African-American role models in science and technology.The need for more African Americans to pursue opportunities in engineering and technology is greater now than ever. Here are 10 stellar examples of the heights they can attain. The scientists profiled in the list of 10 AFRICAN-AMERICAN ROLE MODELS IN Science and Technology are phenomenal individuals holding top-level management positions in cutting-edge disciplines. They make decisions that affect the quality of our daily lives. Collectively, they comprise a Technology Intelligencia of sorts, a group held in high esteem not just by their companies, but also throughout their industries. Although each tells a different story, they have some things in common. Each received unconditional support and encouragement from parents. Each is passionate about their work. Each feels compelled to "give back" and is going out of his or her way to open doors so that more minorities can follow in their footsteps. RODNEY ADKINS IBM (International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY, www.ibm.com) The world's largest computer company. IBM's product lines include the S/390 mainframes (zSeries), AS/400 midrange business systems (iSeries), RS/6000 workstations and servers (pSeries), Intel-based servers (xSeries) [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Growing up, Rodney Adkins spent a lot of his free time dismantling his family's appliances--"the TV, radio, even my mother's vacuum cleaner vacuum cleaner, mechanical device using a draft of air to remove dust, loose dirt, or other particulate matter from dry surfaces. It is especially useful on highly textured surfaces, such as carpets and upholstery, that are difficult to clean by wiping or brushing. ," he said. "It drove my parents crazy. But as long as I put everything back so that it worked, there was no problem." Today--26 years after he graduated from college and joined IBM--Adkins is senior vice president of development and manufacturing for the company's Systems & Technology Group. In this high-profile job, overseeing a global operation spanning 30 locations and 20 countries, Adkins has distinguished himself as one of the most powerful IT executives in the country. Adkins is in charge of product development and manufacturing for IBM parts, technologies and semiconductor systems, including the silicon chips and microprocessors that power game systems such as Sony's PlayStation 3, Microsoft's Xbox and Nintendo's Wii. He also oversees work on hardware and software for storage systems for everyday activities such as ATM transactions and online airline reservations. It was a joint degree program that allowed him to get a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering electrical engineering: see engineering. electrical engineering Branch of engineering concerned with the practical applications of electricity in all its forms, including those of electronics. from Georgia Tech in 1981 and another in physics from Rollins College Rollins College is a liberal arts college located in Winter Park, Florida, United States. Its current president is Lewis Duncan. Rollins College is situated on the south side of downtown Winter Park, along the shores of Lake Virginia. in 1982. He received a master's degree master's degree n. An academic degree conferred by a college or university upon those who complete at least one year of prescribed study beyond the bachelor's degree. Noun 1. in electrical engineering from Georgia Tech in 1983. At IBM, Adkins quickly advanced from engineer to division leader and held a number of product development, business operations Business operations are those activities involved in the running of a business for the purpose of producing value for the stakeholders. Compare business processes. The outcome of business operations is the harvesting of value from assets and general management positions. As head of IBM's Pervasive Computing Refers to the use of computers in everyday life, including PDAs, smartphones and other mobile devices. It also refers to computers contained in commonplace objects such as cars and appliances and implies that people are unaware of their presence. Division, Adkins was part of the team that created the ThinkPad. IBM recognized Adkins's leadership abilities by naming him to its Worldwide Management Council. He earned the Golden Torch The Golden Torch, more commonly known as The Torch was a mod nightclub in Stoke upon Trent, England. It started life as a church and later became an ice skating rink, and in the 1940s, the Little Regent Cinema. Award for Lifetime Achievement in Industry from the National Society of Black Engineers National Society of Black Engineers (commonly known as NSBE), founded in 1975 at Purdue University, is one of the largest student-run organizations in the US, centered on improving the recruitment and retention of African-American engineering students. (2001) and was one of Fortune magazine's 50 most powerful black executives in the country in 2002. In 2005, Adkins was elected to the National Academy of Engineering and is the 2007 Black Engineer of the Year. DAVID David, in the Bible David, d. c.970 B.C., king of ancient Israel (c.1010–970 B.C.), successor of Saul. The Book of First Samuel introduces him as the youngest of eight sons who is anointed king by Samuel to replace Saul, who had been deemed a failure. BLANDING BOEING PHANTOM WORKS The Phantom Works division is the main research and development arm of The Boeing Company. Founded by McDonnell Douglas before the merger with Boeing, its primary focus had been development of advanced military products and technologies. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] David Blanding, a sharecropper's son from rural South Carolina South Carolina, state of the SE United States. It is bordered by North Carolina (N), the Atlantic Ocean (SE), and Georgia (SW). Facts and Figures Area, 31,055 sq mi (80,432 sq km). Pop. (2000) 4,012,012, a 15. , didn't grow up dreaming about becoming an engineer. "I knew that I enjoyed math and science, and I always wondered why things worked the way they did," he said. "When I got in high school, I got involved in a drafting class that allowed me to design and build things. To me, that was a whole lot better than heading for the cotton fields." His humble beginnings Humble Beginnings was an American pop punk band from New Jersey. While never gaining large-scale success, many of the band's members went on to mainstream success with other outfits. helped Blanding keep things in perspective as his engineering career took off. In 36 years at Boeing Phantom Works, the advanced research and development unit of Boeing Co., Blanding has was worked on major aircraft including the B-1B Bomber, the AC-130 Gunship gun·ship n. An armed aircraft, such as a helicopter, that is used to support troops and provide fire cover. , the Space Shuttle space shuttle, reusable U.S. space vehicle. Developed by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it consists of a winged orbiter, two solid-rocket boosters, and an external tank. , the National Aerospace Plane and the Apache Helicopter. He has been instrumental in developing new technologies for Boeing's Space Launch Initiative and has been awarded $40 million for other research and development contracts. Blanding, a Boeing Technical Fellow, won the 2006 Black Engineer of the Year Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution in Industry. He is currently involved in groundbreaking work--developing advanced technology to implement the company's all-electric aircraft. Using a technique Blanding developed, "we will be removing all the hydraulically powered devices that steer the aircraft and replace them with electric actuators." That will make planes easier to maintain and repair. Blanding grew up in Anderson, S.C., and received a Bachelor of Science Noun 1. Bachelor of Science - a bachelor's degree in science BS, SB bachelor's degree, baccalaureate - an academic degree conferred on someone who has successfully completed undergraduate studies degree in intelligence at UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX . For all his groundbreaking work, Blanding acknowledges his help. "God has always been part of my life," he said. "My faith in him has allowed me to take risks and develop new things." Blanding also serves both his company and his alma mater as Boeing's executive recruiter for Florida A & M University. "The most important thing has been for me to keep things in perspective and remember I didn't get here by myself," Blanding said. "A lot of people have helped and encouraged me along the way." MARK E. DEAN IBM [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Mark E. Dean, whose name appears on numerous lists of African-American inventors, was as important to the development of the personal computer as Thomas Edison was to the light bulb. Dean, who holds three of IBM's original nine PC patents, was chief engineer on a project to enable computers to use high-performance software and communicate with multiple external devices such as keyboards, printers, speakers and modems. Earlier PCs were single-use devices with no memory, no video and no audio. He and his associates truly made the personal computer what it is today. Dean, who joined IBM in 1979, is now vice president of the company's Almaden Research Center The IBM Almaden Research Center, located near San Jose, California, is one of IBM's largest research centers, specializing in both basic research in material science and applied research in computer storage, where many refinements and improvements were made in hard disc drive in San Jose, Calif. He is also IBM's senior location executive for Silicon Valley. He oversees the work of more than 400 scientists and engineers and has led in the design of a wide range of IBM products. "I'm crazy about technology," said Dean, who arrives for work by 7 a.m. each day. "I have a vivid imagination. To me, anything you can imagine is possible. I'm not afraid to try." Dean grew up in rural Jefferson City, Tenn. He was an outstanding athlete and straight-A student known to have a penchant for science. His father, who built a tractor from scratch, was his role model and hero. In 1979, Dean received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Tennessee The University of Tennessee (UT), sometimes called the University of Tennessee at Knoxville (UT Knoxville or UTK), is the flagship institution of the statewide land-grant University of Tennessee public university system in the American state of Tennessee. , a master's in electrical engineering from Florida Atlantic University “FAU” redirects here. For other uses, see FAU (disambiguation). Florida Atlantic University, also referred to as FAU or Florida Atlantic, is a public, coeducational research university with its main campus in Boca Raton, Florida, United States. in 1982, and a Ph.D. from Stanford in 1992. In 1996 and 1997, Dean was named an IBM Fellow, the company's highest technical award. He has received scores of outside awards, including the 2006 National Institute of Science Outstanding Scientist Award, The Black Engineer of the Year President's Award, induction into the National Academy of Engineering and the NSBE NSBE National Society of Black Engineers Distinguished Engineer Award. Dean was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame The National Inventors Hall of Fame is an organization that honors important inventors from the whole world who have lodged a domestic American patent. The only prerequisite of induction is being named an inventor on a US patent. Posthumous induction is allowed. in 1997 and has more than 40 patents or patents pending. LINDA GOODEN LOCKHEAD MARTIN [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] At a time when women are disproportionately underrepresented un·der·rep·re·sent·ed adj. Insufficiently or inadequately represented: the underrepresented minority groups, ignored by the government. among top business executives in the technology sector, Lockheed Martin's Linda Gooden shows off the possibilities. Gooden, who joined Lockheed Martin 28 years ago, has used her technical skills and business acumen to help position her employer as the federal government's largest IT provider. Today, she's executive vice president of the one of the company's fastest-growing groups--the newly combined Information Systems & Global Services (IS & GS) division based in Gaithersburg, Md. Under her leadership, IS & GS will integrate $10 billion worth of business and go after an even larger market share. IS & GS operates in more than 20 major U.S. locations and 60 countries. Gooden said she leads an organization of 52,000 "talented women and men who are developing and delivering information systems and services for our government customers that make a difference in the lives of millions of people around the world." Gooden, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, has a bachelor's degree in computer science from Youngstown State University Youngstown State University, at Youngstown, Ohio; coeducational; est. 1908 as a department of the Youngstown Association School sponsored by the Young Men's Christian Association. and a second bachelor's in business administration from the University of Maryland University of Maryland can refer to:
Her rise up Lockheed Martin's corporate ladder required more than skill and ability. "The most important characteristic is the ability to listen and really understand what customers, employees and managers are trying to achieve," said Gooden, who grew up in a household where three of five siblings chose IT careers. "It's fundamental to success in dealing with anyone, in any role, at any level." Don't be afraid to take risks, Gooden added. "You have to recognize that sometimes you will fail. But you have to regard both the successes and failures as learning experiences and always focus on looking forward." Gooden was named 2006 Black Engineer of the Year by U.S. Black Engineer and IT magazine, was featured as one of Black Enterprise magazine's Women of Power in Business for 2006 and was named a 2006 Aiming High honoree by Legal Momentum. In 2005, she was awarded an honorary doctor of public service degree from the University of Maryland University College The University of Maryland University College (UMUC), located in the unincorporated community of Adelphi in Prince George's County, Maryland in the United States, is the second-largest university in Maryland. in recognition of her service to the community and higher education. JOHNEY BOYD GREEN OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is a multiprogram science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle, LLC. ORNL is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] We may not understand its intricacies, but we can all applaud the work Johney Boyd Green does as manager of Oak Ridge National Laboratory's Fuels, Engines and Emissions Research Center in Oak Ridge, Tenn. "We conduct research related to fuels utilization, engine efficiency and pollution mitigation," said Green, "We seek to significantly reduce our nation's dependence on foreign petroleum." Green, who manages a $12 million annual budget and supervises more than other 30 engineers and scientists, is one of the 50 Most Important Blacks in Research Science, according to the September 2004 issue of Science Spectrum magazine. Oak Ridge is a science and technology laboratory managed for the U.S. Department of Energy Green, who has worked there since 1995, has collaborated with researchers from Ford Motor Co. while conducting experimental research for advanced diesel engines designed for light-duty vehicles. In April 2003, he completed an assignment with the U.S. Department of Energy, looking for Looking for In the context of general equities, this describing a buy interest in which a dealer is asked to offer stock, often involving a capital commitment. Antithesis of in touch with. ways to increase the efficiency of trucks and buses. The son of educators, Green grew up in Memphis, Tenn. and Baton Rouge, La. He showed an early aptitude for math and science, but he said he still relied on faith, persistence and hard work in pursuing advanced degrees in mechanical engineering. "My path hasn't always been straight, but I'm hardheaded hard·head·ed adj. 1. Stubborn; willful. 2. Realistic; pragmatic. hard  head ," said Green. "If I believe
in something, I won't let anyone convince me otherwise."
After graduating magna cum laude from the University of Memphis The University of Memphis is a public research university located in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, and is a flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system. in 1992 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, Green got his master's and doctorate from Georgia Institute of Technology Georgia Institute of Technology, in Atlanta, Ga.; coeducational; state supported; chartered 1885, opened 1888. It is a member school in the university system of Georgia. Significant among its facilities and programs are the Frank H. in 1993 and 2000, respectively In May 2004, Green received the Black Engineer of the Year Award. The 35-year-old's biggest career highlight came in September, when he was invited to participate in the National Academy of Engineering's Frontiers of Engineering program near Seattle. This program brings together engineers--ages 30 to 45--performing exceptional research to share and exchange their ideas. As a volunteer who represents his company on the National GEM Consortium, which addresses the critical shortfall in the production of engineering talent, Green helps raise money for fellowships and scholarships for masters and doctoral candidates from underserved communities. "This program supported a portion of my graduate education, and I feel compelled to raise money to provide the same opportunity to others," Green said. SHIRLEY A. JACKSON RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, at Troy, N.Y.; coeducational; founded and opened 1824 as Rensselaer School; chartered 1826. It was called Rensselaer Institute from 1837 to 1861. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] She's been called "a national treasure" and the "ultimate role model for women in science." Shirley Ann Jackson, president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., ranks high among this country's technology elite. She is the first African-American woman to receive a doctorate from MIT MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the first African American to serve as chairman of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), an independent U.S. government commission, created by the Energy Reorganization Act of 1974 and charged with licensing and regulating civilian use of nuclear energy to protect the public and the environment. . During her celebrated career, Jackson has held senior leadership positions in government, industry, research and academia. Jackson, who has a Ph.D. in physics, grew up attending segregated schools in Washington, D.C. She earned a doctorate in theoretical elementary particle physics in 1973. Jackson has been a change agent in every job she's had. At the NRC NRC abbr. 1. National Research Council 2. Nuclear Regulatory Commission Noun 1. NRC - an independent federal agency created in 1974 to license and regulate nuclear power plants , she employed a new management system, helped developed a new reactor oversight program, created a reactor license renewal program. Congress recently passed legislation taking note of what Jackson calls our nation's "Quiet Crisis"--the looming shortage in the country's science and engineering workforce. "The generation of scientist and engineers who came of age after World War II are reaching retirement age and there are not enough people in the pipeline to replace them," Jackson said. The fact that many U.S. students are not interested in developing the basic science and math skills needed to pursue careers in science, engineering and related careers" is a cause for concern, she said. So is the fact that minorities and women are under-represented in technology. "They comprise two-thirds of the population," Jackson said. "If we don't have more representation from these groups, it means we aren't tapping the talent pool." Although Congress has responded affirmatively, Jackson said, she is planning another initiative to get the measure funded. The National Science Board awarded Jackson its 2007 Vannevar Bush Award The National Science Board established the Vannevar Bush Award in 1980 to honor Dr. Vannevar Bush's unique contributions to public service. His name is pronounced Van-NEE-var as in "receiver" (IPA: [ˌvæˈniː.vɚ]). for "a lifetime of achievements in scientific research, education and senior statesman-like contributions to public policy;" She has 44 honorary doctorates and other awards and honors--far too numerous to mention. COLETTE M. KELLY TEXAS INSTRUMENTS [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Colette Kelly always knew she wanted to be an engineer. "I had good math and science skills and always took things apart to see how they worked. I was very quiet, very studious stu·di·ous adj. 1. a. Given to diligent study: a quiet, studious child. b. Conducive to study. 2. and didn't want to talk to anybody. As an engineer, I felt I could hide behind a desk, nobody would bother me and I'd work on scientific things," she said. Today, Kelly laughs at that childhood memory. As a manufacturing manager for Texas Instruments in Dallas, communicating is 75 percent of the job. More than 400 employees at East Building Test, TI's largest probe facility, report to her. Kelly's unit is the first line of testing for most TI products--from cell phones to camera chips to MP3 players to mainframe computer systems. "Every device we manufacture has a wafer that can contain from 100 to 2,000 chips," she said. "We have to test each individual chip to make sure it operates properly." As a new manager, Kelly reduced turnovers from 18 percent to 8 percent within a year after creating a staffing model to improve employee morale. "Once our employees knew they had a forum to be heard, 90 percent of the issues were eliminated within the first six months," she said." Kelly grew up in St. Louis, and attended the University of Missouri-Rolla on a basketball scholarship. She received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1992 and completed an MBA MBA abbr. Master of Business Administration Noun 1. MBA - a master's degree in business Master in Business, Master in Business Administration in engineering and technology management at the University of Dallas The University of Dallas is a Catholic institution. It seeks to educate its students to develop the intellectual and moral virtues, to prepare themselves for life and work, and to become leaders in the community. in Irving. Her background as an athlete contributed to her success, honing her skills and instincts she employs to this day. "When you are a college athlete, you have to manage your time," Kelly said. "And you develop this sense of competitiveness. You're constantly in a mindset mind·set or mind-set n. 1. A fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person's responses to and interpretations of situations. 2. An inclination or a habit. where you want to win." She was nominated for the National Society of Black Engineers' Engineer of the Year award in 2003. This year, she won the Women of Color in Technology Managerial Leadership Award and she is director of TI's Black Employee Initiative, which participates in diversity fairs and conferences as well as mentoring programs. Being a strong mentor is becoming increasingly important to Kelly. "I tell students there are good opportunities for women and minorities in the semiconductor industry if they are technically competent, bold, outspoken and creative. I tell them the sky is the limit but that they can't worry about what others are doing. If they don't bring their game 100 percent of the time, the chances of making it to the top get slimmer." WIL See WinBatch. MYRICK SAIC SAIC - http://saic.com. [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Wilbur Myrick of SAIC, a world expert in measurement and signatures intelligence adaptive signal processing, is a detective of sorts. He looks for signals that could impact our nation's security. Myrick, senior signal processing analyst at Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in Northern Virginia, extracts information from signals, including wireless communication. Many of the technologies he developed are being used in the intelligence community. He spent his childhood picking apart his brother's toys, going to science fairs and devouring electronic magazines in his hometown of Courtland, Va. He did undergraduate work at Norfolk State and received a Ph.D. from Purdue University in 2000. Myrick's keys to success can open doors beyond the classroom. "You've got to have courage and conviction, he said. "I don't give up on things easily. If you have a problem, try to figure it out." Passion is another requirement. "A lot of people find a career, but they're not passionate. They don't get energy from trying to solve a problem," he said. If you want to be a scientist, "Get involved in a summer program. It allows you to get an idea early if it's what you want to do," Myrick said. Once in college "take your freshman year very seriously," he adds. "Keep things in perspective. You can always have fun later on." Myrick, who has won numerous research and incentive awards from SAIC, won the 2006 Black Engineer of the Year Award for Career Achievement in Industry at the BEYA Conference in Baltimore. "It's a nice highlight," said Myrick, who mentors junior engineers in his company and recruits for SAIC at the University of Maryland. "I'm at a point where I want to do more than help junior staff reach their potential. I'm hoping to mentor the next generation of students and encourage more minorities to pursue engineering and advanced degrees." |
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