to have the opportunity to mitigate stresses via science and technology,” Harris said. “We set out to empower leaders to push back on pollution and contributors of environmental contamination.” The discussions provided an opportunity to empower people with scientific tools and strategies. “We created a session that implemented what we call citizen science,” Harris said. The training fostered problem-solving with practical instruments that would help advocates acquire quantifiable evidence to support claims of environmental injustice,” he added. “To do that effectively, appropriate data is essential,” Harris said. With a toolkit supported by a collaborative sponsored by the NSF, NASA, NOAA, a consortium of colleges and universities providing research and training in the atmospheric and related science, and the EPA’s Environmental Justice Academy, they could teach everyday people how to use citizen science. “It was inspiring to see these leaders equipped to use science in their problem-solving methodologies and have a scientific basis for their pushback on polluters. Now, not only can these community citizens claim that company X is polluting a local water system, but they can also take water or air samples, gather data, take measurements, and do analyses and evaluations to back up claims,” he said. Before Harris died in the fall of 2020, he worked with the Department of Energy to ensure nuclear waste sites invoked environmental justice principles. “We believe that citizen science engagement will allow us to continue to work with and for communities of color to ensure they have the highest levels of protection,” Harris said.

USBE & Information Technology | CONFERENCE 2022

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Eboneki Akhibi

Senior Manager, QA Technical Operations Abbott

Nidhi Shah

Senior Systems Integration Specialist Abbott

James Johnson Jr. Director Product Marketing Management AT&T

Roy Katende

Principle Data Analysis AT&T

Jacob Mitchell

Principle DevOps Engineer AT&T

Jasvir Pannu

Senior Network Planning Engineer AT&T

A. Boh Ruffin, Ph.D.

Senior Research Manager, Laser Processing Research Corning Research and Development Corporation

Wilmer Lambert

Engineering Supervisor, Comm Systems General Dynamics Electric Boat

Ching Duan

Engineer Specialist General Dynamics Land Systems

Nedra Johnson

Section Manager General Dynamics Land Systems

Cameron Barrett 3rd Shift Crew Lead General Motors

Carmella Bond-Weeks GMS Coordinator General Motors

Aaron Dunlap

GM Staff Engineer Subject Matter Expert, Plant Floor Systems General Motors

Stephen D. Pace, Ph.D. Software Developer General Motors

Eric W. Todd

Side Closure Technical System Lead Engineer General Motors www.blackengineer.com

2022

Jason Cannon

Jacob Hillmon

Lakim Desir

Yonis Ahmed

Philip Holbert

Karissa Diggs

Sheila Lunderman

Charles Faminu

Dreylynn McGruder

Thaddaeus Irby, DM

Client Technical Leader IBM

Supervisor Liquid Propulsion Concepts Jacobs

Jerome Gilberry

GTO EPA-RLS Program Manager Jacobs

Michael Hollis Jr. Program Director Jacobs

Kyrra Hana Mosley

Project Engineer, Water Resources Jacobs

Nicholas Walker Technical Control Lead Jacobs

Melvin Watson

Infrastructure Systems Engineering Lead Jacobs

Shaleta Handy

Senior Cybersecurity Engineer Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

Robert Burnett, Ph.D. Senior Director, Engineering L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Jimmy Cowan, Ph.D. Manager, Software Engineering L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Etonia Curry

Scientist, Electrical Engineer L3Harris Technologies, Inc. Senior Manager, Information Security Systems Engineering L3Harris Technologies, Inc. Senior Manager, Operational Excellence L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Associate Manager, Manufacturing Engineering L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Kenneth Neal

Senior Associate, Systems Engineering L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Johnny Hardison

Associate Manager, Electrical Engineering L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Jason Jones

Kenneth Mills

Tallette Kitchen

Marvin Powell

Antoinette Ward

Charles Richberg

Akil Alexander

Jean Bosco Serushema

Lead, Software Engineer L3Harris Technologies, Inc. Team Lead Leidos

Network Performance & Reliability Analyst Leidos Transmissions Design Engineer Team Lead Lockheed Martin Corporation

Naomie Baptiste

Anthony “Ace” Barnes

Benjamin Francis

Senior Manager, Enterprise Technology Lockheed Martin Corporation

Sean Simmons

Kedisha Fabien

Associate Manager, Software Engineering L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Avionics/Electrical Fort Worth RSS Site Lead & Engineering Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Special Project Staff Flight Test Engineer Lockheed Martin Corporation

Specialist, Electrical Engineering L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Robert Ford II

Multi Functional Engineering & Science Associate Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Senior Engineering Manager L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Program Management Associate Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Senior Associate, Mechanical Engineering L3Harris Technologies, Inc.

Procurement Engineer Senior Lockheed Martin Corporation

Electrical Engineer Senior Lockheed Martin Corporation

Julius Berry

Program Manager, Senior Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Alain Bissereth

COLT Engineering Project Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation Full Stack Engineer Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation Software Engineering Manager/ Software Architect Lockheed Martin Corporation Senior Optical Engineer Lockheed Martin Corporation

Eric A. Thompson Sr. Lead Member Eng Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation

Mark Sorrells Systems Engineer NASA

Nia Jones

H30 Deputy Chief Engineer Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division

Edward Carter

Radio Frequency Engineer Lockheed Martin Corporation

Mechanical Engineer Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division

Justin Boone, Ph.D.

Alaina Farooq

Senior Program Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

Daniel Boyd

Senior Electrical Engineer Lockheed Martin Corporation

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division

USBE & Information Technology | CONFERENCE 2022

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B E YA

David Mayo, PhD

Darryl Mensah

Terita Norton

Torpedo Systems Project Lead Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport

THAT CITIZEN SCIENCE ENGAGEMENT WILL ALLOW US TO CONTINUE TO WORK WITH AND FOR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, TO ENSURE THEY HAVE THE HIGHEST LEVELS OF PROTECTION.” - Prof. Gary Harris

BEYA WINNERS

Mason Cooper

Electronics Engineer Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Newport

“WE BELIEVE

2022

Keon Brown

Electrical Staff Engineer Oceaneering International Inc.

Patrick Lusaka

Associate Director, Digital and IoT Otis Elevator Company

Vanessa Adams

Associate Director of Systems Engineering Office The Aerospace Corporation Systems Director The Aerospace Corporation

Brianne Williams

R&D Manager Sandia National Laboratories

Tyler Garrett

Senior R&D Systems Engineer Sandia National Laboratories

Patrice Gregory, Ph.D. Principal R&D Systems Engineer Sandia National Laboratories

Tyrone Hutchinson

Ranell Franklin

Principal Engineer/Scientist The Aerospace Corporation

Madeline Augustin

Ezunial (Eze) Burts III

Muhammad El

SWD Flight Commander U.S. Air Force

Karolyn D. Young

Theresa Mays

Senior Manager, Electrical Engineering Raytheon Technologies

Maj Roashelle Rose

Program Manager U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command

BDS Technology Strategy Senior Manager The Boeing Company

Lawrence Savage

Systems Engineer U.S. Air Force

Senior Project Engineer The Aerospace Corporation

Senior Manager Raytheon Technologies

Senior Software Engineer Raytheon Technologies

Jordan Peasant

Senior Manager, Global Engineering Strategic Partnerships The Boeing Company

Paris Forest

Senior Director The Boeing Company

Lonnie Hendrick Branch Manager The Boeing Company

Balaji Rangaswamy

Vice President, IT&DA Supply Chain The Boeing Company

Emmanuel BelloOgunu, Ph.D.

Natural Resources Program Manager U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District

Christo Lunderman

Research Physicist U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center

Minh-Thu Phan

Innovation Domain Lead/Program Manager U.S. Coast Guard

Serena Curtin

Director, Information Security Walmart

Yi Liu

Risk Expert, Cybersecurity Walmart

Brenda Pacheco System Engineer Walmart

Harshini Sarvotham

Group Leader—Lead Cyber Operations Engineer The MITRE Corporation

Software Engineer Cybersecurity Walmart

LaTonya N. Jenkins

Shane Patterson Group Leader The MITRE Corporation

Senior Vice President—Product Management, Ad Supported HBO Max WarnerMedia

Bryson Brown

Michael D. Jackson

Haile Kofu Owusu

Pamela Roberts

Maj Jordan James

Sonia Henry

Roi King

Joshua James

Senior R&D Systems Engineer Sandia National Laboratories Member of Technical Staff Sandia National Laboratories

Research & Technology Engineer Spirit AeroSystems Systems Engineer Spirit AeroSystems

Director, Acquisition Analysis & Information Department The Aerospace Corporation

Construction Technology SME U.S. Air Force

Julian Franco

Senior Vice President, Data Analytics/ Decision Sciences WarnerMedia

F-15E Weapon Systems Officer U.S. Air Force

Information Technology Administrator U.S. Air Force

Leonard Lightfoot, Ph.D. Program Element Monitor U.S. Air Force

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WORK WHERE YOUR TEAM CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU DO NEXT

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Arielle G. Systems Engineer, Born Leader, Face of the Agency

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We are looking for the best and brightest to join us in our mission supporting the U.S. Navy. Your education or professional experience can contribute to our success.

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Brandy Diggs-McGee

Research Mechanical Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL)

How I walk out the tenets of BEYA: Being Everything You Are

Call to Action: Introduce STEM to our young early

O

US Black Engineer & Information Technology (USBE&IT) magazine launched the maiden issue of Leading Voices (LV) in the fall of 2017. Broken up into three or four columns written by inventors, entrepreneurs, and STEM policymakers, the section spotlights the 14 challenges outlined by the National Academy of Engineering, and disruptors such as artificial intelligence and bioengineering. During its first few years, LV has provided perspectives on smart cities, building a weather-ready nation, and where AI is in your future.

An auspicious start for one of USBE magazine’s newest sections. Leading Voices is available in print and online at www.blackengineer.com

ne thing that I noticed during my collegiate tenure was the lack of career navigation among my peers and me. The lack of this guidance was even more apparent as I started my professional journey. I was fortunate enough to have mentors and training to help me succeed, and I wanted to be sure to assist in closing the gap and educate others so that they, too, can “Digg” their career.

Leading Voices

Children do not know what to do until we guide them. This principle, I believe, is a foundational standard. My mother introduced STEM to me during middle school. She demonstrated to my classmates the cause and effects of a personal computer’s components on a motherboard. Those experiences and many more powered my ambition to pursue my career in engineering. I question what impact STEM could have had on my life at 5 or 6 years old. So, when I think of STEM, I think of how my mother initiated it. As a new mom, my husband and I think of how we interact with our 11-monthold child. He is interested in everything, but we introduce STEM into his life and provide the environment for growth to continue his eagerness to learn. Right now, a water bottle is not a bottle anymore; it has transformed into a diverse learning tool. With the addition of corn or rice, we can respond to sound, and a bottle with glitter and water allows us to explore visual

Contributing Editors .........................

Brandy Diggs-McGee

Research Mechanical Engineer, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL)

Adrienne Somerville

Acquisition Group Head Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers

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When I think about the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) world, I consider my work as a research mechanical engineer and its societal impact. But this world is not just about adults and professionals. The STEM world also influences our youth.

Kindergarten and first grade are ground zero for sparking innovation and creativity.

Children at this age enjoy learning and pursue their curiosities with passion and take ownership of their capabilities, which drives them to explore more. However, this only lasts if it is fueled and provides better successes in everyday life.

USBE & Information Technology | CONFERENCE 2022

stimulation. We try to make sure that everything we do is worth his curiosity, interest, and childlike understanding, just as my mother did for my peers and me.

In my observation, society teaches young people that “greatness” is achieved through sports and influence on social media. While there is nothing inherently wrong with these things, we as STEM leaders need to engage with our youth and reinforce a strong educational background.

An education rooted in STEM will pique their natural curiosities, and unlike fame from social media, their knowledge can never be taken away.

My daily work involves concrete 3D printing, as well as thermal performances of various infrastructures. I am also an assistant Cub Scoutmaster. In that role, I have introduced STEM to children in preschool and elementary school. For example, my first STEM project with the scouts involved different fruits they had never seen before: kiwis, starfruit, dragon fruit, and many others. I gave a presentation on where they are grown and harvested and ended with a taste test.

Something as simple as a presentation on unfamiliar fruits will help galvanize young minds and begin the perpetual snowball of wanting to know, learn, observe, and understand the world and its processes.

STEM is not an elective but everyday life. STEM does not end once you are an adult, and that is a misconception for some adults. Children should be exposed to STEM (including art) as early as possible, but the reassurance in the exploration is validated through adults.

I have chosen to facilitate education, growth, and development for our world through STEM. This is how I walk out daily the foundational tenets of BEYA: Being Everything You Are. I charge us to introduce STEM to our young early, as they are the next generation of creators and innovators. S

www.blackengineer.com

Leading Voices

Adrienne Somerville Acquisition Group Head, Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers

Identify Your Talent and Maximize Your Position What you need to know to deliver what you want to produce

T

hroughout my career, I have heard these and similar statements as I travel around the United States and speak to forum participants. I often wonder how people get into these emotional spaces and mindsets. Hundreds of thousands of people are unemployed now, yet so many professionals are unfulfilled in their careers and debating whether to change career paths. I have never secondguessed my value to an organization, but I can imagine it would be extremely disheartening and discouraging.

This made me consider what the professional landscape would look like if every professional were 100 percent engaged in their occupation. What could happen if every member of an organization was fully operational, aligned with the culture and speaking the language, and assessing their performance with relevant metrics and analytics? How exciting it would be to have that kind of leadership from an entire team. Moreover, how rewarding it would be for each person!

Working in talent management, I have begun implementing an action plan to create that dynamic for organizations.

It starts with a complete paradigm shift in how companies see their employees.

Businesses often view their personnel through a quantitative lens. In other words, their overarching philosophy is that more workers should equate to more productivity. However, I suggest a different focus. I think companies should consider their teams from a qualitative perspective. Employees are more than numbers. They encompass passions, interests, and curiosities. Companies must understand the importance of this rich information, recognize it, and infuse it into usable data for the collective enterprise.

Likewise, individuals have a role to play in affecting their professional outlook and, hopefully, as a result, their work environment. When it comes to identifying their ideal space in the workforce, many people ask themselves, “What do I want to do?” or “What excites

www.blackengineer.com

me?” While these are data points that should be considered, my challenge is to ask what it is that you want to deliver.

identify exactly what you need to know to deliver what you want to produce. This is growth that should be celebrated.

Having a particular goal and knowing exactly how to achieve it can be powerful for any individual. Possessing both will allow you to leverage your competence in almost any professional arena. Do not be afraid to be assertive—not aggressive— with that power. When challenging or high-risk opportunities arise, accept the challenge. Show that not only have you grown in your skills and talent, but you are willing to step forward and use them to break barriers and create new solutions. Constantly go to the supervisor to let them know you are ready to do what others will not. Your career is yours to own, so be your best advocate in this regard. The few who step out as go-getters are the ones who will gain corporate dominance.

It is imperative that you acknowledge what you don’t know; this is where you will need to focus to get the resources needed to close any gaps and identify exactly what you need to know to deliver what you want to produce.

What final products do you want to create? Do you want to work on aircraft or ships? How about cars? Do you want to be in fashion or music? Professionals should worry less about what they want to get out of a job and consider what they contribute or produce. Whatever the “product” is, that will be the legacy and landmark of an individual’s talent.

With the end product realized, the next step in maximizing one’s position is to determine what knowledge, skills, and abilities are needed to create that product. This will involve knowing what can be done well, but it also involves what I call the “lonely work.” The process involves writing down where you are, what you like, and what you know. It will also require you to highlight your shortcomings. It is imperative that you acknowledge what you do not know; this is where you will need to focus to get the resources needed to close any gaps and

These strategies will position professionals to be much more than a success. Rather, they will position people to be extremely significant. Being significant to an enterprise will more quickly bring advancement to higher positions. And these ideals will stand well after “success,” and its trappings wither away in value. When talents are used to pour into others versus self, they become gifts that will support and grow generations for years to come. S

There are many Leading Voices stories available at Blackengineer.com.

Head over to read more stories just like this: https://l.ead.me/bboL3b

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201904-813804

TECH CAREERS OF THE

FUTURE

CAREER OUTLOOK According to a recent study, all science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM)-related careers have fast-growth occupations. But which jobs are going to be hot in 2030? “Those questions drove my list of top careers of the decade,” Jem Pagán recently told USBE magazine. Once mobile devices gave us access to location, he added that businesses had a better story on geolocation, demographics, and the in-car experience.

In addition, using data to market products to different demographics has opened opportunities for STEM graduates to think outside the box. “The digital transformation has become an opportunity for qualified STEM professionals,” Pagán noted.

So how can you prepare for the tech careers of the future? All workers will use their knowledge of STEM to understand how the world works and solve problems. www.blackengineer.com

INSIDE > STEM Careers of the Future > Where Are the Tech Jobs of the Future?

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CAREER OUTLOOK

by Alfred Lewis editors@ccgmag.com

STEM Careers of the

FUTURE

100 USBE & Information Technology | CONFERENCE 2022

www.blackengineer.com

INDUSTRY OVERVIEW

AS

a current or future student interested in STEM careers, it can be overwhelming thinking of which specific job you want to pursue. Even more challenging can be the thought that the career you end up in may not even exist yet! Some reports indicate that around 65 percent of students entering school will eventually work at jobs that do not yet exist! Predicting the exact future of STEM careers is a bit like looking into a crystal ball, but some major trends and time-honored job preparation strategies will help you gaze into your future and get ready for the next generation of STEM careers that will impact the future of our global society.

With the rapidly growing use of artificial intelligence in products ranging from cars to household vacuums, automated systems and robotic systems engineers, repair professionals, and other related roles are certain to be more widespread in the future. A perfect example is the computerized point of sale registers or kiosks, allowing customers to process their payments without a human cashier or clerk. Professional engineers are needed to design, build, and test these systems, which will undoubtedly become more sophisticated and more common. In addition, qualified technicians are required to repair and maintain these devices, everything from swapping out parts to fixing errors in software, updating code, or performing other troubleshooting.

Another future-forward STEM career path centers on future travel in space.

With an expansion in space tourism fueled by private companies entering the space industry and future goals from NASA to explore Mars with human astronauts and send robots to other nearby celestial bodies, there will be a growing need for space-related professionals. Engineers of all types will be needed to design the systems for spacecraft, dwellings, satellites, robots, and every subsystem within each component—such as wiring, water systems, and HVAC. How will spacetraveling professionals eat nutritious food and maintain their physical and emotional health? How will society ensure the well-being of people exploring space? The possibilities are www.blackengineer.com

endless, such as mining specialists who use STEM skills to harvest materials from celestial bodies, space architects and construction experts, space-based medical professionals, space traffic managers, and more. The wide variety of space-related careers will continue to grow as space travel grows, estimated at 39 percent growth from the past decade.

Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), most often known as drones, are expected to grow rapidly in five to 10 years as their applications expand to dozens of industries. One estimate is that drones will bring an additional $13.6 billion to the economy and create over 70,000 jobs. Drones are beginning to be used in many industries, such as farming, law enforcement, search and rescue operations, property management, filmmaking, delivery services, and more. As drones become more widespread and their uses become more specialized, professionals will be needed to design, create, program, repair, and maintain the devices that will replace many jobs traditionally done by humans—and traditionally jobs in dangerous locations or situations.

Drone pilots currently earn an average salary of around $60,000 to $70,000.

exact future of STEM careers is a bit like looking into a crystal ball. Still, some major trends and time-honored job preparation strategies will help you gaze into your future and get ready for the next generation of STEM careers

The United States produces an average of 4.5 pounds of trash per person each day! Sustainable materials professionals, such as sustainable construction engineers, will play vital roles in the future of manufacturing, construction, and waste management—on Earth, in its oceans, and in outer space. The future of materials will be reused, such as sustainably created 3D print filament that will help us create custom repair parts, housing, and other needed items.

Reducing pollution and garbage will be a tough problem, and trained, creative professionals will be needed to solve this societal problem as waste builds up all around us. Construction specialists earn an average of $95,000 now, so expect this in-demand job to become more needed and more lucrative as the future unfolds.

As you prepare yourself to enter a career in the future, consider majoring or training in STEM fields to maximize your future readiness! S

Predicting the

that will impact the future of our global society.

Do you want more career tips and advice? Check out our Seminar playlist on youTube: https://l.ead.me/bcbdbf

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CAREER OUTLOOK

WHERE ARE THE

TECH JOBS OF THE FUTURE? AS

industries continue to expand and modernize, the variety and need for technology employment will increase rapidly.

Everything from the infusion of automated attendants, self-serve kiosks, green power research, and development to space travel will become increasingly needed by companies worldwide. Put simply, technology is vital now and will become even more needed in the future. As a result, there will be a growing need for engineers, computer scientists, trained technicians, cryptocurrency professionals, and more.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM jobs are growing steadily, with an expectation of over 8 million STEM workers by 2028.

However, some STEM careers are growing more than others. One major trend is the proliferation of computer and mathematics-focused jobs, increasing from 53 percent of all STEM jobs to over 56 percent by the end of

102

the decade. Another major trend is the increasing share of application software developers, computer user support specialists, computer systems analysts, and systems software developers—each employing over 400,000 workers in the United States. The top 10 fastestgrowing STEM careers are:

1. Application Software

Developers Information Security Analysts Statisticians Operations Research Analysts Computer User Support Specialists 6. Computer Systems Analysts 7. Industrial Engineers 8. Computer And Information Research Scientists 9. Systems Software Developers 10. Architects

2.

3.

4.

5.

What do these trends mean for future graduates looking to enter a STEM career? Studying mathematics, computers, or engineering will help

USBE & Information Technology | CONFERENCE 2022

students access 7 million jobs, with more yet to be created! Common degrees in computer science and technology are a bachelor’s or master’s degree in computer science and a bachelor’s or master’s degree in information technology. What is the difference between these majors? Computer science programs study the technical work of creating computer programs, networks, and tools. Information technology majors study using computers and computer technology to solve problems in specific areas, such as commerce, government, etc. As part of these degrees, students can select a specialization or more specific major in exciting areas such as computer programming, web development, database management, data mining, network engineering, and more.

There are several actions students can take to maximize their preparedness for a future-ready STEM career that focuses on technology. One great strategy

www.blackengineer.com

JOB HORIZON

by Alfred Lewis editors@ccgmag.com

by Alfred Lewis editors@ccgmag.com

“Technology is vital now and will become even more needed in the future, and there will be a growing need for engineers, computer scientists, trained technicians, cryptocurrency professionals, and more.” is to pick a complementary second major to maximize your marketability.

Business, entrepreneurship, and management majors can help highlight

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a student’s leadership acumen. For majors in web design or computer programming, an additional major in fine art or design can provide additional expertise in structure, imagery, and form that surpasses digital design. For any technology major, a dual major in English, writing, or communication can highlight a student’s ability to work in a corporate setting where communication skills are highly valued.

Another way to prepare for a futureready technology career is to obtain internships in your desired area of study. Check with your local or desired college or university, as they may offer undergraduate research internships collaborating with more senior students and faculty, career service centers inside and outside of college, mentor programs, job fairs, government-offered internships like the NSA’s student programs and intelligence internships, etc.

a traditional two- or four-year degree?

Another path to a technology career involves completing workshops, online certification courses, and even massive open online courses (MOOCs).

You will also want to document and describe your soft skills that highlight your employability. Technology professionals benefit from having documented experience and aptitude in adaptability to new changes in technology, flexibility, problem-solving, quick learning, collaboration, and communication. Highlight your abilities to work well with others and get the job done—on or before the deadline!

By planning, gathering relevant internships, building your soft skills, and seeking a growing career field, you will maximize your marketability and opportunity as a technology professional. S

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B E YA CONFERENCE HOSTS Lockheed Martin Corporation The Council of Engineering Deans of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities US Black Engineer & Information Technology Magazine CONFERENCE CO-SPONSORS Actalent Jacobs Raytheon Technologies ACADEMIC SPONSOR University of the District of Columbia OFFICIAL AIRLINE Southwest Airlines DIAMOND Abbott Amazon Robotics AI Boston Scientific Corporation Cerner Corporation General Dynamics General Motors Leidos National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Northrop Grumman Corporation SAIC The Boeing Company The MITRE Corporation U.S. Air Force U.S. Army Materiel Command Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. World Wide Technology PLATINUM JPMorgan Chase & Co. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers GOLD CACI International Inc Cummins Inc. Dominion Energy For Motor Company Huntington Ingalls Industries National Security Agency Navy Civilian Careers Textron Inc. T. Rowe Price SILVER Accenture Federal Services Booz Allen Hamilton Health Catalyst Microsoft Corporation Spirit AeroSystems, Inc. The Aerospace Corporation U.S. Army Test & Evaluation Command U.S. Department of Energy BRONZE Capital One Deloitte Federal Aviation Administration Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory Los Angeles Department of Water and Power Oracle Qurate Retail Group U.S. Army AFC-DEVCOM U.S. Environmental Production Agency 124

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