2016 US Black Engineer & Information Technology | CONFERENCE - VOL. 40, NO. 1

Celebrating

of Exellence in STEM

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BRINGING TECHNOLOGY HOME TO THE BLACK COMMUNITY

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Publisher’s Page COVER STORY

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2016 Black Engineer of the Year

FEATURES

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2016 Modern-Day 2016 Black Engineer Technology of the Year Award Leaders (BEYA) Winners and US Black Engineer & Technology Special Recognition Information Role Models. You can’t do technology without them.

Honorees

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30 Years of BEYA: An Unchanging Focus

Past Black Engineers of the Year reflect on BEYA’s critical mission.

Northrop Grumman’s Peripatetic Dr. Chris Jones.

In the Arc of His Career a Formula to Reach Great Heights.

Dr. Christopher T. Jones Corporate Vice President and President Northrop Grumman Technology Services

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PUBLISHER’S PAGE

Vo l u m e 4 0 N u m b e r 1 PROFILES IN INNOVATION

People and Events........................... 6

Millionaire boy genius launches Young Entrepreneurs University...Space pioneer presented with Presidential Medal of Freedom

One on One....................................10 GM car design executive reflects on winning 2015 Black Engineer of the Year Award.

EMERALD HONORS

2016 Scientist of the Year................58 The Making of a Radio Frequency Space Systems Expert

2016 Emerald Honorees..................59 The winners span fields from science education to geoscience, medicine and health, microbiology, zoology, and everything in between.

2016 Science Spectrum Trailblazers.64 Top minority researchers and executives in science.

BEST PRACTICES FOR SUCCESS

Corporate Life............................... 66 BEYA winners share secrets to success

EDUCATION

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or three decades, the Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) have been presented to people whose contributions exemplify innovation, hard work, and achievement in the many fields of engineering and related scientific and technical fields. In honoring significant achievement over 30 years, BEYA has encouraged a generation of Americans to dream of successful careers in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Awards are presented for excellence in the categories of Outstanding Technical Contribution, Career and Professional Achievement, Community Service, Higher Education, Student Leadership, Innovation, Entrepreneurial Leadership, and more. Nominations are sought around the world to celebrate the BEYA, which recognizes and documents the contributions of blacks in STEM fields.

BEYA also serves as a forum for students, professionals, industry, government, and not-for-profit representatives to gather for the purpose of strengthening the STEM community across America.

BEYA STEM Conference seminars cover subjects of interest to students, professionals, and recruiters. Experts provide information on demographics, tomorrow’s talent pool, reaching diverse talent on historically black college campuses and minority institutions, what recruiters want, and many other topics. The conference also includes a career fair that gives recruiters, professionals, and students a tremendous opportunity to share information and ideas.

Twenty years ago, I noted that to talk about increasing the number of historically underrepresented people in science and engineering is one thing; working out the difficult solutions and putting them into action is quite another. This conference is an inspiring result of building on the success of engineers, scientists, and technicians who have played a leading role in helping the United States to maintain a strong economy. I encourage you to join BEYA STEM for its 30th annual tribute to the achievements of black engineers and scientists and rededicate your commitment to encouraging more young people to pursue careers in STEM.

Book Review................................. 68 In his new book, the 2013 Black Engineer of the Year offers insights.

Education......................................70 Kick off your STEM Career at BEYA.

CAREER OUTLOOK

Tyrone D. Taborn Publisher and Editorial Director

Spotlight on 30 Years of BEYA.........75

➲ BEYA: Reflections on the Past 30 Years ➲ Recognition, Recruitment, Retention, Seminars: The BEYA Pictorial ➲ Ad Index USBE&IT I WINTER 2016 3

SAVE THE DATE FEBRUARY 29

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R ayondon Kennedy, Assistant Editor Lango Deen, Technology Editor Michael Fletcher, Contributing Editor Gale Horton Gay, Contributing Editor M.V. Greene, Contributing Editor Frank McCoy, Contributing Editor Garland L. Thompson, Contributing Editor Roger Witherspoon, Contributing Editor GRAPHIC DESIGN

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E ric Price, Vice President, Recruitment and Training Rod Carter, Recruitment Specialist, College Relations Kerry Buffington, Detroit Business Development Manager Matt Bowman, Veterans Affairs Angela Wheeler, Manager, Foundation for Educational Development Courtney Taborn, Recruitment Specialist Ty Taborn, Corporate Development Imani Carter, Corporate Communications Specialist SALES AND MARKETING

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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 for Black Americans. The editors invite submissions directed toward the goals of US Black Engineer & Information Technology. In particular, we wish to present ideas and current events concerning science and technology and personality profiles of successful Blacks in these fields and related business pursuits.

Fully developed articles may be sent for consideration, but queries are encouraged. US Black Engineer & Information Technology invites letters to the editor about any topics important to our readership. Articles and letters should be sent to: US Black Engineer & Information Technology, Editorial Department, 729 E Pratt St., Suite 504, Baltimore, MD 21202. No manuscript will be returned unless accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. US Black Engineer & Information Technology cannot be responsible for unsolicited art or editorial material. This publication is bulk-mailed to 150 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 (c) 2016

by Career Communications Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. Like us on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/BlackEngineer-of-the-Year-STEM-Awards-Conference/91782826084?fref=ts Follow us on Twitter: @BlackEngineer

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PROFILES IN INNOVATION

PEOPLE AND EVENTS A PIONEER IN AMERICAN SPACE HISTORY

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Compiled by Lango Deen ldeen@ccgmag.com

atherine G. Johnson was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November 2015. Johnson is a pioneer in American space history and one of seventeen recipients in public life named by President Barack Obama last year.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made meritorious contributions to the security or national interests of the United States, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.

A NASA mathematician, Johnson’s computations have influenced every space program from Mercury through the Shuttle program. In 1953, Johnson was hired as a research mathematician at the Langley Research Center with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the agency that preceded NASA, after they opened hiring to African Americans and women.

Johnson is known especially for her calculations of the 1961 trajectory for Alan Shepard’s flight (first American in space), the 1962 verification of the first flight calculation made by an electronic computer for John Glenn’s orbit (first American to orbit the earth), and the 1969 Apollo 11 trajectory to the moon.

In her later NASA career, Johnson worked on the Space Shuttle program and the Earth Resources Satellite and encouraged students to pursue careers in science and technology fields. S President Obama presents the Presidential Medal of Freedom Awards to Katherine G. Johnson at the White House in Washington, DC.

LEADING BLACK HEALTH REPRESENTATIVE JOINS THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY MILKEN INSTITUTE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC Last fall, the Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University named Thomas A. LaVeist, Ph.D., as chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management. Dr. LaVeist started his new position in February 2016.

LaVeist, who will also hold a faculty appointment as professor in the department, joins Milken Institute School of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore.

While he was director of the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Disparities Solutions, Dr. LaVeist saw health disparities firsthand. He advocated for public-private partnerships to reduce disparities, changes to the health care delivery system, standardized care regardless of race or economic class, more cultural competency, and more diversity in the health care workforce. His office at Johns Hopkins worked with minority colleges, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and majority institutions to encourage more students to get into health fields.

For his groundbreaking efforts as the William C. and Nancy F. Richardson Professor in Health Policy and the director of the Hopkins Center for Health Disparities Solutions, LaVeist won the “Innovation Award” from the National Institutes of Health and the “Knowledge Award” from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health. In 2013 he was elected to membership in the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine.

He is currently working on the book and documentary film “The Skin you’re in” which focuses on his work in health disparities. LaVeist received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, his Ph.D. in medical Thomas A. LaVeist, Ph.D., Chair of the sociology from the University of Michigan, and postdoctoral Department of Health Policy and Management, fellowship in public health at the Michigan School of Public George Washington University Health. S 6 USBE&IT | WINTER 2016

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MILLIONAIRE BOY GENIUS PLANS TO LAUNCH YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS UNIVERSITY

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our years ago, Jaylen Bledsoe became an Internet sensation when his IT company was reportedly valued at $3.5 million. He achieved success in building a website design business when he was just 14, inspiring business camps in St. Louis and Dallas for teenagers, and developing the Jaylen D. Bledsoe Global Group. Now, Bledsoe, 17, is ready to motivate more teens to business ownership with the Young Entrepreneur University, a program for teenagers where he would “teach students the concepts and fundamentals of building a business, based on the idea of innovating for people.” Through a digital curriculum of online courses, he plans to make an “international program teaching youths (around the world) how to innovate” in new businesses.

“It’s more like crafting young people in our society to be entrepreneurs,” Bledsoe told the Urban News Service.

“Entrepreneurship is a hot topic right now for young college students trying to find their way, but that’s the youngest age in which efforts extend to.

If I can use my story to motivate, inspire, and push a young person who may be lost in life, then that’s my purpose.”

Bledsoe, who has been accepted at Stanford University and plans to study

international business and psychology, already employs 180 people.

According to Urban News, his company used its search engine optimization experience to help comedian and entertainment star Steve Harvey earn $8 million in presales of his book, Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man. “To work for him now is pretty remarkable,” said Wilmer JacksonSpencer, Bledsoe’s business manager, who grew up in the same neighborhood.

“He has such a high aptitude. He’s very clear in what he wants done and how he wants it done. He doesn’t watch football or play sports. He’s all about the Jaylen Bledsoe Global Group. His focus and diligence force me to put that into my work — and I’m 37. It’s amazing to have the kind of engagement he has,” Jackson said to Urban News.

The Jaylen Bledsoe Global Group specializes in brand expansion consulting for celebrities like Steve Harvey, business development, venture capital funding, and direct marketing strategies.

Bledsoe has partnered with major companies, including K Swiss and AT&T. “I want to be the go-to guy for digital strategy and business development among celebrities and Fortune 500 companies,” Bledsoe said.

“It’s a cliché, but everyone agrees,” said Jackson-Spencer. “Jaylen hasn’t even scratched the surface. The best thing about that is that he will help people, especially young people, along the way.” S

Jaylen D. Bledsoe, entrepreneur and motivational speaker, Jaylen D. Bledsoe Productions, LLC

PIONEERING BLACK ENTREPRENEUR PASSES ON Hank Williams, a serial tech entrepreneur who founded Platform, a non-profit organization focused on diversifying the innovation economy, died in November 2015.

Williams, 50, was also CEO of Kloud dot com, a cloud storage and data management platform. He had a lifelong hope that more high-profile black technologists, founders, and venture capitalists will be involved with New York City’s booming startup scene.

Williams advised tech companies to employ tactics that ensure employees hire without regard to color, gender, age, sexual orientation, appearance, class, or any other non-meritbased characteristic. He also said executives with exclusive social networks should make sure they have a diverse pool of potential candidates before they start reviewing applications and that companies should mandate that multiple employees be involved in every stage of review so that favoritism doesn’t pollute the process. S

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ONE ON ONE

CAR DESIGN EXECUTIVE REFLECTS ON WINNING BEYA HONOR

by Gale Horton Gay ghorton@ccgmag.com

Ed Welburn, vice president of Global Design, General Motors Company Under his leadership, GM Design introduced two critically acclaimed new concept vehicles at the recent 2015 North American International Auto Show — the Buick Avenir and the Chevrolet Bolt-EV.

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d Welburn loved cars when he was a kid — playing with them, drawing pictures of them, and building model cars.

At 8, he persuaded his dad to take him to the Philadelphia car show, and at 11, he wrote to General Motors for advice on how to become a car designer.

This was more than a passing fascination. Welburn followed GM’s advice, and after studying fine arts, sculpture, and product design at Howard University, he went to work for the auto giant — becoming the company’s first African American car designer.

Now, 43 years after first bringing his skills and creativity to GM as an associate designer, Welburn is the company’s vice president in charge of global design, with oversight of 10 design centers around the world, where 2,600 employees report to him. (He’s only the sixth design leader in GM history.)

Throughout the year, he spends a considerable amount of time reviewing design plans on 20-foot-by-10-foot screens at the Detroit design center, as well as traveling to design centers in California, Germany, India, Australia, China, and other locations. (He covered 130,000 miles last year.) Those designs cover a wide range: vehicle interiors and exteriors, as well as auto show and dealership displays. Welburn and his team are responsible for the design development of every GM concept and production car and truck globally.

Welburn was the 2015 Black Engineer of the Year winner, and during the past year, the accolade has provided him with more opportunities to speak to young audiences, which he values.

“I really want to help young people to understand the possibilities in a career,” Welburn said, emphasizing that having a “no matter what” attitude is vital.

When he speaks to young people, Welburn said he often shares his personal experiences about his career path, including

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challenges, lessons learned, and how to take advantage of opportunities when they present themselves.

“I want to help them understand if there is something they’re really passionate about, they need to really focus and study and dream and work hard to achieve that,” he said.

The past year has been a good one for Welburn. Under his leadership, GM Design introduced two critically acclaimed new concept vehicles at the recent 2015 North American International Auto Show — the Buick Avenir and the Chevrolet Bolt-EV. The Avenir went on to capture awards for “Best Concept Vehicle” and “Most Innovative Use of Color, Graphics and Materials.” In addition, AutoWeek magazine named the Avenir “Best in Show” for concept vehicles.

One of the perks of Welburn’s job is some surprising opportunities that have come his way, such as appearing on Jay’s (Leno) Garage and truTV’s Motor City Masters reality competition. In June of 2014, Welburn made his motion picture film debut with a cameo-speaking role in the Michael Bay-directed “Transformers 4: Age of Extinction.” Portions of the movie were filmed at the GM Design Center in Warren, Michigan, including in Welburn’s office and the iconic GM Design Dome.

Asked what young professionals should do to be recognized for their good work on a job, Welburn cautioned that there’s a delicate balance that should be maintained. Pushing too hard for recognition can be perceived as offensive in some work environments, he said.

“As a designer, you sign your sketch. It’s up on display. Your name is right there,” he said, adding that design work is under tremendous scrutiny, much more than in other professions.

The bottom line, according to Welburn, is that there’s no substitution for hard work and striving for excellence in every day of one’s professional life. S www.blackengineer.com

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GOING STRONG

by Garland L. Thompson gthompson@ccgmag.com GOING

years

GOING STRONG

STRONG

GOING STRONG

2016

BLACK ENGINEER OF THE YEAR Northrop Grumman’s Peripatetic Dr. Chris Jones Dr. Christopher T. Jones Corporate Vice President and President Northrop Grumman Technology Services

In the Arc of His Career, a Formula to Reach Great Heights

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n the arc of the career of Dr. Christopher Jones, the 2016 Black Engineer of the Year, a careful observer can trace a formula for success that directly contradicts widely held views that somehow hard work in school really doesn’t matter; it’s just who you know, at the end of the day. www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG

GOING STRONG

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o be sure, Dr. Jones, a Corporate Vice President and Technology Services President at defense contractor Northrop Grumman, does in fact know a lot of highly influential people. A quick skim of letters of support sent to the BEYA Selection Panel on his behalf shows that: Dr. Irving McPhail, President & Chief Executive Officer of the National Action Council on Minorities in Engineering; Dr. Darryl J. Pines, endowed professor and Dean of the University of Maryland’s Clark School of Engineering; and Northrop Grumman’s Chairman, CEO and President, Wes Bush.

But getting to know the players at the top level comes with the territory when you are at the top of your own game — in any field. So let’s go back to that arc and the very successful formula exemplified by Dr. Jones’ career drive: A sharp focus on learning to produce a buildup of knowledge and skill plus a commitment to bring one’s best performance to the chosen field equals the preparation to rise when opportunities to do so show up. www.blackengineer.com

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GOING STRONG

GOING STRONG

Commitment to Serve

And in Dr. Jones’ particular case, add in a big dose of commitment to serve, which resulted in opportunities and progress not only for him personally but also for his employers, for the aerospace industry in which his career is homed, and for the defense and security of the United States itself.

Let’s start at the beginning. A young Christopher Jones, born in Havre de Grace, Maryland, matriculated at Georgia Tech after finishing high school in 1982, winning appointment as an Air Force ROTC cadet and, not so coincidentally, as a NACME Scholar. He graduated with high honors as an aerospace engineering major and flew away in Air Force blue in 1986.

Here his career took a turn many outside U.S. military circles might not have expected: to assignment as a systems analyst to the Foreign Technology Division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Fans of shoot-’em-up video games can be excused for failing to see the excitement quotient WINTER 2016 I USBE&IT 15

GOING STRONG Putting the Knowledge to Work

GOINGheads an organizaDr. Jones STRONG tion with more than 7,000 professionals working in all 50 U.S. states and in 29 international locations earning revenues of more than $2.8 billion.

That year, Dr. Jones joined Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation’s Acoustics Group, where he supported the development of active noise- and vibration-control systems. He participated in and led flight tests and was the Program Leader for government and civilian contracts involving innovative rotorcraft technologies.

For those who don’t think that’s sexy, look again at the reports on the “Stealthed” helicopters used by the U.S. Navy SEAL Team during the assault on terrorist leader Osama bin Laden's Pakistani hideout.

Keen observers will remember the major advances in vibration- and noise-control as well as low-radar observability “Stealth” techniques developed as Sikorsky and its industry partner raced to complete work on the revolutionary RAH66 Comanche attack helicopter before funding was pulled on the program. On that project, from 2000 to 2004, Dr. Chris Jones was the company’s Technology Integrated Product Team Leader, directly applying the knowledge gained in his master’s and Ph.D. studies. So those interested observers may be excused for thinking Dr. Jones, who can’t talk about classified projects, just might have helped advance the state of the art.

there, but what the young Lt. Jones actually did was truly exciting for a lot of high-profile U.S. officials. He analyzed classified data on foreign ballistic missile and space systems at a time when Ronald Reagan’s White House was deeply concerned about missile defense. Jones, a Group Leader, regularly was tasked with presenting intelligence assessments of Third World countries’ developing ballistic-missile capabilities to national policymakers, laying the foundation for America’s strategicmissile contingency planning and, for his work, won an Air Force Commendation Medal.

Still Determined to Serve

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GOING STRONG

Getting Back to “What You Know”

Still focused on the “what you know” part of his career readiness, Jones went back to school, this time for a master’s degree in aerospace engineering, concentrating on flight dynamics and controls, from the University of Dayton. It built on his undergrad study, which was centered on structures and mechanics. Continuing his part-time study while a uniformed professional, Jones also completed a second master’s program in engineering management, which was focused on multiattribute decision analysis.

Then, double grad degrees in hand in 1991, Captain Jones left the Air Force. Sort of.

He returned to Maryland for full-time pursuit of a doctorate in aerospace engineering at the Free State’s College Park flagship. There, he investigated flight mechanics and control issues, developing a thesis on the creation of what his bio describes as “flight dynamics models using frequencydomain system identification.” Take that, all you shoot-’em-up video gamers.

The young doctor-to-be did not neglect his commitment to serve either. While at Maryland, he got active in student government and in minority student organizations and was so successful he won big recognition: Not only was he cited with a University President’s Commission Minority Achievement Award but he also won a 1996 Black Engineer of the Year Student Leadership Award, a sign of things to come.

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In 1997 Dr. Jones dusted off his blue suit and joined the Connecticut Air National Guard’s 103 Air Control Squadron as a Communications Officer. Asked about his dual military and civilian career roles, he said his employer, Sikorsky, was very supportive of Reservists and National Guard members’ military service. It required a lot of “balancing,” he said, such as knowing in advance when and where active-duty deployments might occur and being able to schedule some of his work assignments to avoid major disruptions, but as he said, “You have to be dedicated.”

As the leader of the Connecticut Guard’s Logistics Support Flight, Captain Jones planned and scheduled the work of up to 150 Guard members responsible for installation, maintenance, and repair of the communications, electronics, computer, power, radio, and radar systems for his squadron. He also had to coordinate satellite and telecommunications operations during remote deployments and to serve as unit liaison with subordinate and commanding organizations for maintenance and communications activities during joint military exercises.

Multiple Deployments

All that activity got Dr. Jones promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in 2001. He supported the unit during Operation Noble Eagle (Homeland Defense) after 9/11, and in 2003 he served as Acting Chief of Maintenance in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. There, he led 75 Guard personnel maintaining and operating computer, communications, and radar gear.

Lt. Col. Jones also provided support to members of his National Guard unit, as well as many of his own maintenance organization employees, during U.S. and coalition military operations between 2003 and 2011.

Critical Supporting Roles

Dr. Jones, who had joined Northrop Grumman in 2004 as Director of Product Support and International Programs for the www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG Airborne Early Warning program, managed personnel located in several U.S. states and in other countries and was responsible for all domestic support of the Navy’s E-2 Hawkeye early warning plane as well as for international E-2 programs.

Dr. Jones retired from the Connecticut Air National Guard when it became clear that his role in Virginia at Northrop Grumman, far from its New England base of operations, was rapidly expanding. But he didn’t get very far away from serving U.S. military needs.

GOING STRONG

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New Life for an Aging Design

The Hawkeye, originally developed decades ago and designed to operate from upgraded World War-II-era aircraft carriers as well as their giant nuclear-powered, modern follow-ons, has undergone major revisions and upgrades to continue its viability during its long service life. Dr. Jones provided technical leadership during aircraft design, development, production, and fielding — including a change from four-bladed propellers to eight blades in the newest versions to reduce vibration and noise to extend the survivability of its extensive onboard electronics suite — and he also was a key member of the business strategy development and capture teams for several strategic wins for an aircraft used by France and other countries as well as the U.S. He also scored a personal one. In 2012 Dr. Jones was named Black Engineer of the Year for Career Achievement, fulfilling the promise presaged with his Student Leadership Awards.

Standing on the Front Rank

Today, Dr. Jones heads an organization with more than 14,000 professionals working in 49 U.S. states and 16 international locations earning revenues of more than $4.8 billion. He has the responsibility of leading civilian organizations that directly and indirectly support U.S. military and humanitarian operations in North Africa and the Arabian Gulf areas. It’s a fitting position that is closely related to his www.blackengineer.com

The Hawkeye. Dr. Jones provided technical leadership during aircraft design, development, production, and fielding — including a change from four-bladed propellers to eight blades in the newest versions to reduce vibration and noise to extend the survivability of its extensive onboard electronics suite.

mission while serving as an officer in the Air National Guard.

One of only three sector presidents at Northrop Grumman, Dr. Jones reports directly to CEO Wes Bush and also serves as a member of Northrop’s Corporate Policy Council and is responsible for policy and performance across all parts of the company.

As CEO Bush’s letter to the selection panel states, Dr. Jones’ “Technology Services sector’s customers are engaged on the front lines of U.S. and regional security, irregular warfare, modernization through sustainment, nuclear security, and other activities. Chris represents Northrop Grumman with high-level international and U.S.-based customers, including U.S. government leaders in the departments of Energy, Defense, Homeland Security, and other federal agencies.

“Under his leadership, Technology Services delivers the most advanced training available to warfighters, preparing them for combat deployment. The sector also provides military base infrastructure support and security services around the globe.”

The letter goes on, but all the war-gamers out there will get the idea. Dr. Chris Jones’ performance has been so strong for so long that it’s no wonder he’s won selection as the 2016 Black Engineer of the Year. S WINTER 2016 I USBE&IT 17

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2016

GOING STRONG

BEYA Category Winners

Affirmative Action CHARLES WILLIAMS

Senior Small Business Specialist NASA Johnson Space Center

Career Achievement THOMAS P. BOSTICK

Commander/Chief of Engineers Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Community Service – Government

EDWARDO GILLISON

Multi-Function Engineer/Senior Manager Lockheed Martin

ANGELA HOLMES

Program Manager, Global Deployment Program Office Missile Defense Agency

LISA SMITH

Quality Systems Specialist, Flight Services The Boeing Company

KELCEY SHAW

Recruiting Specialist Sandia National Laboratories

Battalion Executive Officer U.S. Army Corps of Engineer, 249th Engineer Battalion

AFRACHANNA BUTLER

President’s Award

KEN HOLLEY

Research Physical Scientist U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center

KIM I. MCCALLA

Senior Technology Fellow GOING years

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STRONG QUYNHGIAO LE

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Technical Fellow The Boeing Company

DENNIS WILLIAMS Technical Fellow The Boeing Company

College – Level Promotion of Education YACOB ASTATKE

Interim Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies Morgan State University

RICHARD TAPIA

University Professor, Maxfield - Oshman Chair in Engineering Rice University

Community Service – Industry

Associate Vice President Morgan State University

Most Promising Engineer

MONIQUE SMITH

Student Leadership

Software Engineer Northrop Grumman Corporation

Mission Excellence Engineer Northrop Grumman Aerospace Sector

CHARLIE DEAN

Senior Multi-Disciplined Engineer Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems

ANDRE EVANS

Midshipman First Class United States Naval Academy

MALACHI NICHOLS

MICHAEL WILLIAMS, JR.

TUBA AKTARAN-KALAYCI

Director Advanced Analytics, Big Data AT&T

Lifetime Achievement

Student University of Arkansas

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

JOHN TRACY

Technical Sales and Marketing

Aviation Planner CH2M

Chief Technology Officer, Senior Vice President, Engineering, Operations & Technology The Boeing Company

Most Promising Engineer

BOB GOODE

Field Sales Support System Engineering Senior Staff Lockheed Martin

ANBESSIE YITBAREK

THIERRY SARR

JOHN JAMES III

Systems Engineer Sr. Staff General Dynamics - Mission Systems

Manager System Analysis and Support BGE, an Exelon Company

Regional Sales Director, NE Asia, Commercial Aviation Services The Boeing Company

TONESHA SMITH

RENEE REYNOLDS

Medical Leadership

TAMARA CRAWFORD

LARRY LAWS

Engineering Manager, SEA 21 Fleet Technical Naval Sea Systems Command

JEROME FORBES

Senior Systems Engineer II Raytheon

DELANTE MOORE

Operations Research Analyst United States Army

Outstanding Technical Contribution – Government ERNEST YELDER

Lead Cyber security Analyst Combat Direction Systems Activity, Dam Neck Naval Sea Systems Command

JONAS WHITE

Project Manager U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

SONYA WATERS

Chair, Medical Executive Committee U.S. Naval Hospital ROTA/ U.S. Navy

KANTI FORD

HENRY SERIGHT

CATHERINE THOMAS

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

Most Promising Scientist FREDERICK GREGORY

Biologist/Program Manager, Neurophysiology U.S. Army Research Laboratory

Program Manager Corning Inc.

CARLO KOSIK-WILLIAMS

JARRIEL COOK

Scientist of the Year

Section Supervisor, Wireless Access Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab

JEFFERY TATE

Senior Investigator

JEFFREY CHAVIS

Assistant Group Supervisor Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab www.blackengineer.com

Director, Test Policy & Controls Missile Defense Agency

Most Promising Engineer or Scientist – Government

SHAWANNA PHILLIPS

Professional Achievement

ALEX RICHARDS

ERICA MCCLAIN

Research Leadership

Engineering Fellow Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems

Advanced Technical Leadership Program Lockheed Martin

Department Head, Adult Medicine Care Clinic U.S. Navy

Outstanding Technical Contribution – Industry Executive Director of Technology and Service Management AT&T

Embedded Software Engineer Senior Lockheed Martin

MALLIKARJUNA RAO

Chief Engineer for Secure Enterprise Services The MITRE Corporation

Ground Test - Acting DTGH Technical Lead Missile Defense Agency Ground Test Mission Director Missile Defense Agency

DERRICK CHESTON

Chief, Systems Engineering & Architecture Division NASA

CONRAD JAMES

Principal Research Scientist Sandia National Laboratories

ALLEN COMPITO

General Manager, Electronics and Sensors Division The Aerospace Corporation

DAVID CADE

Vice President, Contracting and Risk Management The Boeing Company

MARK BRAXTON

Construction Project Manager United States Coast Guard

YUANWEI JIN

Associate Professor University of Maryland Eastern Shore

KRISTAL J. FEARS

Manufacturing Engineer Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

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GOING STRONG Affirmative Action

Charles Williams GOING STRONG

Senior Small Business Specialist NASA Johnson Space Center

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As the NASA Johnson Space Center lead small business specialist, Charles Williams has had a tremendous impact on the small business program. He has been instrumental in developing methods and policies that promote small and minority-owned businesses participation in Johnson Space Center (JSC) contracting. Since he came to NASA in 2006, the number of small businesses has grown by about 20 percent. The number of minorityowned businesses doing business with Johnson Space Center is now 72 and counting. They include businesses run by women, Hispanics, African Americans, Asians, Alaskan natives, veterans, and service-disabled veterans. In 2010 Williams led the way in setting aside about 50 percent of the recovery funds that JSC received for small businesses, equating to more than $30 million of work that minority firms performed for JSC. Williams has organized the local Small Business Council and the Prime Contractor Roundtable. Although these groups are not specifically targeted at minority businesses, they have been positively affected by the establishment of them.

Williams began his career at JSC as a small business specialist and has been promoted to lead for the JSC Small Business Program and Industry Assistance Office. While at JSC, he has helped it go from a “Marginal” rating from the Small Business Administration to a “Highly Satisfactory” rating — missing the Highest rating of “Outstanding” rating by a mere point.

Career Achievement

Thomas P. Bostick Commander/Engineers Lieutenant General (LTG) Headquarters, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Lieutenant General Thomas P. Bostick is currently the U.S. Army’s 53rd Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). He is responsible for a $25 billion program with more than 33,000 civilian employees and 700 military personnel. USACE provides project management, engineering and construction expertise research and development support in the U.S. and more than 110 countries. LTG Bostick led the $5 billion response and recovery effort for Hurricane Sandy. LTG Bostick served as the U.S. Army Deputy Chief of Staff for Personnel, responsible for policies supporting 1 million Active and Reserve Soldiers and 300,000 civilian employees. After the Army failed its recruiting mission in 2005, he was sent to command US Army Recruiting Command (USAREC). He remained at USAREC for four successful years, started many initiatives, and was part of the team that developed the recruiting slogan “Army Strong.” He served in the National Military Command Center, in the Pentagon, during 9-11 coordinating with the White House and Combatant Commands. In Iraq, he led the contracting of $11 billion of reconstruction projects. He served as an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the United States Military Academy and was a White House Fellow serving as a special assistant to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. LTG Bostick is a 1978 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy. He holds Master of Science degrees in both Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, and he is a licensed professional engineer. LTG Bostick provided the 2014 Commencement remarks at Tuskegee University and received an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree. On behalf of the White House Fellows Foundation, Gen. Powell recently presented LTG Bostick with the 2015 John Gardner Legacy of Leadership Award.

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The first Black Engineer of the Year Awards was held February 1987 at the Baltimore Convention Center with an audience of about 100 people.

www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG Community Service – Government

Ken Holley Recruiting Specialist Sandia National Laboratories

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Kenneth Holley is a staffing and recruiting specialist with Sandia National Laboratories and a contractor for the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration.

In keeping with Sandia’s vision to be the nation’s premier science and engineering laboratory for national security and innovation, Holley has worked to recruit the best and the brightest.

He started the Historically Black Colleges and Universities program to attract black students to Sandia. He visited federally funded laboratories to learn what they were doing to recruit and retain diverse science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) students. During this time, Holley became the leader of Sandia’s Black Outreach Committee. Holley later became head of the Science and Technology Alliance educational outreach program. Three national laboratories, three minority universities, and the University of Turabo participated. In addition, he has done community service with organizations such as Big Brothers Big Sisters, March of Dimes, and the National Society of Black Engineers Jr. Holley also created a mentoring and internship program.

Holley earned a bachelor’s degree from Winston Salem State University. He has a Master’s from Oral Roberts University and is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He joined Sandia in 1985 following positions with the U.S. Department of Labor, Southwestern Bell Telephone, and Dow Chemical.

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Community Service – Government

Afrachanna Butler Research Physical Scientist U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center

Dr. Afrachanna Butler is an expert on the use of grass to help reduce the migration of explosives and heavy metals from military ranges—bringing the Army closer to its goal of sustainable operations. Dr. Butler also shares what she learns with others pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). She provides training to local college students, and she is regarded as a superb mentor. Dr. Butler’s communication skills make her an approachable role model and leader. She seizes every chance to give back to the community.

Dr. Butler works with high school students in the Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science program at the Engineer Research and Development Center, giving them real-world projects to work on while guiding them through the scientific process of discovery and reporting. Dr. Butler has also served on four graduate degree committees and is an adjunct faculty member at Montclair State, Alcorn State, and Jackson State universities. This year, she spoke at the JSU Career Day “UNITE” camp for underrepresented and underserved groups in in STEM. She also participated as the keynote speaker for the Honors and Awards Day Program at Hinds Community College, Utica Campus. Dr. Butler received a Department of of the Army Achievement Medal for Civilian Service for her leadership and dedication to community outreach efforts supporting students interested in STEM.

www.blackengineer.com

Sixteen people were honored for their significant achievements at the first BEYA Gala, including college presidents, NASA researchers, architects, military engineers, corporate directors and other participants in the STEM industry.

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The 1987 BEYA Gala ceremony ran for 3 hours. years

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Community Service – Industry

Charlie Dean Senior Multi-Disciplined Engineer Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems

Community Service – Industry

Monique Smith Mission Excellence Engineer Northrop Grumman Aerospace Sector

Monique Smith has thirty years of professional engineering experience, with twenty of those at Northrop Grumman. She is a firm believer in the importance of community service. Her ability to make complex ideas accessible helps her kindle a love for science in students. Smith has taken part in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) educational programs for years. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Rolling Hills Palos Verde, and chairperson for their Science, Engineering and Everyday Experiences, an informal science education project funded by Delta Sigma Theta’s Foundation. The SEE program is a series of workshops with African-American role models in STEM disciplines. The initiative helps parents and caregivers of African-American elementary and middle school age children (K-8) develop effective ways to support children’s informal science and math learning experiences. Smith is also assistance chair for a school committee that helps prepare students to compete using Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM). She also assists in a mentoring program with the Harbor Area Link’s at Jordan and Millikan High Schools in Long Beach, California. Smith earned her bachelor’s in Industrial Technology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obspo.

www.blackengineer.com

Charles Dean is the primary reliability engineer for a major program at Raytheon. He also has an outstanding record of volunteering through the company’s multi-tier MathMovesU program.

MathMovesU aims to inspire an interest in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education from elementary school through college. Dean has led events at Southern A&M and Prairie View universities and Bowman Middle School for several years, helping 400 students engage in STEM activities. He has also led STEM events with the Jack & Jill of America and Boys & Girls Club chapters in the North Texas area.

“Raytheon’s MathMovesU program has allowed me to show how math and science can be fun to middle and high school students,” Dean said. “I’ve been fortunate to lead more than 50 STEM initiatives in the community and at national conferences.” Through the support of Raytheon employee resource groups, Dean has used the MathMovesU platform to capture diverse students at younger ages “so STEM classrooms will become a more balanced demographic,” he explains. To that end, Dean has worked as chair of the Black History Program, community outreach lead, and Raytheon Black Employees Network (RAYBEN) North Texas vice-chair.

Currently, he serves as RAYBEN South finance director and campus manager for Southern University and A&M College.

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John Tracy Chief Technology Officer, Senior Vice President, Engineering, Operations & Technology The Boeing Company

John Tracy joined the aerospace industry after serving as a high school science teacher in Los Angeles. Over his long career, he has provided leadership in service to America.

He has authored 35 publications in mechanics, launch vehicle structures, GOING STRONG and aging aircraft. In addition to serving on Boeing’s Executive Council, he provides strategic direction to functions and business organizations comprising 100,000 employees. Tracy has served as engineering manager for Boeing Military Aircraft and Missiles, structures technology director for Southern California Phantom Works, and vice president of Engineering & Mission Assurance for Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. Tracy received a Ph.D. in Engineering (1987) from University of California-Irvine and a Master’s and a bachelor’s in physics from California State University-Los Angeles (1981) and California State University-Dominguez Hills (1976). Dr. Tracy is a Member of the National Academy of Engineering and is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and the Royal Aeronautical Society. He is also a Fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and past chair of ASME’s 6,000-member Aerospace Division. He was named to the HENAAC Hall of Fame in 2009 and presented the Renaissance Engineer Award from the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers in 2014. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees for the Illinois Institute of Technology and the engineering advisory board for leading universities.

Most Promising Engineer

Larry Laws Manager System Analysis and Support BGE, an Exelon Company

Larry Laws began his career in the power industry after completing his five-year enlistment in the Army as a special electronics devices repairman. He joined Northrop Grumman Corp. as a technical representative in the Field Engineering Services division. This position allowed him to work with electrical engineers on nuclear power control systems on submarines and Navy aircraft carriers. In 1998 Laws designed power measurement solutions for manufacturing and utility companies. Currently, he manages 11 engineers and technical specialists in the Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) Transmission and Substation Engineering department. This team is responsible for compliance activities related to critical infrastructure protection and electric distribution and transmission circuit event analysis. As a supervisor of relay and control for BGE, he has been involved in recruiting technicians.

Laws used this opportunity to reach out to students underrepresented in the field to inform them about career opportunities in engineering. Laws earned his bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Capital College. He is currently working on a Master’s in Business Administration from Loyola University.

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www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG Most Promising Engineer

Renee Reynolds Engineering Manager, SEA 21 Fleet Technical Naval Sea Systems Command GOING

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Renee Reynolds attended Hampton University after receiving Naval Reserve STRONG GOING STRONG Training Officer Corps (NROTC) and Hampton University Presidential Honors scholarships. She joined the Navy’s surface warfare community after earning her bachelor’s degree in computer science, and completed her sea tour on the USS Nashville. Reynolds was the first female officer assigned to the USS Nashville. After earning her Surface Warfare Officer qualification, she completed the Navy’s nuclear power pipeline and served as a nuclear trained officer on the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. Reynolds worked for several government contractors after her Naval service, helping to develop technical and engineering solutions for the Department of Homeland Security and Department of the Navy. During this time she received a master’s in engineering management from Old Dominion University and a certificate as a Project Management Professional(PMP). She entered civil service in 2012 at the Naval Sea Systems Command and works as junior engineer in the Surface Ship Readiness Program’s technical group. She is also pursuing her Ph.D. in Business Management from Capella University. Reynolds is active in advocacy efforts for veterans in transition to civilian life and participates in mentoring activities to expose young girls to career options in engineering fields. She also serves as an ambassador for the March of Dimes.

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Most Promising Engineer

Jerome Forbes Senior Systems Engineer II Raytheon

Jerome Forbes’s accomplishments span coding, testing, integration, and support to a rapid response team that fielded a radar system in an unprecedented 18 months.

The system provides base protection warning of incoming ballistic rounds and is recognized by U.S. troops deployed in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iraq. Over a period of 14 months, Forbes led a team of field engineers in Afghanistan, ensuring the systems were maintained and mission capable for the Armed Forces. In 2014 he was selected for the Raytheon Advanced Study Program, which provides full tuition and half of his salary while pursuing a graduate degree and working part time. Forbes is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, with a concentration on high speed, low power digital circuit design with applications to advanced radar and communication systems. He is also completing a second Master’s degree in Systems Engineering. Early in his career, he was selected for a competitive twoyear engineering rotation program. After successful completion, Forbes was assigned to the Medium Range Electro-Optic Moving Target Indicator Program as a senior field-programmable gate arrays designer, with skills in hardware description languages used in electronic design automation to describe digital and integrated circuits. Forbes developed algorithms for image processing and communications applications. In 2012 Forbes was selected by his peers as “Senior Engineer with Honors.

www.blackengineer.com

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Outstanding Technical Contribution - Government

Ernest Yelder Lead Cyber Security Analyst Combat Direction Systems Activity, Dam Neck Naval Sea Systems Command

Most Promising Engineer

DeLante Moore Operations Research Analyst United States Army

Major DeLante Moore is an exemplary officer. As an operations analyst at the U.S. Military Academy, he conducts research in cyber security and geospatially enabled situation awareness for ground forces. In addition to his teaching duties, Maj. Moore has completed three peer-reviewed publications, including a chapter in a textbook — a significant achievement for a first-year faculty. He is also a tireless volunteer.

Moore gave extracurricular math classes to 25 high school students, who are all now in four-year colleges or the military. He has served as a judge for robotics competitions that give high school students real-world engineering experience. He has also mentored young people through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, spoken to high school students about opportunities at the U.S. Military Academy, and developed a program through the use of the VEX Robotics Design System platform that he has presented in Detroit, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Antonio, Chicago, and New York.

The major is a shining beacon for young minority officers and students at the college and high school levels. He mentors current cadets on the importance of academic excellence and, since his arrival at West Point, has hosted hundreds of students at West Point’s campus for several day-long workshops about career opportunities spanning science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).

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Ernest Yelder is a cyber security expert in support of Department of the Navy and U.S. Department of Defense customers. He provides leadership in engineering, test analysis, design, prototyping, integration, and fielding of secure Tactical Naval Systems. Yelder has produced a roadmap illustrating a lifecycle plan for the Total Ship Computing Environment and Littoral Combat Ship Program. He was selected as the critical lead for the Program Executive Office Littoral Combat Ship Program.

A tireless advocate, he has recommended and endorsed his workforce for Department of Defense, Naval Sea Systems Command, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren Division, and Combat Direction Systems Activity awards. Yelder excels as a mentor for Maritime & Joint Systems Integration & Interoperability Department technical efforts to 40 government employees and contractors. He actively monitors and directs training, professional development, and promotion. Recognized across Warfare Centers for his cybersecurity expertise, Yelder was recently designated the Systems Engineering Trusted Agent for Naval Sea Systems Command by the Cybersecurity Technical Warrant.

www.blackengineer.com

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States with the most Black Engineers of the Year

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The top three employers with the most BEYA winners at Black Engineer of the Year: Lockheed Martin Corporation, The Boeing Company, and Booz Allen Hamilton

Outstanding Technical Contribution – Industry

Shawanna Phillips Executive Director of Technology and Service Management AT&T

Shawanna (Shay) Phillips supports AT&T Partner Exchange, which opens up new opportunities for AT&T. Her team of more than 100 professionals delivers innovation, implementation, billing, and maintenance of services sold to solution providers for revenue. Phillips plays an important role focusing on the needs of AT&T Partner Exchange’s nearly 400 solution providers. She is responsible for developing the strategy for the operations team’s support of the AT&T Partner Exchange program. Phillips also identifies opportunities to reduce expenses while heightening customer support.

The training of solution providers on operational aspects of the program are her concern as well. Phillips got her start at AT&T as a service representative. Her knack for hard work, problem solving, and inventive thinking allowed her to quickly advance up the career ladder.

She has a reputation for solving complex problems in new and innovative ways. Phillips earned her bachelor’s degree in business and marketing management from DePaul University. www.blackengineer.com

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GOING STRONG Professional Achievement

Jeffrey Chavis GOING STRONG

Assistant Group Supervisor Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab

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With the increasing number of cyberspace intrusions in the United States, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) set up multiple programs to address the problem. While supporting a program at DHS, Jeffrey Chavis developed and built a technology framework for leveraging machine learning techniques to discover threats. These techniques reduce the time needed to discover cyber threats from minutes to seconds. DHS is now transitioning this technology into operational use to provide cyber defense for more than 130 government departments and federal agencies. Beyond his professional responsibilities, Chavis volunteers with Maryland MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement) to develop the next generation of professionals in science, technology, engineering, and math. In 2012 Chavis led the creation of a cybercentric MESA Challenge focused on cyber operations. Through Chavis’ efforts, this challenge has been offered annually, equipping 1,400+ students with an awareness of cybersecurity as a career option.

Professional Achievement

Edwardo Gillison Multi-Function Engineer/Senior Manager Lockheed Martin

Sandy Samuel, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Commercial Flight Training, says the organization is in a much better place because of Edwardo Gillison’s hard work. Lockheed Martin Commercial Flight Training offers training products and services, including flight simulators. The company also provides training services through its international commercial aviation training centers based in São Paulo, Brazil, and Incheon, South Korea.

Lockheed Martin acquired this business from Sim-Industries in 2011 and is in the process of fully integrating its people and processes into Lockheed Martin. As part of the integration, Lockheed Martin sent Gillison and a mission systems and training team to lead this complex change. Gillison’s accomplishments on this project include establishing metrics for the program, allowing them to measure progress against plans, and single-handedly hiring and training seven managers from a field of 40+ candidates. Gillison acted as engineering site manager responsible for 160 engineers supporting Lockheed Martin Commercial Flight Training.

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www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG Professional Achievement

Angela Holmes Program Manager, Global Deployment Program Office Missile Defense Agency

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With over 24 years of distinguished public service, Colonel Angela Holmes has expertly managed efforts for various critical organizations. Since assuming command of the Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA) Global Deployment Program Office 18 months ago, Col. Holmes’ team has successfully delivered a number of significant capabilities to the warfighter. Most recently, she was assigned oversight of the planning for deployment of the Long Range Discriminating Radar capability in Alaska, adding to her already impressive portfolio. She led her team in achieving the Office of the Secretary of Defense mandated forward deployment of a critical search and track radar capability to the Kyogamisaki Communications Site, Japan.

This complex deployment required close coordination between the U.S. Department of Defense, State Department, the Japan Minister of Defense, and the local community and fulfilled the accord between our two governments to expand ballistic missile capabilities in Japan. She is currently leading the first ever deployment of the Aegis Ashore Missile Defense Weapon System to Romania while managing follow-on efforts to Poland. An additional mandate to fulfill the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act requirement to conduct an Environmental Impact Study for the Continental United States Interceptor Site continues.

Col. Holmes manages these diverse efforts while adhering to the most stringent deadlines, overseeing the deployment and integration of Ballistic Missile Defense Systems around the world, coordinating with host nations, and providing vital integration of efforts with MDA, the U.S. State Department, the Department of Defense, military services and global geographic combatant commands.

President’s Award

Kim I. McCalla Associate Vice President, Facilities, Design and Construction Morgan State University

Morgan State University’s (MSU) award-winning Center for Built Environment and Infrastructure Studies is a highlight of Kim McCalla’s remarkable career. The $70 million campus facility, which houses MSU’s School of Architecture and Planning and the departments of civil engineering and transportation studies, has won numerous national and internal awards. The facility came in at number 15 on the top 50 list of the Most Impressive Environmentally Friendly University Buildings in the world. Another architectural construction McCalla has overseen is the $80 million Morgan Business Center, home of the Earl Graves School of Business and Management.

The facility is equipped with laboratories, classrooms and a Wall Streetstyle trading floor. Currently, she is overseeing design and construction of additional facilities on campus due for groundbreaking 2016/17. Prior to joining MSU, McCalla managed high-profile projects for the Maryland Stadium Authority. Some of these projects included landmarks such as the Baltimore Convention Center, the Oriole Park at Camden Yards Warehouse, and Towson University Jonny Unitas Football Stadium and Baseball Stadium. McCalla also serves her community extraordinarily well as a board member of the National Aquarium in Baltimore and the MESA (Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Advisory) Board. www.blackengineer.com

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Photo by Kevin Coles

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The first BEYA Job Fair was held at the campus of Morgan State University. Today, BEYA is sponsored by all 15 of the historically Black college and university (HBCU) accredited Engineering Schools, which turn out 33 percent of Black engineering graduates.

Professional Achievement

Kelcey Shaw Battalion Executive Officer U.S. Army Corps of Engineer, 249th Engineer Battalion

Major Kelcey Shaw is second in command of the U.S. Army’s only battalion responsible for electrical expertise and providing high- and medium-voltage power for global contingency operations. The 249th Engineer Battalion, based at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, provides emergency power for the Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency during disaster response and recovery. Following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Shaw led an airborne platoon that was later deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. It was his first assignment. Shaw has received several honors, including the Bronze Star and Army Meritorious Service Medal. He earned his commission in 2001 through the Army ROTC at Tuskegee University, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering. He holds a Master’s in Engineering Management from the Missouri University of Science and Technology and a Master’s degree in Military Operational Art and Science from the Air Command and Staff College. He is a licensed Professional Engineer and Certified Project Management Professional.

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www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG Student Leadership

Andre Evans Midshipman First Class United States Naval Academy

Midshipman Andre Evans has distinguished himself with a 3.25 GPA in a rigorous major: naval architecture. Recently, he was selected as the 2015 Harry S. Truman Scholar, a national award given to individuals committed to careers in government, nonprofit, or advocacy sectors. Midshipman Evans’s efforts have also led to internships at DARPA, the Air Force Institute of Technology, and MIT. Evans is an inspiration and has utilized this attribute as the Midshipman Black Studies Club president, an extracurricular club focused on community. In addition to his work in the Naval Academy and community, Midshipman Evans served as the keynote speaker on youth violence at a Superior Court of D.C. luncheon. Speaking to more than 100 judges and court managers, he highlighted the epidemic of violence in underresourced communities. Evans speaks from experience. At the age of 12, he joined a gang originally formed on the south side of Chicago in the 1960s. Evans has held numerous leadership positions within the Naval Academy Brigade of Midshipmen, including Plebe Summer Regimental Commander. In this capacity, he was responsible for the performance, training, safety, wellbeing, and efficiency of the Plebe Summer Regiment.

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Student Leadership

Malachi Nichols Student University of Arkansas

Malachi Nichols earned his bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering and African & African American Studies from the University of Arkansas (UA) in 2015. Currently, he is a Ph.D. candidate in Education Policy and has earned a reputation as a leader at UA. Most notably, he served as president of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ student chapter. Membership increased under his leadership and gave fellow engineers the opportunity to interact with professionals from NASA, the Koch Industries, and Wal-Mart. He was also involved with the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, the National Society of Black Engineers, and American Indian Science and Engineering Society. Nichols participated in the creation of UA’s Engineering Student Council and the Black Male Initiative. The ESC connects engineering students with faculty, staff, and student organizations to discuss ways to improve the university. The goal of BMI is to attract and retain black males in UA’s College of Engineering. Nichols has served as a robotics teacher and director’s assistant while working at the Prism Education Center. He created and taught a robotics program and coached the robotics team to a ninth place finish in the 2013 Arkansas First Lego League State Tournament.

www.blackengineer.com

The BEYA Gala ceremony was first televised in 1990.

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GOING STRONG Technical Sales and Marketing

Bob Goode Field Sales Support System Engineering GOING Senior Staff years

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Lockheed Martin

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When the Republic of Korea concluded its F-X III fighter acquisition program for 40 F-35A jets with the signing between the United States and South Korean governments in September 2014, success had a lot to do with Robert Goode’s technical sales and marketing approach. Michael Parker, chairman, Lockheed Martin Leadership Association, is a big fan. “Effective, direct, and respectful messaging is the hallmark of Bob’s approach to customer service.

This is easily evident in the superb results he achieved in leading the Sustainment efforts for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter campaign for the Republic of Korea. His energy and enthusiasm empowered his team and directly contributed to the successful pursuit of this business for one of our country’s most valued allies,” Parker explains. The fortyaircraft, $6.2 billion sale awarded to Lockheed Martin in 2014 is part of the $400 billion F-35 Joint Strike fighter program. Goode joined the Joint Strike fighter program in 2003 and has worked on the Improvements and Derivatives Advanced Development Program since 2011. His primary responsibilities include customer interfaces for the Korea F-35 program, including responsibility for the creation and submission of the logistics and training volumes for the Sustainment Technical Lead for the Corporate Focused Korea F-35 Program Request for Proposal campaign.

Technical Sales and Marketing

Anbessie Yitbarek Regional Sales Director, NE Asia, Commercial Aviation Services The Boeing Company

Anbessie Yitbarek led the development of an application that uses fleet performance data and predictive analysis technology to optimize maintenance scheduling, resulting in enhanced safety and significant cost savings for airlines. The Optimized Maintenance Program, which analyzes millions of pieces of airline data to provide a recommended preventative maintenance schedule, resulted in one Boeing patent, a Boeing trade secret, and a Boeing product marketed all over the world. As a child in Ethiopia, Yitbarek repaired broken household items and made his own toys. Later, during his studies in Addis Ababa, he was considering a career in power grid development when an internship with Ethiopian Airlines kicked off his lifelong love of aviation.

Yitbarek is now regional director for Boeing Commercial Aviation Services (CAS) Sales, responsible for customers in Northeast Asia. His job requires knowledge of airplane systems and efficient fleet management and operations.

It also requires the ability to do business and negotiate in a global environment and communicate effectively across languages and cultures. Commercial Aviation Services supports the commercial airplanes that Boeing sells from delivery through decades of service. Yitbarek says, “Once the airplane is sold, my team takes care of everything for the rest of its life.”

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www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG College-Level Promotion of Education

Yacob Astatke Interim Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies GOING School of EngineeringSTRONG Morgan State University

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Dr. Yacob Astatke has spent much of his career teaching and mentoring. Colleagues speak highly of his willingness to be of service. His achievements include securing grants for Morgan State University’s Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) department from the Maryland Higher Education Commission. Thanks to his efforts, his department is the first in Maryland to offer a completely online ECE curriculum. Astatke is the founder and director of Foundations of Mathematics summer program. The five-week online math course for pre-freshmen students helps incoming engineering students improve their math skills prior to taking placement exams. FOM has improved the retention and graduation rates of engineering students. Astatke also conducts a summer program for middle and high school students. The Science You Can See program is a four-week summer program that exposes students to STEM-related concepts. These concepts include building electronics circuits, smart energy houses, and programming robots and unmanned aerial vehicles. For the past three years, Astatke has worked to improve education for Ethiopian engineering students. He secured a grant that enabled him to donate 20 laptops and 200 mobile studio boards to ten universities in Ethiopia. The donations have improved the education of more than 5,000 ECE students in Ethiopia. Astatke received his doctorate and B.S.E.E. degrees from Morgan State University. He received his M.S.E.E. from Johns Hopkins University.

College-Level Promotion of Education

Dr. Richard Tapia University Professor, Maxfield-Oshman Chair in Engineering, Computational and Applied Mathematics Department Rice University

Dr. Richard Tapia’s career spans 45 years, and he is known for his research on computational optimization. Tapia is also a strong proponent for women and minorities in the sciences. He has used his position and influence to attract students who might not consider those fields otherwise. Because of his efforts, Rice University is a leader in producing women and minority Ph.D.s in math. As a founding member of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science, Dr. Tapia developed methods to connect with inner-city students and teachers.

One such method was the Math Is Cool presentation. The presentation helped spark an interest in science and math careers. In 2014 Dr. Tapia received the Vannevar Bush Award for his leadership, inspiration, and advocacy to increase opportunities for minorities in science. He was awarded the National Medal of Science in 2010, which is the highest honor bestowed upon scientists and engineers by the U.S. government. He also received a Distinguished Public Service Award from the American Mathematical Society. Tapia received his bachelor’s, Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in mathematics from the University of California. www.blackengineer.com

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Special Recognition Winners GOING

Thierry Sarr

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Aviation Planner CH2M

Thierry Sarr is an aviation planner with CH2M who has been involved in several major, high profile, multi-billion dollar airport capacity enhancement programs. He was born and raised in Senegal and later transferred to the United States, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in aviation management from Florida Institute of Technology. No matter where he is, Sarr takes the time to help others. His contributions include activities such as serving as the Chicago team coordinator for the CH2M-Inroads College Links strategic partnership. This allows him to play an important role in the CH2M grant funding process and program activities. He also coordinated a site tour to promote STEM careers at the Chicago O’Hare International Airport. In addition, he has contributed to STEM career panels, helped raise funds for a students’ National Day of Service project, and addressed middle and high school students about the importance of STEM education and opportunities in aviation. While in Senegal, Sarr participated in the Community Action Service program. His school partnered with one of the Save Our Souls (SOS) orphan villages in Dakar. Each week, he and his classmates would mentor primary and middle school students. Sarr is dedicated to giving back to the community.

John James III Systems Engineer Sr. Staff General Dynamics – Mission Systems

“Solving Magnetospheric Acceleration, Reconnection, and Turbulence,” or SMART, is the name of the NASA Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission investigation. The science mission investigates how the sun’s and Earth’s magnetic fields connect and disconnect, transferring energy in a process that is important at the sun, other planets, and everywhere in the universe, known as magnetic reconnection. The unmanned space mission, which was launched in March 2015, is studying Earth’s magnetosphere using four identical spacecraft flying in a tetrahedral formation. SMART is being carried out by a team consisting of researchers from a number of global institutions. One of them is General Dynamics (GD) Mission Systems. John James, who leads the GD-Mission Systems team, managed the pre-launch Ground Readiness Test program from initial plan development through preparation for launch. During the post-launch phase, he demonstrated his savvy by ensuring that the diverse government and contractor organizations worked together as a team. James’s leadership and extensive contributions to the MMS mission will help further understanding of physics in our solar system.

www.blackengineer.com

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GOING STRONG Tonesha Smith Embedded Software Engineer Senior Lockheed Martin

GOING

years

During her undergraduate years, Tonesha Smith served her community as part of the STRONG GOING STRONG Computer Science Club, the National Society of Black Engineers, Delta Sigma Theta sorority, and Tau Beta Sigma sorority. Joining Lockheed Martin, Information System & Global Solutions, in San Diego, CA, in 2008, she began working on the Future Combat System (FCS) program as a software engineer. Smith has held various engineering leadership positions at Lockheed. But no matter what the job entails, she finds time for service. One of her favorite activities was leading NSBE’s Pre-College Initiative Annual College Prep Day event held at the Lockheed Martin facility. Under her leadership, over 130 prospective students and their parents participated. As a recipient of the President’s Volunteer Community Service Bronze Award and a five-time Lockheed Martin Volunteer Award winner, Tonesha has proved her passion to inspire youth and the next generation to become engineers and major in STEM subjects. She is on the executive board of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), a member of Lockheed Martin African American Leadership Forum, Lockheed Martin Ambassador for Engineers in the Classroom, and a member of the Network of Volunteer Associates group.

GOING STRONG

Tamara Crawford

Erica McClain

Advanced Technical Leadership Program Senior Lockheed Martin

Ground Test – Acting DTGH Technical Lead Missile Defense Agency

Tamara Crawford decided to pursue a career in engineering at the age of 13. Her dream became a reality in 2003 when she became a member of Lockheed Martin Aeronautics. Crawford is currently concerned with the dismantling of the F-22, which has reached the end of production. It is her job to make sure the tools and systems used to build the aircraft are not discarded. The dismantling and storage process must be executed flawlessly, with every part and parcel identified and stored for easy retrieval. The work performed by Crawford on the F-22 Production Shutdown Execution will be used as a blueprint for other platforms and members of the industry. Crawford began on the F-35 Program working in Prognostics & Health Management. She was the only American on the team, the only woman, the only person of color, and the youngest member of the team. Her exceptional performance resulted in an invite to become a permanent member.

Crawford enjoys breaking new ground and plans to continue doing so with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics.

As ground test mission director/system mission manager at the Missile Defense Agency, Erica McClain executes her duties flawlessly, showing promise for higher levels of responsibility. She currently serves as the mission director for an International Hardware in the Loop ground test event. The mission director is the senior leader for all phases of the ground test and serves as the interface to the Missile Defense Agency executive leadership for guidance and critical decisions. She is responsible for planning; requirements; and integration, execution, and analysis tasks for the test event. The mission director is also responsible for test event schedule, budget, and test tailoring decisions.

McClain also leads the development of interoperability for various software baselines and configurations in test events to meet Missile Defense Agency priorities to include European Phase Adaptive Approach and Ground Base Interceptors fielding.

40 USBE&IT | WINTER 2016

www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG Derrick Cheston Chief, Systems Engineering & Architecture Division NASA

Derrick Cheston oversees an organization responsible for engineering, system development, and the operation of spaceflight, aeronautics, and ground-based systems and vehicles. He has headed or contributed to engineering projects and experiments that have advanced National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) science and research, and NASA has applied the knowledge that Cheston and his teams have contributed to the delivery of flight and ground systems that are safer and more reliable. Cheston has earned recognition for support of the United States space shuttle program; for the design, development, fabrication and successful launch of the Ares I-X Test Flight; and for establishing the NASA Engineering and Safety Center concept and implementing its principles in addressing the Ares I-X Upper Stage Simulator Critical Initial Flaw Size issue.

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years

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Conrad James Principal Research Scientist Sandia National Laboratories

Dr. Conrad James has published 28 articles in technical journals. These publications recount research in microfluidics, micromechanics, biosensors, and neurocomputing. Dr. James’ work addresses national security applications, environmental sensing, medical diagnostics, and advanced computing. He has served as principal investigator for several projects. Currently, he is leading an R&D effort to devise neural-inspired algorithms and computing hardware to automate and accelerate the analysis of data-intensive problems. The technical challenges addressed are so significant and the potential impact is so widespread that Sandia has recognized this effort as one of the grand challenges fostering innovation to solve key global health and development problems. As the project leader, Dr. James guides the work of 30 scientists and engineers and is responsible for a $15 million budget. Prior to this project, he led the effort to develop a medical diagnostic sensor that has the potential to identify a range of infectious and chronic diseases from a drop of blood. His particular contribution to this collaborative activity was to adapt micro fabrication technology typically used for the production of integrated circuits to the biochemical synthesis of peptide microarrays. Dr. James holds six U.S. patents in his field.

www.blackengineer.com

WINTER 2016 I USBE&IT 41

GOING STRONG Allen Compito General Manager, Electronics and Sensors Division The Aerospace Corporation

GOING STRONG

years

GOING STRONG

GOING STRONG

Allen Compito has made significant accomplishments in his 39-year-plus career, and his peers and colleagues have witnessed his talent and outstanding commitment. Thomas J. Chwalek, chief engineer national programs, says working side by side with Compito brought him some of his most memorable engineering moments. “Allen has a deep, burning desire to understand how all things work, not merely at the superficial level but down into the atomic levels of the components that make up the system,” Chwalek said.

“Allen is a man in search of the truth when trying to understand how things work and/or why things fail. Working side by side with Allen on failure analyses and system qualifications brought me some of my most memorable engineering moments.” As principal director, Reconnaissance Systems, National Systems Group, Compito provided leadership and technical expertise to a group tasked with delivering a new and vital space capability.

David Cade

Mark Braxton

Vice President, Contracting and Risk Management The Boeing Company

Construction Project Manager United States Coast Guard

David Cade was named Vice President of Contracts, Estimating and Procurement Financial Analysis for the Boeing Company’s Defense, Space & Security (BDS) business in November 2015. In this position, he will oversee 1,000 employees who propose and execute contracts with U.S. and foreign government and commercial customers.

He also will be responsible for driving improvements across the unit. Previously, he was vice president for procurement contracting and risk management for BDS’s Supplier Management, where he also served as deputy vice president of BDS’s Supplier Management. Cade has worked to recruit diverse professionals. He is executive champion for the Boeing Black Employees Association, St. Louis chapter, and serves on the board of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and the Gabriel Hargo Scholarship Committee (Ann Arbor, Michigan). Cade has received numerous awards, including a Boeing Finance Excellence Award, Value Integrator 2013, one of four Finance Excellence Awards companywide. External awards include the 2007 Wolverine Bar Association Member of the Year, National Bar Association Presidential Award (2006), WBA Margrette A. Taylor Distinguished Young Lawyer Award (2004), Detroit Metropolitan Bar Association Barrister of the Year Award (2004), and the National Bar Association Commercial Law Section Corporate Award (2002).

Mark Braxton was awarded an appointment to the Coast Guard Academy in 1994 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering. His performance earned him a scholarship to the University of Illinois.

While there, he earned his Master’s and was promoted to Lieutenant. In 1998 Braxton was assigned to a 378’ High Endurance Cutter home ported in Hawaii. Upon being designated as Engineer Officer in Training, he quickly earned watch-stander qualifications. As a Damage Control Assistant, Braxton was responsible for training the crew.

Heading Occupational Health Surveillance and Evaluation, he was responsible for the wellbeing of the 1,000 cadets and 600 faculty and staff members. LT Braxton was later promoted to base construction officer, where he managed a repair and maintenance budget of $4 million per year. He served as Sector Engineering Officer following graduation and was responsible for the execution of all engineering services for Coast Guard shore assets on the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Lieutenant Braxton also advises and mentors Coast Guard Academy cadets. He continues to be an asset to the Coast Guard.

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www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG Yuanwei Jin Associate Professor University of Maryland Eastern Shore

GOING

years

GOING STRONG

STRONG searches for student research GOING STRONG Dr. Yuanwei Jin is a dedicated educator. He continuously

opportunities in an effort to enrich their learning experiences. He does what he can to inspire students to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) educational paths and careers. He obtained a grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) so his students could conduct senior design projects in aging structural health monitoring. While participating in the NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, Dr. Jin mentored several students. Some of these students have gone on to graduate programs in engineering and computer sciences at Carnegie Mellon and the University of Illinois. Dr. Jin is also recognized for enhancing academic programs, one of which developed the University of Maryland Eastern Shore four-year engineering program for accreditation. Dr. Jin emphasizes the importance of multi-cultural diversity, collaboration, and partnerships. He believes college students of all races, with an emphasis on first-generation students, should have access to a high-quality education.

Kristal J. Fears Manufacturing Engineer Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

Kristal Fears is a talented engineer with extensive experience in the manufacturing engineering field. In 2011 she became a manufacturing product responsible at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. In that role, Fears led a team of managers and engineers in implementing Body Weld, Paint and Assembly line changes for the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango products, including a transmission flash system that saved $2 million annually. Her resultsdriven approach and creativity towards teamwork led to her promotion as the company’s first Global Manufacturing Product Responsible, orchestrating the industrialization of a new generation of C-SUV vehicles across continents and regions. Kristal is instrumental in the global change management process, overcoming regional and cultural differences while ensuring the $2 billion program remains in scope, within budget, and executed on time. Fears earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Tennessee State University.

She believes that supporting the communities where we live and work is essential; therefore she volunteers her time and resources to support corporate and public outreach organizations.

www.blackengineer.com

Tuba Aktaran-Kalayci Director of Advanced Analytics Big Data and Advanced Solutions Business AT&T

As the director of Big Data, Tuba Aktaran-Kalayci is a technical leader who works closely with a team of data experts. She leads a team of data scientists as they work with petabytes of network-generated data. Aktaran-Kalayci is responsible for overseeing mathematical modeling, statistics, and machine learning to help AT&T achieve its goal of becoming a leader in the Big Data arena. The work she is doing is among the first of its kind within AT&T and the industry. Since Big Data sets are so complex, traditional process applications are inadequate. Because of this, AktaranKalayci and her team work to solve client problems using Big Data and Advanced Solutions platforms and data assets. She has a Ph.D. in Operations Research, a minor in Mathematics, and a Master’s in Statistics from Georgia Institute of Technology.

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2016

GOING ST

2016 MODERN-DAY TECHNOLOGY LEADERS

GOING STRONG

I

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They are mapping out where the high-tech industry needs to go to “win” in dynamic and exciting ways. They are making their mark in Aerospace, Automotive, AI, Biotechnology, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology, Nanotechnology, Nuclear Physics, Photonics, Robotics, Semiconductors, Telecommunications, and much more.

They work in petroleum refineries, chemical manufacturing, pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, ordnance & accessories manufacturing, industrial machinery manufacturing, computer equipment manufacturing, audio and video equipment manufacturing, semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturing, on-line information services, data processing services, and more.

GOING STRONG

GOING STRONG

A Alonzo Prater

The Laboratory Manager The Aerospace Corporation

Don Walker

Research Scientist The Aerospace Corporation

Brianne Williams, Ph.D.

Engineering Specialist The Aerospace Corporation

Ejay Eze

Database Coordinator Aerotek

Roger Kwadzogah

Isaya Mutombo

Senior Engineer BGE, an Exelon Company

John Brito

Engineering Intern Black & Veatch Corporation

Maryam Austin-Rashid

Information Technology Project Manager The Boeing Company

Gwendolyn Doss

Senior Software Engineer – F-15 fighter Aircraft Program The Boeing Company

Sherman Dupre

Software Engineer Aerotek

Director of Finance, Weapons and Missiles Systems The Boeing Company

Bernie Boyer

April Gary

Vice President, Mobility Solutions Services AT&T

Manager, Commitment and Scheduling The Boeing Company

Lynnee Hopson

Virgil Griffin

Executive Director – Marketing Management AT&T

Director, Legislative Affairs The Boeing Company

Shaunita Middleton Software Developer AT&T

Sr. Manager, Information Technology Mergers, Acquisitions; Chief Architect The Boeing Company

Djimes Milor

Mercedius Jones

Sr. Specialist – Equipment Design Engineer AT&T

Electric and Electrical Engineer The Boeing Company

Phyllis Simmons

Joseph Massaquoi, Jr.

Application Sales Consultant II AT&T

Director, Corporate Development The Boeing Company

B

Walter Mencer III

Ferdinand Cardona-Cardona Senior Engineer BGE, an Exelon Company

Yibekal Essatu

General Engineer BGE, an Exelon Company www.blackengineer.com

MODERN-DAY TECHNOLOGY LEADERS

STRONG

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STRONG

n Black Engineer magazine’s Special Anniversary Issue, 30 Years, spring 2016, we list some of the best leaders in technology in the 21st century. These men and women are setting direction, building inspiring visions, and creating new things.

GOING

Anthony Hester

Industrial Engineer - Lean Global Production Systems The Boeing Company

Kevin Mixon

Program Manager – Hardware Development, EA-18G Airborne Electronic Attack The Boeing Company WINTER 2016 I USBE&IT 47

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GOING STRONG

years

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GOING STRONG

2016 MODERN-DAY TECHNOLOGY LEADERS

Lamont Redrick

Project Lead – Ground Systems Test Support The Boeing Company

Lisa Smith

Quality Systems Specialist, Flight Services The Boeing Company

Derrick Stanley

Systems Engineer – Teardown Lab The Boeing Company

Brent Stevenson

Network Architecture Specialist The Boeing Company

Christopher Watson

Systems Analyst, Scrum Master The Boeing Company

Melvin Williams

Industrial Engineering Manager The Boeing Company

Kelvin Williams

Christal Gordon

SETA Supporting DARPA Microsystems Technology Office Booz Allen Hamilton

Sheryl Jones Wes Lewis

Dunk Buie

Terrell Lewis

Justin Odom

Andre Lewis

Richard Wilson

Theresa Lynch

Haregewine Tadesse Woldegiworgis, Ph.D.

User Experience Design Lead Booz Allen Hamilton Senior End-user Computing Engineer Booz Allen Hamilton Organizational Efficiency and Process Management Booz Allen Hamilton Sr. Systems Engineer Booz Allen Hamilton

Ron Berry

Andre Simmons

Lead Associate Booz Allen Hamilton

Stephanie Brinkley

Cyber Threat Analyst – Technical Functional Leader (SDS II) Booz Allen Hamilton

Arnett Brown III

Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance (SETA) contractors supporting DARPA Booz Allen Hamilton

Stahle Butler

Cybersecurity Engineer Booz Allen Hamilton

Trina Cobb

Systems Developer Program Manager Booz Allen Hamilton

James Freeman

Senior Consultant, Emerging Technology Lead Booz Allen Hamilton

Charles Glover II

Lead Mobile Applications Program Manager Booz Allen Hamilton

48 USBE&IT | WINTER 2016

Ernest Yelder

Lead Cybersecurity Analyst Combat Direction Systems Activity, Dahlgren Division

Marcus McGee

ZeAmma Brathwaite

Associate Engineer CH2M

Information Services Shared Core Services Lead Booz Allen Hamilton

Electrical Power Systems Integration Team Lead The Boeing Company Chief Technologist Booz Allen Hamilton

Amini Mills

Software Engineer Booz Allen Hamilton Software Architect Booz Allen Hamilton

Camille Smith

Lead Mobile Applications Program Manager Booz Allen Hamilton

Donald Wells

Information Technology Director/ Principal Booz Allen Hamilton

Theodora Whitley

Senior End-user Computing Engineer Booz Allen Hamilton

Howard Wilson

Manager of Service Desk at NIH Office or Research Services Booz Allen Hamilton

Chicago Region Engineering Manager ComEd, An Exelon Company General Engineer ComEd, an Exelon Company Sr. Structuring Analyst Constellation Energy an Exelon Company

Senior Research Scientist Corning Incorporated

Adama Tandia, Ph.D. Research Associate Corning Incorporated

Ogunna Njoku

Senior Consultant Deloitte Consulting

Christina Martin

Electronics Engineer Department of Defense – Robins Air Force Base

Lisa Worrell

Assistant Program Manager for Systems Engineer Department of the Navy, Naval Air Systems Command

Geminia Hopkins

Supervisory Biomedical Engineer Department of Veterans Affairs Tennessee Valley Healthcare System

Ana Medina

C–D

Manager-Northwest Planning and Design DTE Energy

Erica Wildy, Ph.D.

E–G

Associate Professor California State University, East Bay

Muhammed Abdul-Shakoor

Rotational Director of Project and Strategy CH2M

Tewodros Mekuria

Los Angeles Office Transportation Business Group-Highway Section Operations Lead CH2M

Dana Bolton

IT Director, Utility Customer Systems Exelon Corporation

Mohamed Elkhair System Manager Exelon Generation

Christopher Hardy Engineer II Exelon Generation

www.blackengineer.com

GOING ST

2016 MODERN-DAY TECHNOLOGY LEADERS Feme Rabsatt

Manuel Barajas

Jeffery Arthur

Simon Bloor

Nicole Reid

Aaron Carson

Principle Transmission Specialist Exelon Generation IT Site Manager at Mack Engine Complex Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Engineering II General Dynamics Boat

Linwood Coleman

System Architect General Dynamics Corporation

Javier Lawrence

Director, Information Systems General Dynamics Corporation

Reginald Brown

Test Engineering Specialist General Dynamics Electric Boat

Kevin Harrilal

Senior System Engineer General Dynamics Electric Boat

Calvin Benjamin

Principal Systems Security Engineer General Dynamics Information Technology

Carolina Dill

Software Engineer Manager, Oracle Business Intelligence/ Enterprise Performance Management General Dynamics Information Technology

Willie Harrison

Principal Network Engineer General Dynamics Information Technology

Richard Johnson

Senior Principal Network Engineer General Dynamics Information Technology

Corey Ogletree

Principal Analyst Information Security General Dynamics Information Technology

Nee-Bonney Taylor

Sr. Test Engineer General Dynamics Mission Systems

VeRonica Mitchell

Senior Engineer, Vehicle Definition and Balance General Motors

Rashawndra Outlaw

Industrial Aerospace Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Industrial Engineer III Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Steven Hayes

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

David Hurst

Technical Specialist III Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Anna Kimura

IT Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Daniela Carvajal

Jose Lizarraga

Ocatvio Ceballos

Monica Londono

Nick (Nicholas) Chan

Kabinga Maini

Rodolfo Chavez

Larry Moltz

Eduardo Contreras

Jamie Montes

Miguel Coronado

Yuridia Nunez

Holly Darban

Israel Ojeda

Fernando Del Rayo

Abraham Perez

Alexander Duntz

Irina Polansky

Material & Process Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation NC Programmer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Technical Specialist Electrical Systems Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation IT Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Quality Assurance Lead Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Design Check Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Industrial Engineer III Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Quality Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Stress Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Victor Escarrega

IT Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Julio Franco

Manufacturing Planning Engineer Lead Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Aaron Gomez

Operations Specialist Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Cesar Ignacio Gomez Aramburo

Jeffery Peterson

Adela Gonzalez

www.blackengineer.com

STRONG

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Senior Design Release Engineer – Sensing & Diagnostic Module General Motors Company Engineering Group Manager General Motors

GOING

Quality Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Operations Lead Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Quality Assurance Lead Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Technical Specialist I – Flight Dynamics Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Lead Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Lead Engineer, Mechanical Design Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Industrial Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation IT Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Quality Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation NC Programmer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Ernesto Prince

Design Engineering Lead Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Vikram Ramamurthy

Change Management Technical Specialist Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Antonio Regalado

Operations Lead Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Juan Rico

Procurement Quality Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Jesus Rivera

NC Programmer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

WINTER 2016 I USBE&IT 49

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GOING STRONG

GOING STRONG

years

GOING STRONG

GOING STRONG

2016 MODERN-DAY TECHNOLOGY LEADERS

Juan Rodriguez

Technical Specialist II Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Carlos Roman

Operations Lead Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Francisco Roman Lizarraga

Quality Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Christian Rott

Mechanical Design Technical Specialist Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Francisco Ruiz

Lonnie Dixon

Mechanical Engineer Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding

John German

Manager, Engineering Huntington Ingalls Industries – Newport News Shipbuilding

Leander T Taylor

Manager, Quality Trends and Records Huntington Ingalls Industries, Ingalls Shipbuilding Division

Yasser Abduallah

Nicholas Duncan

Electronics Engineer Staff Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

Steven Forsack

Quality Assurance Engineer Sr. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

Jason Golf

Quality Assurance Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

Artis Johnson

Embedded Software Engineer Staff Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

Quality Control Leader Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Advisory Software Engineer Software Engineer and Business IBM Corporation

Paul Jones

Jorge Ruiz

Karl Casserly

Michelle McLearn

Zahaira Sanz

Angela Fatzinger

Briana Merkerson

Robert Taylor

Kimberly Greene-Starks

Whitley Poyser

Luisa Vazquez

Sherard Hall

Senior MRB Engineer Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Operations Lead Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Technical Specialist I Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation Manufacturing Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

Wesley Wigginton

Industrial Engineer III – Materials, Logistics & Control Support Services Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

H–K Michelle Johnson

Director, Product Line Management Harris Corporation

Marc Shelton

Long Term Evolution (LTE) Device Engineering Leader Harris Corporation

William Cherry

Engineer Electrical IV Huntington Ingalls Industries

Steve Moore

Electrical Engineering 2 Huntington Ingalls Industries

Marion Thomas

Electrical Engineer 4 Huntington Ingalls Industries

Christoher Ware

Electrical Engineer Huntington Ingalls Industries 52 USBE&IT | WINTER 2016

Senior Engineer IBM Corporation Senior Software Engineer IBM Corporation Corporate Technology Facilitator IBM Corporation Engineer System ASIC Design IBM Corporation

Michael Mitchell

Quality Assurance Engineer 3 Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Project Management & Planning Operations Rep Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Quality Assurance Engineer Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Engineering Leadership Development Program Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

Michael Slaughter

Embedded Software Engineer Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

Senior Software Engineer/ Team Leader IBM Corporation

Ermias Tafesse

Amir Matlock

Andrea Williams

Lanier Watkins, Ph.D.

Jessica Young

L

Rodney Brown

Test and Evaluation Engineer Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab Senior Cyber Research Scientist Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab

Edward Lule, Ph.D.

Senior Principal Systems Engineer L-3 Mission Integration (MI)

Pamela White

Systems Integration Engineer 5 L-3 Communications CompCept Division

Marvin Bell

Operations Engineer Staff Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

Kim Butler

Project Engineering Sr. Manager Lockheed Martin Aeronautics

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Field Sales Support System Engineer Senior Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Quality Assurance Engineer Sr. Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Reliability Engineer Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation

Richard Evans

Systems Engineer Senior Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation

Greg Ivey

Embedded S/W Engineer Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation

Carl Jackson

Multi-Function Engineering & Science Senior Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

www.blackengineer.com

GOING ST

2016 MODERN-DAY TECHNOLOGY LEADERS

GOING STRONG

Thomas Kay

Calvin Robinson

Marc Harris

Delafrance Mirtyle

Alicia Abrams

Madhavan Komanduri

Timothy Morgan

Danny Vereen

Ellwood Lane

Nicolaus Rhenwrick

Joy Allen

Ervin McWilson

Software Engineering Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation Software Engineer Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation Senior Member of Engineering Lockheed Martin Corporation Project Engineering Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation

Nana Tei

Materials Engineer Staff Lockheed Martin Corporation

Taurean Williams

Aeronautical Engineer Senior Lockheed Martin Corporation

Turhan Williams

Associate Program Manager Lockheed Martin Corporation

M–P

Computer Scientist NASA Deputy Chief, Spacecraft Division National Reconnaissance Office Electronics Engineer Naval Air Systems Command Industrial Engineer Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Corona Division

Vernell Thomas

Technical Project Manager Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane

Deztany Jackson

Systems Engineer Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren

Jamese Hamilton

Systems Engineer/ Test Engineer Naval Surface Warfare Center, Panama City

Birse Timmons

Anti-Tamper Engineer Missile Defense Agency

Head, Submarine Electronic Warfare Systems Branch Naval Undersea Warfare

Yazmin Carroll, Ph.D.

Krystal Knight

Tikia Allen

Office Lead Engineer Missile Defense Agency

Ekundayo Lewis

General Engineer Missile Defense Agency

Alex Richards

Director, Test Policy & Controls Missile Defense Agency

Henry Seright

Ground Test Mission Director Missile Defense Agency

Dion Wilson

General Engineer Missile Defense Agency

Gina Guillaume-Joseph

Lead Information Systems Engineer The MITRE Corporation

Diane Hauf

Senior Technical Advisor The MITRE Corporation

Carla Kendrick

Enterprise Architect, Principal The MITRE Corporation

www.blackengineer.com

General Engineer NAVSUP Weapon Systems Support – Norfolk Department

Charlene Cephus

Management Analyst Navy Information Dominance Forces

Obinna Anyanwu

Systems Engineer III, EW Systems Engineering Northrop Grumman Corporation

Joan Braithwaite

Lead DBA Northrop Grumman Corporation

Thurman Brown

Engineer Software Northrop Grumman Corporation

Christopher Cummings

Senior Systems Engineer Northrop Grumman Corporation

Andrew Eckhart

Mechanical Engineer II Northrop Grumman Corporation

Leah Forde

Mission Assurance Manager Northrop Grumman Corporation

Manager Software Engineering 3 Northrop Grumman Corporation Division Manager Northrop Grumman Corporation Electronics Engineer Northrop Grumman Corporation Test Engineer Northrop Grumman Corporation

Madison Murchison

Mechanical Design Engineer Northrop Grumman Corporation

Lesha Pankey

Operations Program Manager Northrop Grumman

Anthony Varela

System Safety Program Manager Northrop Grumman Corporation

Tara Welborne

Quality Engineer Northrop Grumman Corporation

Michael Williams, Jr.

Software Engineer Northrop Grumman Corporation

Chuck Wilson

Software Engineer, Immersive and Mobile Technologies Northrop Grumman Corporation

Rickey Zachary

Computer Systems Architect Northrop Grumman Corporation

Anthony Stephenson

Manufacturing Engineering Manager Northrop Grumman Information Systems

Morton Manuel

Engineer, Ship Self-Defense System Analyst NSWC, Corona

Lafayette Wimberly Mechanical Engineer NSWC, Port Hueneme

William (Trey) Dockery

HVS, CPI Lead Equipment Engineer (EE) NSWC, Port Hueneme Division

Elbert Sherrod

Branch Manager, Launcher System Engineering NSWC. Port Hueneme Division

WINTER 2016 I USBE&IT 53

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GOING STRONG

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2016 MODERN-DAY TECHNOLOGY LEADERS

Melisa Fowler

Sr. Business Project Manager PECO an Exelon Company

Dayton Duncan

Senior Engineer PECO, an Exelon Company

Keith Shivers

Project Manager for In-Service Aircraft Carriers Program Executive Officer for Aircraft Carriers

Q–Z Erica Bourne

Senior Software Engineer II Raytheon Company

Talisha Clemons

Manager III Configuration Analysis Raytheon Company

Kendy Hall

Senior Systems Engineers II Raytheon Company

Brandi James

Raytheon Missile Systems Raytheon Company

Mitchell June

Sr. Senior Engineer Raytheon Company

Anthony Spann

Electrical Engineer Raytheon Company

Derik Thomann

Senior Mechanical Engineer Raytheon Company

Rosyln Womble

Tia Burkley

Responsible Engineering Authority (Propulsion Engineering) Raytheon Missile Systems

Robert Rush, Jr.

April Branch

Civil Engineer U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis District

Henry Phillips

Project Manager Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center Pacific

Mechanical Engineer U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District

Dawn Stanley

Dwight Howell

System Engineering and Integration Technical Manager Space Launch System Chief Engineer’s Office

Darnell Brooks

Mechanical Project Engineer AFLCMC/ENZFCAUnited States Air Force

Jared Erickson

48th Civil Engineer Squadron Executive Officer U.S. Air Force

Braylon Gurnell

Chief, Targeting and Fusion U.S. Air Force

Phillip Minor

Deputy Director, Common Operating Environment (COE) U.S. Army

Roxanne O’Brien

Computer Scientist U.S. Army

William Simmons

District Quality Manager U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, St. Paul District

Mohammed Badal

Training and Developer and Instructor U.S. Army Engineer School

Weaver Prosper

Construction Engineering Technician U.S. Army Engineer School

Jefferey Thomas

Research Project U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL)

Darell Coffey

Rear Detachment Commander U.S. Army, 8th Brigade Engineer Battalion

Brandon Little-Darku

Electronics Engineer, GS-0855-13 U.S. Army, RDECOM. CERDEC S&TCD

Stephen Barnett

Naval Base Commanding Officer U.S. Navy

Chief, Army Reprogramming Analysis Team, Threat Analysis Team U.S. Army

Glen Bell

Pamela McDonald

Regina Davis

Major Area Team Leader (Engineer) U.S. Navy Leading Petty Officer, Adult Medical Care Clinic U.S. Navy

Mechanical Engineer Raytheon Company

Software Acquisition Manager U.S. Army AMRDEC Matrix to Missile Defense Agency (MDA)

Shawn Bowden

Andre Chauncey

Systems Engineer II Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems

Lead Civil Engineer U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Director, STANDARD Missile – Six (SM-6) Block 1A Program U.S. Navy

Princess Copper-Brown

Brian S. Brasher

Levee Safety Program Manager U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Keith Shivers

Senior Systems Engineer II Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems

Lionel Israel

Jonas White

Systems Engineer II Raytheon Intelligence and Information Systems – Indianapolis

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Project Manager U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Eric Plummer

U.S. Navy

Wendell Layne

World Wide Technology, Inc. Professional Services Delivery Manager

Mehnaaz Ali, Ph.D.

Associate Professor Xavier University of Louisiana

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EMERALD HONORS HONOREES

2016 Scientist of the Year

THE MAKING OF A RADIO FREQUENCY SPACE SYSTEMS EXPERT

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he recipients of this year’s BEYA STEM Emerald Honors have made significant contributions to science from the research laboratory, led innovations that have positive implications for humanity, worked to advance scientific understanding in the community, and inspired love for science by supporting science programs with engaging curriculum.

The winners span fields from science education to public policy, geoscience to Chemistry, Biochemistry, Physics, Behavioral and Social Sciences, plant life, Computer Science, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Mathematics, Medicine and Health, Microbiology, and Zoology.

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Dr. Jeffrey P. Tate

Engineering Fellow/Chief Scientist Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems

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t seems like it was only yesterday when Jeffery Tate graduated first with a bachelor’s in electrical engineering, then a master’s in EE, from Michigan State University. Born in Detroit in 1958 to a single mother — who he calls “the most influential guiding influence” in his life — Tate developed an interest in microwave engineering somewhere in his youth.

After earning both a bachelor’s and master’s in electrical engineering at Michigan State, which included courses in electrodynamics in microwave sources, and the physical processes associated with the interaction between electron beams and electro-magnetic signals, he headed east to Ithaca, New York, for a Ph.D. in electrical engineering.

At Cornell University, he pursued a growing interest in quantum mechanics and plasma physics and sought to understand how these principles were being applied in electrical engineering.

“I had no way of knowing that my research in this area would form a central part of my industrial work that would later support efforts to create new national research infrastructure in the field,” he said.

The results of his work in the early 1990s have been used by researchers around www.blackengineer.com

EMERALD HONORS HONOREES

the world to stimulate investigations in microwave interaction structures. Other results have been published in Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) peer-reviewed journals.

Forty Satellites and Microwave Engineering

Tate’s work at Cornell and the University of Maryland also caught the attention of a NASA principal investigator, which opened doors to Florida A&M University and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the Time and Frequency Standards Group.

Later, Dr. Tate also worked at Hughes Space Communications and Boeing, where he was involved in the development of hardware for more than 40 commercial satellite programs in the 1990s to 2000s.

In the mid-2000s he made a switch to Raytheon Space and Airborne Systems as a systems engineer on various government programs.

Engineers and technicians in Raytheon’s space products business design, build, test, and deliver space products that enable customer mission success. There, Tate has contributed through research, thought leadership, and innovative application from conceptual design through on-orbit deployment and operations.

Today, he is a widely regarded radio frequency (RF) space systems expert.

As Raytheon Engineering Fellow and Chief Scientist, Dr. Tate’s focus is high power radio frequency systems, satellite communications, waveform design, and signal processing. In addition, he partners with other industry and government experts to address radio frequency space systems issues.

He has also made a significant impact on the space vehicle industry through his involvement with the Mission Assurance Improvement Workshop. Between 2012 and 2015, he worked with industry and government on fixing orbit breakdown failures.

His expertise means he gets calls during the weekends and all hours of the night since many of his products are in service around the clock.

With the pending retirement of a large of number of senior professionals in the field, Tate is counted on more than ever in the area of high power RF systems while mentoring new engineering leaders.

As a member of IEEE, the American Physical Society, AAAS, and Association of Computing Machinery, he is keen to share his continuing interest in science and promotion and progression in scientific careers with students in the pipeline.

"Matrix and Spoon"

How does he put complex microwave engineering research in everyday language?

Dr. Tate recounts a visit to El Camino College, a two-year public community college in Torrance, California, serving the Beach Cities and the South Bay. He’d been asked to come in as guest speaker for an introduction to engineering class. To break the ice, he asked the students to pull out their cellphones.

“I knew they all had one,” he said.

Go to YouTube and type in two words: Matrix and Spoon, he told them.

“Up come a bunch of videos from the movie, The Matrix, and I told them which one to pick,” he said.

Soon the room was filled with the sounds of Neo and Spoon boy on scores of cellphones and tablets.

“The reason you can do this is because of wireless technology, and microwave engineering plays a significant role in enabling wireless technology,” he told them.

Twenty-five years ago, that classroom exercise wouldn’t have been possible, Dr. Tate remarked.

“Students may not be thinking in detail about how these systems work, but you [can] make a connection between mathematical and physical concepts studied in school and Facebook, Instagram, and things you carry in your pockets,” he explained.

Dr. Tate also advocates paying success forward by supporting organizations such as the Hidden Genius Project, which trains Black male high school students in technology creation, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills to transform their lives and communities. Black Girls Code, which aims to increase the number of women of color in the digital space by empowering girls of color ages 7 to 17 to become innovators in STEM fields through exposure to engaging computer science education. S — Lango Deen, ldeen@ccgmag.com www.blackengineer.com

MEDICAL LEADERSHIP

Commander Sonya Waters, MD Chair, Medical Executive Committee U.S. Navy, Naval Hospital Rota

Commander Sonya Waters has a successful career as an undersea medical officer and orthopedic surgeon. She earned a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Connecticut, School of Medicine in Farmington, Connecticut. Following graduation, she completed an internship in General Surgery followed by a research fellowship in the Department of Bioengineering at the University of California, San Diego.

Waters was commissioned as a Naval Officer by way of Officer Indoctrination School. This was followed by entering dive school at the Naval Undersea Medical Institute in Groton, Connecticut. She graduated as the Navy’s first African-American female Dive Medical Officer/Undersea Medical Officer.

Waters began her duties as an Undersea Medical Officer on the USS Frank Cable (AS-40). During that time Waters was a Surface Warfare Medical Department Officer. When her tour with the USS Frank Cable was complete, Waters was chosen for Orthopedic Surgery residency training at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda.

Staff Orthopedic Surgeon at the U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa was her first assignment following the residency.

She was later promoted to Orthopedic Surgery and Podiatry Department Head.

During Operation Enduring Freedom, Waters served as an Orthopedic Surgeon and Logistics Acquisition Officer. Her contributions were invaluable as she saved the limbs and lives of coalition forces and Afghan civilians.

Waters has received several honors due to her bravery and medical skill. Her honors include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, among others.

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Commander Kanti Ford joined the U.S. Navy after graduating from Yale University in 1993. She was commissioned as an Ensign in the Medical Corps. Ford subsequently attended the Officer Indoctrination School and was assigned to Naval Hospital – Oak Harbor. Upon graduating from the UCLA-Drew Medical Program and completing a residency, Ford began her first Navy assignment as a staff physician at Naval Hospital Twentynine Psalms.

Following her time at Naval Hospital Twentynine Psalms, Ford filled a position at BMC Iwakuni aboard MCAS Iwakuni. She was a Substance Abuse Counseling Officer and the only Sexual Assault Forensics Examiner and Senior Medical Officer for the base.

Because of her work ethic and medical skills, Ford was selected for an Adolescent Medicine Fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. She was also accepted into the Master’s degree program in Epidemiology at the University of Cincinnati.

Her participation in the Fellowship was successful and resulted in authoring a chapter in the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Text, a presentation on pubertal development at the Society of Adolescent Medicine, and publication of her research in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

During her last operational tour, she served as the Acting Wing Surgeon on multiple occasions. The Acting Wing Surgeon (AWS) provides medical advice and care for more than 10,000 — Marines and sailors. The AWS also provides leadership for flight surgeons and general medical officers for the Marine Air Wing.

Ford has received two Navy Commendation Awards for her contributions to medicine.

MEDICAL LEADERSHIP

Commander Kanti Ford Senior Medical Officer U.S. Navy

MOST PROMISING SCIENTIST

MOST PROMISING SCIENTIST

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

Program Manager, Neurophysiology of Cognition U.S. Army Research Office (RDRL-ROP-L)

Catherine Thomas, Ph.D.

Dr. Catherine Thomas has demonstrated exceptional dedication and leadership in the phytoremediation and stabilization fields by finding innovative ways of using native plant species to manage munitions constituents on military firing ranges.

Her extraordinary efforts assisted the Army with achieving its goal of sustainable range operations. As a result of Dr. Thomas’ expertise, she has skillfully cultivated a well-funded research program that is starting to flourish and has unlimited potential.

Dr. Thomas’ career as a research biologist has been exceptional and thus far she has made great advances within her field. She has completed 10 publications on the interactions of plants and amendments with munitions constituents (MCs).

She is an expert on the use of plants to reduce the migration of MCs, such as explosives and heavy metals, and shares what she has learned with others pursuing STEM careers. Her highly regarded technical expertise and willingness to go to great lengths to solve a problem led to her selection as a participant in a high-profile project to reduce contaminant migration that begins this year.

Dr. Thomas is actively involved in the International Phytotechnology Society and the American Society of Plant Biologists. In addition to her professional activities, she participates in community outreach efforts such as the Jackson State University Career Day “UNITE” camp for historically underrepresented and underserved groups.

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Frederick Gregory, Ph.D.

Dr. Frederick Gregory is recognized by scientists in his field as well as professionals within the Army, as evidenced by the invitations he’s received to be part of more than 10 scientific review or advisory panels with various defense agencies. They include the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity, Department of Defense Minerva Research Initiative, U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, and the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering – Human Training and Biosystems Directorate.

Gregory has created, co-managed, or co-developed research programs including the DARPA Systems-Based Neurotechnology, Restoring Active Memory, and Hand Interfaces programs, as well as three new programs expected to receive some $18 million to explore multidisciplinary topics such as integrating physics and biology to explore new tools to study biological communication and signaling mechanisms, the neural dynamics of expert learning, and multisensory brain computer interfaces.

Gregory has published seven peer-reviewed articles, and his research was identified by Hearing Journal as an important step toward elucidating the pathophysiological mechanisms for Usher Syndrome, which accounts for most cases of combined hearing and vision disabilities. www.blackengineer.com

EMERALD HONORS HONOREES

RESEARCH LEADERSHIP

RESEARCH LEADERSHIP

Program Manager Corning Incorporated

Wireless Access Section Supervisor Johns Hopkins University

Carlo Kosik Williams, Ph.D.

Dr. Kosik Williams joined Corning as a research scientist in July 2001. Since then, he has made significant contributions to the Corning innovation pipeline as a technical leader.

In just his first project assignment, he led the technical team that designed and deployed a new metrology system for Corning’s Polacor ™ Polarizer that enhanced the understanding of the product attributes, led to multiple internal and external publications, and enabled the launch of a new polarizer product line. The metrology system continues to operate more than 10 years after its inception and inaugural use in production. In 2003 he continued to provide metrology expertise on the Corning Life Sciences Division Epic ® Program, where he led engineering teams that designed, implemented and deployed multiple optomechanical based metrology systems to characterize microwell plates used for label-free screening for drug discovery.

In 2010, having been asked to join the Emerging Innovation Photovoltaic Technologies Program, he led internal matrixed teams, along with multiple university, national, and industry research groups. Under Dr. Kosik Williams’ technical leadership, the overall teams developed greater fundamental process and material understanding that led to more than 40 internal and external peer-reviewed publications and generated better than 30 intellectual property documentations. His overall leadership led to the development of the knowledge base for a silicon-on-glass technology that is viewed as a platform for a wide range of existing and future applications and confirmed the hypotheses toward implementing robust high-efficiency solar panels.

Jarriel Cook

Jarriel Cook is currently section supervisor at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL).

His research has had a significant impact on critical national security systems. Cook also plays a role in encouraging young researchers by participating in STEM outreach activities.

Cook is a leader in communications research. He has major accomplishments in areas such as military communications to 5G commercial cellular technologies.

His peers recognize him as an expert on topics such as signal processing, software development, and computer networking.

In addition to Johns Hopkins University (JHU) activities, Cook leads the Software Defined Radio (SDR) research program for the Department of Defense (DOD).

The SDR program consists of a 12-person team dedicated to designing and developing real time satellite communications software for national missions. Cook has also contributed to the development of electronic warfare capabilities as a software lead in the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s Electronics Support Measures Branch.

Cook has successfully proposed and led several internal research and development efforts at JHU. The U.S. government benefits greatly from his research into new technologies and innovative solutions. His most recent success involved the development of a specialized waveform to enable novel satellite communications in challenging operational environments. Cook was awarded the JHU/APL Hart prize award for this accomplishment. APL has awarded Cook three merit awards for his dedication, leadership and contributions in research.

SENIOR INVESTIGATOR

Mallikarjuna Rao

Principal Communications Engineer MITRE Corporation

Mallik Rao is a principal communications engineer at the MITRE Corporation. His 20 years with MITRE have allowed him to head several complex systems engineering and software development projects. Rao developed an interest in engineering at a young age, inspired by his mathematician father. After earning a degree in computer science and engineering from the Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University in India, he worked in India’s software industry. Soon after, Rao moved to America to further his engineering career.

He had a successful career as a software developer for Siemens. During that time, he filed several patents. He also earned a master’s degree in computer science and engineering from Florida University. Rao later joined General Dynamics C4 Systems as the systems and test manager. In that position, he was responsible for developing communications solutions for the tactical battlefield. He had several successes before moving to MITRE. Rao has established himself as an expert in Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE). He has used his expertise to define the architecture of the Department of Defense’s (DOD) premier desktop collaboration suite, Defense Collaboration Service (DCS). Because of his success, the DOD asked him to lead an agency-wide effort to define, practice and institutionalize the mode-based architectural methodologies across the agency.

Rao also leads a team of more than 20 engineers. The team is working to design the DOD’s next-generation information technology infrastructure. This is the DOD’s largest IT transformation in decades. Rao is responsible for providing technical oversight over these efforts across the team. www.blackengineer.com

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EMERALD HONORS HONOREES

SENIOR TECHNOLOGY FELLOW

Dennis Williams Technical Fellow The Boeing Company

Dennis Williams is a distinguished Technical Fellow in the Operations Analysis group of the Systems Engineering organization for the Boeing Company and is recognized nationally for his expertise and innovation in combat aircraft survivability.

With 34 years of professional experience in aircraft survivability/vulnerability engineering, Williams has impacted the survivability of Boeing’s currently deployed fixed-winged U.S. Air Force and Navy combat aircraft. He has guided vulnerability engineering programs for combat platforms, from development through production, and coordinated program milestones with management, designers, military customers and the Office of the Secretary of Defense/Live Fire Test and Evaluation Office.

Williams is currently technical lead for the P-8A Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft and KC-46A Tanker Survivability Engineering Programs, as well as for other fixed-wing survivability engineering programs. As an expert, he also is frequently called upon to provide consultation for competitive and conceptual design programs.

Williams is the author of an invention disclosure in 2009 for a “Method of Determining Optical Sensor Coverage” and has penned a significant number of technical documents for military customers. He was co-author for an Aircraft Survivability Journal article called “Integrated Vulnerability and Product Safety Approach to Aircraft Survivability.”

Among his awards and honors is the Lifetime Achievement award from the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). He is also a recipient of a Technical Innovation and an Excellence award from the NSBE St. Louis Aerospace Alumni Chapter and was featured in the Joint Aircraft Survivability Program Office National Journal for Excellence in Combat Survivability Engineering.

2016 Science Spectrum Trailblazers LASHUN BOOTH

STEVEN CHUN

OLGA CARBAJAL

HONG JIANG

Program Manager Naval Systems Command, Population Engineering

Unified Communications Engineer General Motors

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Materials, Process & Physics Engineer, Senior Failure Analyst, Team Lead The Boeing Company

Senior Engineering Specialist Electric General Dynamics Land Systems

QUYNHGIAO LE

Technical Fellow The Boeing Company

DEBA OHUOBA

Manufacturing Engineering Developer General Motors

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BEST PRACTICES FOR SUCCESS CORPORATE LIFE BEYA WINNERS SHARE SECRETS TO SUCCESS

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eing recognized for one’s achievements is certainly an honor, and the individuals being honored have a tremendous amount of advice to offer. So we asked two of the 2015 BEYA winners to share what they think young professionals should know as they embark on their own roads to success.

Yacob Astatke, Ph.D., interim associate dean for undergraduate studies at Morgan State University’s School of Engineering, was the 2015 Trailblazer Award winner in the college-level promotion of education.

Asked what factors he attributes his success to, Astatke said he “always” follows the three P’s of career success — passion, patience, and perseverance.

“I always have a strong passion for the work that I do, both at Morgan State and at the international level, supporting universities in my home country of Ethiopia,” said Astatke. “My students at Morgan and my colleagues at Morgan and around the world can feel the passion that I have for all the work that I do, and it helps them get motivated and put it the extra effort in order to succeed in their work.”

As for patience, he related that it took three years to get his student visa to come to the United States.

“Although I had the chance to go to another European country during my wait, I always knew that if I became patient, my dream of coming to America to go to college will one day be realized,” he said.

by Gale Horton Gay ghortongay@ccgmag.com

He added that perseverance is also key to success.

“People tend to give up very early, especially when things get hard. That is why perseverance is very important,” Astatke said. “I always tell my students that it is better to be a good student that works very hard and has perseverance than a smart student who quits early, as soon as things become hard.”

Astatke said he had a tough upbringing growing up in communist Ethiopia in the early and late 1980s.

“A lot of prayer by myself and my parents and a lot of hard work kept me focused on my ultimate goal: to come to the USA to get the best possible college education,” he said.

As for the advice he gives young people who want to be successful, Astatke said the number one thing is to “focus on your education and work extra hard. Always put 100 percent effort in anything that you do. I keep reminding my students of the following quote: ‘Anything worth doing at all is worth doing well.’”

Afrachanna Butler, Ph.D. is a research physical scientist with the Environmental Laboratory, United States Army Engineer Research and Development Center in Vicksburg, Mississippi, and was the 2015 Trailblazer Award winner in the community service/government category.

Of her many accomplishments, Butler said she is most proud of earning three degrees (bachelor's and master's in biology and doctorate in environmental science) from Jackson State University.

Butler attributes her success to three factors: her Christian faith, setting and persistently pursuing goals, and the support she receives from family and friends.

Asked about overcoming obstacles along the way, Butler said, “Of course, we as human beings looking for success have all experienced obstacles. I didn’t let them stop me. I used the three P’s to overcome my obstacles: prayer, perseverance, and positivity.

“Being successful is hard, but achievable,” advises Butler. “You can be anything that you want to be, as long as you put your mind to it. If it’s for you, it will happen.

You’re in control of your own destiny. Like Nike says, ‘Just Do It!’” S

A lot of prayer by myself and my parents and a lot of hard work kept me focused on my ultimate goal: to come to the USA to get the best possible college education.

Yacob Astatke, Ph.D., interim associate dean for undergraduate studies, Morgan State University’s School of Engineering 66 USBE&IT | WINTER 2016

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EDUCATION

BOOK REVIEW 2013 BLACK ENGINEER OF THE YEAR OFFERS INSIGHTS INTO STEM ACHIEVEMENT

by Thomas A. LaVeist, Ph.D. Editors@ccgmag.com

I

n 2012 Time magazine listed University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) President Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III as one of the “The World’s 100 Most Influential People.”

How does someone born and raised in “Jim Crow” Alabama find his way to such a lofty distinction? In his new book, Holding Fast to Dreams (Beacon Press 2015), Hrabowski tells how.

The book offers insights into his life’s journey and Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski III, how the lessons he learned President, University of MarylandBaltimore County as a child would one day inspire him to lead a littleknown commuter college in suburban Baltimore to national prominence.

Hrabowski’s book is part memoir and part how-to book.

The memoir aspects of the book offer a riveting account of his childhood in the segregated south. Inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., he joined nearly 1,000 school children to march on Birmingham City Hall. There, they came face to face with Bull Connor, the infamous segregationist, leading to Hrabowski’s imprisonment. Dr. King later told Hrabowski and the other children that their courage would make the world a better place for children not yet born. For Hrabowski, these turned out to be prescient words.

The how-to portion of the book chronicles the formation of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program, named for Baltimore philanthropist Robert Meyerhoff, who financed the program.

These sections of the book are a must-read for anyone interested in expanding educational opportunities for African Americans.

What does the civil rights movement have to do with training African American scientists? The answer lies in the book title: Holding Fast to Dreams. Some people are dreamers, and others are doers. Dr. Hrabowski is both. Participants in the Civil Rights Movement dreamed of a brighter future, where the nation would finally live up to the lofty ideals expressed in its founding declaration. The “doing” came through placing their lives on the line in support of that dream.

Dr. Hrabowski learned to “dream” and to “do” as a child. He held fast to both, creating opportunities for future generations to embrace scholastic excellence in the sciences, a manifestation of battles won a generation ago. When Dr. Hrabowski arrived at UMBC, he found a university that was failing in its responsibility to nurture and educate its African American students. He dreamed that UMBC could do better and set out to make it so – dreaming and doing.

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In the light of recent student protests on college campuses across the nation, the book provides helpful insights that Hrabowski learned as a child in Birmingham during the Civil Rights Movement about the power of community, which he uses on his campus today in supporting African-American students and young people from all over the world.

Holding Fast to Dreams is an insightful personal narrative that offers a peek into the mind of one of the nation’s leading educators and one of the world’s most influential and inspiring people. I recommend that you take a look. S About the Reviewer > The Milken Institute School of Public Health at the George Washington University named Thomas A. LaVeist, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Health Policy and Management in late 2015. Dr. LaVeist, who will also hold a faculty appointment as professor in the department, joins Milken Institute School of Public Health from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. LaVeist will start his new position in February 2016. www.blackengineer.com

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F F O M K E C T I S K T R A U O Y REER A A Y C E B E R H I T A f F o t u o t B s o r i m O a e F J w to get th M Career EDUCATION

Ho BEYA STE the

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he career fair is a major staple of the annual BEYA STEM Conference.

College students from across the nation walk the career fair floor to network with recruiters from top STEM companies — some are even hired on the spot. Many professionals, from entry-level to C-suite, have attributed their success and the start of their careers to the BEYA STEM Conference Career Fair.

Students find BEYA’s career fair exciting because of the endless opportunities for networking and job placement. The fair gives students a platform to approach and meet top employers, take advantage of onsite resources designed to enhance job searches and get tools for a successful STEM career. Below are two students who share their experience and helpful tips to their peers about getting the best career fair experience.

Cadet Monroe is a 2015 BEYA Student Leadership awardee for his accomplishment in military leadership.

He is a student at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he’s involved in numerous cadet activities and clubs. In addition to being inducted into the academy’s EXCEL scholars program, Cadet Monroe is a CRLA tutor, where he is able to serve as a mentor and Cadet Christopher Monroe United States Military Academy aid to his peers. After at West Point ‘17 attending the BEYA STEM Conference Career Fair, Cadet Monroe was able to network and gain contacts that will assist in his search for a career in STEM. Here’s what Cadet Monroe has to say about the career fair.

“The BEYA Career Fair provides an excellent opportunity to seek mentorship from the best in the engineering field. Even though I cannot dive straight into the civilian sector, I still took complete advantage of the chance to socialize and communicate my goals with the individuals who have already achieved what I hope to www.blackengineer.com

achieve one day. Speak up; seek out the amazing experts at the conference. Have a great time!”

Benin Saffo was a senior at Florida A&M University when she was awarded the 2015 BEYA Student Leadership Award in the category of community service.

As a student, Saffo was actively involved in FAMU STEM programs, completing research with the university.

She also served Benin Saffo as the Advancing Florida A&M University ’15 Minorities Interest in Engineering (AMIE) ambassador for the university.

Saffo says, “The BEYA STEM Conference Career Fair generates a platform for future young black professional leaders. I encourage participants to optimize all opportunities to fulfill the overall goal of receiving an internship full-time job or exercising a network connection. Engage with confidence and preparation, and remember to never give up. Career fairs sometimes can be intimidating, but keep in mind recruiters, executives, and other students have been where you’re at. Just smile, be yourself, and you will always come out on top. BEYA will be forever cherished in my heart by the connections I’ve made and opportunities I’ve gained as I matriculate through my career.”

In past years, there have been hundreds of exhibitors, representing the largest STEM companies in the nation present at the BEYA STEM Conference Career Fair.

Below is a list of exhibitors that you can expect to see at this year’s career fair, February 19-20 at the Marriott Downtown in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. S

Lockheed Martin Corporation General Dynamics Corporation Huntington Ingalls Industries General Motors Company NASA Northrop Grumman Corporation

Aerotek Navy Civilian Careers The MITRE Corporation Raytheon Company The Boeing Company Boston Scientific Corporation Exelon Corporation

And many more!

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CAREER

CAREER OUTLOOK

Spotlight on

30 Years of BEYA

INSIDE

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B EYA: Reflections on the Past 30 Years

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R ecognition, Recruitment, Retention, Seminars: the BEYA Pictorial

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30Years of An Unchanging Focus

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BEYA www.blackengineer.com

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by Lango Deen ldeen@ccgmag.com

he world was a very different place when the Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) was presented for the first time.

In 1987, the world population had just reached 5 billion and the number of hosts on the Internet had just hit 10,000 for the first time.

Today, the total number of humans on Earth is estimated to be 7.349 billion, with 900 million Internet hosts — making possible big shifts in technology and breakthrough, game-changing inventions.

Also in 1987, Black representation among the 1.6 million engineers in the United States was only 2 percent, or 32,000 men and women. For the BEYA Conference, which kicked off the same year, an unchanging focus has been expanding the number of students pursuing careers in science and engineering — and increasing the number of future engineers who will be in a position to be honored at BEYA Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Conferences.

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Black Hispanic American Indian

Last February Black Engineer magazine’s Conference 2015 issue noted that of the 135,846 engineering degrees awarded in the United States in 2010, African-American graduates White represented 5.3■percent of all bachelor’s, 3.5 percent of master’s, White Asian/Pacific and 2 percent of engineering doctorates. Those findings ■ all Asian/Pacific Black came on the heels of a NACME report showing that issues ■ Black Hispanic clearly remain.■ Hispanic AmericanBlack students ■ American Indianengineering programs are less entering Indian likely to complete their degrees and take longer to complete their degrees and associate or certificate programs at higher levels.

■ Black ■ Hispanic ■ American Indian

Underrepresentation of Blacks in STEM ENGINEERING BACHELOR'S DEGREES AWARDED TO WOMEN IN 2012

ENGINEERING BACHELOR'S DEGREES AWARDED TO MEN IN 2012

Source: National Science Foundation | National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

Source: National Science Foundation | National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics

‘Producing an adequate supply of scientists and engineers for America’ 0

When John Brooks Slaughter, the 1987 Black Engineer of the Year, graduated from college with an electrical 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 engineering 50,000 degree in 1956, the proportion of Blacks in the engineering workforce was less than one-half of a percent. By 1980, Dr. Slaughter was heading the National Science Foundation, which led post-Sputnik efforts to produce an adequate supply of scientists and engineers for America.

A new generation of engineers benefited from the National Science Foundation’s efforts, which led to programs that made science and math courses at the grade school and high school level more attractive, showing students the connection between those courses and exciting careers.

One of the beneficiaries was Mark Dean, the 2000 Black Engineer of the Year, who graduated in 1979.

“I got into engineering because of a minority engineering program at the University of Tennessee, which helped me and many of my peers get engineering degrees and, subsequently, jobs,” Dean said on the phone from his office at the University of Tennessee’s College of Engineering, where he is now a John Fisher Distinguished Professor.

Dean was part of the team that developed the 16-bit ISA bus of IBM PC/AT computers based on the Intel 80286 and its immediate successors during the 1980s. Dean also led a design team for making a one-gigahertz computer processor chip. He holds three of IBM’s original nine PC patents.

78 USBE&IT | WINTER 2016

The March/April 2000 issue of Black Engineer magazine shows that 15 years ago, underrepresentation of Blacks in STEM was still a huge issue.

“Less than 4,000 African Americans graduate each year with degrees in engineering, computer science or information technology,” Dean wrote in Black Engineer magazine’s First Byte column. “African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans continue to be underrepresented in our colleges and universities, receiving less than 10 percent of the undergraduate engineering and computer science degrees and less than 2.5 percent of the doctorate degrees in these disciplines.”

The United States has not been encouraging a sufficient number of young people to build careers in the STEM fields, according to Dr. Shirley Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the first woman to be named Black Engineer of the Year in 2001.

“We have not been persuading enough young women and minorities — who, together, make up a majority of our population — to become scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians,” Jackson said recently.

0 Big Think 2000put it this 4000 8000 10000 way. 6000 Over the last 20 years, the number of science and 0 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 technology jobs in America has grown by about 4.2 percent per year, yet the availability of qualified U.S.-born workers in those fields has only grown at about 1.5 percent per year.

Jackson has called the disparity between these two numbers a “quiet crisis.”

“It is quiet because it unfolds gradually over time,” she told Black Engineer magazine, “since it takes many years to educate and train scientists and engineers. It is, however, a crisis, because a deficit of talent will cripple our national capacity for discovery and innovation,” Jackson said.

A theoretical physicist, Jackson has had a distinguished career that includes leadership positions in academia, government, industry, and research. She is the first AfricanAmerican woman to receive a doctorate from MIT — in any field.

“Given the increasing shortfall in native-born engineering graduates to meet the needs of American business and industry, www.blackengineer.com

50,000

thereby requiring these industries to export jobs and import talent, it is imperative that we rectify this situation quickly,” urged Dr. Slaughter in Black Engineer magazine’s February/ March 2006 issue.

Slaughter was elected to membership in the National Academy of Engineering in 1982. From 1982 to 1988, he served as chancellor of the University of Maryland, then as president of Occidental College in Los Angeles from 1988 to 1999. The same year, he was appointed Melbo Professor of Leadership in Education at the University of Southern California.

“The challenge is that we still have only 2 to 3 percent of African American Ph.Ds.,” noted Dr. Freeman A. Hrabowski, who has served as president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County since 1992 and was named Black Engineer of the Year in 2013.

Hrabowski’s research and publications focus on science and math education, with emphasis on minority participation and performance. He chaired the National Academies committee that produced the report “Expanding White Underrepresented Minority ■ White Participation: America’s Science Asian/Pacific and Technology Talent at the Crossroads.” He was also ■ Asian/Pacific Black recently named by President ■ Black Obama to chair the newly created Hispanic President’s Advisory on Educational Excellence for ■ Commission Hispanic African Americans. ■ American Indian American Indian“As we enter the next era of innovation, the role of high-quality black scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians will continue to help reshape the 21st century in terms of how we live, how we work and how we play,” says Rodney Adkins, the 2007 Black Engineer of the Year.

Adkins retired as IBM’s senior vice president, Systems and Technology Group. In that role, he managed a 50,000-employee division that generates $18 billion in revenues and serves global clients in automotive, telecommunications, healthcare, and manufacturing.

Over the past three decades, BEYA has been a beacon of light, introducing multiple generations to the power of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), said Linda Gooden, 2006 Black Engineer of the Year.

"Through BEYA programs, generations of curious and evolving young people have a firsthand view of the power of STEM to change lives through technology, to change the world through innovation and to change personal wealth through AVERAGE AGE OF THE 29 BEYA WINNERS IS 54.

SEE HOW THE YOUNGEST RANK BELOW.

www.blackengineer.com

The BEYA legacy will be embodied in the thousands of engineers they have encouraged and supported, and the impact those individuals will have had on society. It will have a reputation as an organization that helped change the way we approach diversity in engineering in the United States.

— Wanda M. Austin, President & CEO The Aerospace Corporation

successful careers,” Gooden noted.

Gooden, who earned a bachelor’s degree in computer technology from Youngstown State University, retired as executive vice president of Lockheed Martin’s Information Systems and Global Solutions business area and an officer of Lockheed Martin Corp. after nearly 40 years of working in the aerospace and defense industry. As president of Lockheed Martin, she grew the unit from $8 million to become a $2.5 billion dollar business in 10 years.

Writing in First Byte in 1997 when he won the Black Engineer of the Year Award, Arthur Johnson, who led development of mine-hunting submarine sonars and mechanical mail sorters, said business, government, and academia are striving toward the same goal of training tomorrow’s employees to fill the jobs that will keep American companies — and the United States — competitive in the global marketplace.

“We must be non-conformists, do some things in an unconventional way — think outside the box — to address these challenges,” Johnson wrote.

“And, in doing so, we can ensure that our next generation of employees will be adequately prepared for the globally competitive environment of the 21st century.”

Eighteen years later, Dean is urging everyone to do pretty much the same with renewed emphases. “Take responsibility for increasing African-American involvement in the technology industry, support faculty, and invest in the nation’s university system,” Dean says.

He also says that in addition to a 20-year STEM talent pipeline strategy, the U.S. government must consider supporting four-year graduate scholarships for native-born students within the federal H-1B visa program, which allows employers to import up to 65,000 foreign workers each year to fill jobs that require “highly specialized knowledge.”

“Technology could be a normalizer,” Dean says. “Allow everyone to play equally and have an opportunity to participate.

In the next 30 years, the old things used to discriminate will disappear. How do we compete globally in the Chinese market, South America, and Africa and take advantage of the opportunities? We need a global mindset because the world will be even flatter.” S WINTER 2016 I USBE&IT 79

z

Black Engineers of the Year (1987-2015)

2015 z Ed T. Welburn

Vice President of Global Design General Motors Company

2014 z Stephanie C. Hill

President, Information Systems & Global Solutions, Civil Product line Lockheed Martin Corporation

2000 z Mark E. Dean

IBM Fellow Director of Advanced Systems Development

1999 z Paul Caldwell Jr.

Chairman and General Manager Mobil Producing Nigeria

1998 z Lieutenant General Joe N. Ballard

President University of Maryland Baltimore County

(U.S. Army Retired) Chief of Engineers and Commander U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

2012 z David L. Steward

1997 z Arthur E. Johnson

2011 z Lloyd Howell, Jr.

1996 z Lieutenant General Albert J. Edmonds

2013 z Freeman A. Hrabowski, III

Chairman of the Board World Wide Technology, Inc. Executive Vice President Booz Allen Hamilton

2010 z John D. Harris, II

Vice President, Contracts and Supply Chain The Raytheon Company

2009 z Wanda M. Austin

President & CEO The Aerospace Corporation

2008 z Reginald Van Lee Senior Vice President Booz Allen Hamilton

2007 z Rodney C. Adkins

President Lockheed Martin Federal Systems

Director, Defense Information Systems Agency Manager National Communications Systems

1995 z Walt Braithwaite

Vice President, Information Systems Boeing Commercial Airplane Group

1994 z William R. Wiley (1931-1996)

Corporate Vice President of Research and Technology Policy Battelle Memorial Institute

1993 z James W. Mitchell

Vice President, Development IBM

Head, Analytical Chemistry Research Department AT&T Bell Laboratories

2006 z Linda Gooden

1992 z Arnold F. Stancell

2005 z William D. Smith

1991 z Guion Stewart Bluford, Jr.

2004 z Anthony R. James

1990 z Arlington W. Carter, Jr.

2003 z Lydia W. Thomas President and CEO Mitretek Systems, Inc.

1989 z Lieutenant Commander Donnie Cochran

2002 z Rodney O’Neal

1988 z Erroll B. Davis Jr.

President Lockheed Martin Information Technology President Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, Inc. President and CEO Savannah Electric

Executive Vice President Delphi Automotive Systems

2001 z Shirley Ann Jackson

President Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

80 USBE&IT | WINTER 2016

z

Vice President, Producing Operations Mobil Corporation Retired U.S. Air Force Officer and Fighter Pilot Former NASA astronaut Vice President and General Manager Boeing Missile Systems

Blue Angels

President Wisconsin Power & Light

1987 z John Slaughter

Chancellor University of Maryland

www.blackengineer.com

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30 Years of BEYA

Scenes from BEYA STEM Conferences

P

eople at BEYA STEM Conferences, encompass a broad span of generations — Boomers, Generation X, and Seniors. But all indications show Generation Next (Millennials, 18 – 25-year-olds) have been growing in size and influence at BEYA STEM professional development/award events.

No surprises there. In the first quarter of 2015, America’s Generation Next workforce rose to 53.5 million, surpassing that of Boomers which has declined as they retire. BEYA STEM’s young and upwardly mobile talent is part of the demographic cohort that makes up the largest share of the U.S. workforce.

All photos were taken at various events at annual BEYA STEM Conferences.

e brate th rds e l e c e ar, w Awa Each ye er of the Year e and ngine Black E A) to recogniz ions of (BEY tribut the con chnology, t n e m docu d ce, te in scien ath. The Awar s k c a l B m st d e n ring, a he high enginee re leaders in t owing sa sh winner pointing and . , sense way for us all the

TYRONE TABORN

Publisher and CEO, Career Communications Group, Inc. and Founder of Black Engineer of the Year Awards

JEAN HAMILTON

CFO and President, Career Communications Group, Inc.

84 USBE&IT | WINTER 2016

www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG

DR. EUGENE DELOATCH,

founding dean of the Council of Engineering Deans at Historically Black Colleges.

MODERN-DAY TEC HNOLOGY LEADER at the BEYA ST S EM Con ference.

D FEDERAL EXECUTIVES, TOP BRASS, AN S CORPORATE sLETheADStaER r-Spangled Banner.

stand as a U.S. military band

play

ENE ING DEANSSupCOporNV ENGINEERr ma ters of HBCU gazine's Top

for Black Enginee Engineering Schools event.

A FULL HOUSE

of professionals at a BEYA STEM Conference semin

ar.

EMPLOYERS HAVE SPOKEN: Certificates of Excellence in STEM .

T C A F N EYA FU

t caugh e was sted c n e r fe hich la A Con al BEY of 2003, w 19. Cities u n n a d The zzar e ruary the Bli y 14 to Feb Boston wer in p u r a o t u n I r . . .C Feb f snow ton D from ashing 30 inches o iggest W m o – b 5 fr ches. as the ed in 1 cover ore, this w with 28.2 in , im rd Balt n reco orm o t s w o sn

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BEST PRACTICES

for BEYA ST www.blackengineer.com

EM Career Fa

ir Success WINTER 2016 I USBE&IT 85

30 Years of BEYA

TOP BLACK ENGINEERS

of the Year from Booz Allen Hamilton and Raytheon shake hands.

R I E H T HONORIBUTIONS CONTRMAKING

BY RS YOU

2015 BLACK ENGINEER OF THE YEAR poses with BEYA.

TOP SUPPORTERS OF HISTORICALLY BLACK ENGINEERING SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES

DEPARTMENT OF IVE ENERGY EXECUT ner. with a BEYA win

STEM STUDENTS AT BEYA 86 USBE&IT | WINTER 2016

www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG

BLACK ENGINEERS OF THE YEAR

with BEYA STEM founder and Career Communications Group CEO Tyrone Taborn (left).

WORLD WIDE TECHNOLOGY, INC. Chairman of the Board and 2012 Black Engineer of the Year

BEYA FUN FACT

eMalcolm-Jamal Warner and Ann y brit cele as ed Marie Johnson act A BEY ual co-hosts for the 5th ann Television Special.

HOOAH FOR ACTIVE AND VETERAN U.S. Army at the BEYA Stars and Strip

es

EDUCATION G IN R E E IN G N E D INDUSTRY AN TNERSHIPS PAR

XXXXXXXX BREAKFAST THE HBCU POWER

Morum orbi sedestis. Ucte, vica ne in tandites ad sendam . acienihin sciemperio, suliume tum nostamdiis, Ti. Catuius 's best in STEM out th yearestraetiam bringsvidesterum perfecibut et. www.blackengineer.com

WINTER 2016 I USBE&IT 87

30 Years of BEYA STEM l-day A Y E B The an al s e d , u l ce inc s recruiters n e r e f ve Con that gi nd students r i a F a Job onals, ortunities i s s e f p pro ous op ormation d n e m nf tre ange i s. h c x e to ea and id

88 USBE&IT | WINTER 2016

www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG

3M’s Gene Washington (left) reviews an engineering student’s resume at a BEYA STEM Job Fair booth. The company formerly known as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing was the first employer to host the BEYA Conference in 1986. 3M kept up this support for 25 consecutive years thanks to Washington, one of the greatest wide receivers in school history. Washington played defense on the weekend with the Vikings and worked part-time for 3M while finishing his master’s degree at Minnesota State University.

That led to his post-NFL job as a trailblazing career counselor specializing in college student placement and diversity counseling and placement programs. www.blackengineer.com

WINTER 2016 I USBE&IT 89

30 Years of BEYA

T C A F N YA FU s, a nuclear

BEKenneth D. Lewr iof theology, helpveed

emo octo r and d ssion 1994 to r from e e n i g n i e uranium ecret m lead a s f bomb-grade ing no ing half a to azakhstan, br s to be K ate nited St tuff.

U e h t s it to to safer made in

se¸ oeing Defen ded B , e c n ia ll A ategic x inclu usiness & Str ) box. The TAP-in-a-Bo M role B e rs e iv /D ll E P ector of Sma wareness Program (TA ideos and posters of ST air, ir d , y rr e -B A v h on Joan Robins , holds up a Technology dent journals, including lumni Association co-c A ty tu A ri s Y , u E c Space & Se , a coaching handbook es. Tony Watson, the B dership Group. lesson plans d their life/career stori CEO of the Alliance Lea cently models an was most re

INSPIRING NEXT GENERATIONS SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS

90 USBE&IT | WINTER 2016

MENTORING

is important for Anthony Winns, Lockheed Martin President, Middle East-Africa region. Winns is a retired Naval Inspector, U.S. Navy.

www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG

ACT F N U F BEYA se phra Short here

BEYA FUN

FACT

Leroy Jon e grad, took s, a Howard Univer sit on the gia nts of com y with the fi puting rst C the foreru ompaq transportab nner of to le day's lapto , ps.

ROBOTICS AND FUTURE ENGINEERS

EXPERIE help to NCED G ENER guide ROTC

s tu d e n

ALS

ts.

SCIENCE IS DIVERSE.

CLASSROOM STEM CONCEPTS

are put to the test at BEYA as students learn lifelong skills in teamwork, leadership, and communication. www.blackengineer.com

WINTER 2016 I USBE&IT 91

30 Years of BEYA

PRODUCING COMPETENT,

technically proficient, and highly-trained professionals in STEM occupations.

a offers erence pment f n o C M o YA STE l devel The BE professiona tudents and of rs variety . Seminars fo pics such as g, s to e i e t r eerin activi onals featu o engin tical t s i h t s s a e gp cri prof vigatin uccess in the ng a n , n o s ti ci innova ng maximum al life, enhan tive i n v ec o e i i ff s e h s c a rofe ls of p a t f n o e s r m for a da yea ty, fun est practices i v i t c u nd b prod force. ship, a leader exible work fl

HE RECORD T N O S N A E D ENGINEERING

MENTORS FOR BLACK-OWNED BUSINESSESES

THE PRESIDENTS '

ROUNDTABLE

is an organiz ation of 20 en trepreneurs Baltimore-W in the ashing ton re gion, which assets exceed oversees ing $1.1 billio n and emplo than 1,750 w ys more orkers in the area.

92 USBE&IT | WINTER 2016

www.blackengineer.com

GOING STRONG

GROUND-BREAKING DISCUSSION at power-packed professional workshops.

ENHANCE YOUR LEADERSHIP: Moving from Manager to Mentor

PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENT LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

2016 BLACK ENGINEER OF THE YEAR

THINKING IN LAYERS for Computer Security

BEYA FUN

FACT

Capt. ( re Cochra tired) Donnie n, the 1 9 Engine er of th 89 Black e the firs Year, w t Black a pilot in s the Blue An gels.

at a BEYA seminar in 2014

DIVERSE POINTS OF VIEW COACHING & DEVELOPMENT

www.blackengineer.com

WINTER 2016 I USBE&IT 93

GOING STRONG

AD INDEX

Abbott.................................................................................................................................18 AAMU College of Engineering, Technology, & Physical Sciences......................102 GOING STRONG The Aerospace Corporation. ..........................................................................................67 AT&T.................................................................................................................................... 30 Air Force Civilian Service...............................................................................................81 Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL).........................................................................8 BEYA STEM Conference 2017............................................................................................4 Boeing................................................................................................................. Back cover Boston Scientific.............................................................................................................. 65 Booz Allen Hamilton........................................................................................................72 CH2M................................................................................................................................... 38 Comcast NBC Universal..................................................................................................74 Corning Incorporated....................................................................................................60 Exelon Corporation..........................................................................................................31 FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.............................................................................103 FCA USA LLC......................................................................................................................... 1 GE......................................................................................................................................... 56 General Motors..................................................................................................................11 General Dynamics............................................................................................................61 Google................................................................................................... Inside front cover Hampton University School of Engineering and Technology.............................104 HARRIS................................................................................................................................ 95 Hewlett Packard Enterprise............................................................................................5 Howard University College of Engineering, Architecture, and Computer Sciences........................................................................................................105 Huntington Ingalls Industries.........................................................................................9 IBM....................................................................................................................................... 12 JPMorgan Chase & Co.................................................................................................... 83 Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.............................................................99 Johnson&Johnson...............................................................................Inside back cover L-3 Communications Corporation................................................................................19 Leidos..................................................................................................................................20 Lockheed Martin.........................................................................................................50, 51 Missile Defense Agency................................................................................................ 101 MITRE...................................................................................................................................82 Morgan State University Clarence Mitchell School of Engineering................. 106 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration..............................................98 National Security Agency..............................................................................................94 NAVAIR................................................................................................................................112 Navy Civilian Careers..................................................................................................... 24 New Jersey Institute of Technology...........................................................................98 North Carolina A&T State University College of Engineering.............................107 Northrop Grumman.........................................................................................................13 PSEG....................................................................................................................................99 Raytheon Company.........................................................................................................46 SAIC.....................................................................................................................................96 Siemens..............................................................................................................................69 Southern Company......................................................................................................... 95 Southwest........................................................................................................................ 101 USAA....................................................................................................................................57 USA Science and Engineering Festival........................................................................55 UMBC.................................................................................................................................108 UMES School of Business and Technology............................................................. 109 US Army Corps of Engineers........................................................................................ 97 US Navy...............................................................................................................................73 US Department of Energy............................................................................................ 110 US Secret Service ............................................................................................................45 World Wide Technology, Inc.........................................................................................44 years

GOING STRONG

GOING STRONG

94 USBE&IT | WINTER 2016

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40%

According to New CBcampus.com Survey

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of hiring managers would hire college interns for full-time, permanent positions.

Let us help you!

The CCG Job Match internship program connects and places diverse students and recent graduates with top STEM employers that offer invaluable work opportunities and experiences.

If you are ready to jump-start your career, visit

http//www.ccgjobmatch.com

Career Communications Group, Inc. | 729 East Pratt St., Suite 504 | Baltimore, MD 21202 | (410) 244-7101 | www.ccgmag.com

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