Tag: MIT
The First Black Woman to Serve as Student Body President at MIT
Danielle Geathers who is completing her sophomore year in mechanical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was elected president of the student body. Geathers is from Miami, Florida.
The First Black Valedictorian in the 274-Year History of Princeton University
Nicholas Johnson is a graduate of Selwyn House School in Westmount, Quebec. He has majored in operations research and financial engineering. He will begin doctoral studies in operations research this fall at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Darryll J. Pines Appointed President of the University of Maryland College Park
Currently, Dr. Pines is dean of the university’s A. James Clark School of Engineering and the Nariman Farvardin Professor of Aerospace Engineering. He first arrived at the university in 1995 as an assistant professor. Dr. Pines will take office on July 1
Texas A&M University’s Roderic Pettigrew Honored by the National Academy of Engineering
Professor Pettigrew’s award was given “for leadership at the National Institutes of Health, and for academic and industrial convergence research and education, resulting in innovations that have improved global health care.”
In Memoriam: Philip Freelon, 1952-2019
Philip Freelon was an educator, architect, and a key figure in the design of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. He served as a professor of practice at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Four Black Scholars Elected to the National Academy of Sciences
This year's results are an improvement from recent years. JBHE's analysis determined that in 2018, there were no African Americans among the 84 new members. In both 2016 and 2017, there was only one African American scholar among the new members.
Shirley Ann Jackson to Remain as President at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Until June 2022
Dr. Jackson was chair of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission from 1995 to 1999. She then left government service to take over as the 18th president of RPI in 1999. Dr. Jackson usually ranks at or near the top in rankings of the highest-paid college presidents in the country.
Sylvester James Gates to Lead the American Physical Society
Dr. Gates, Ford Foundation Professor at Brown University, has been named to the presidential line of the American Physical Society, a nonprofit organization that represents more than 55,000 physicists worldwide. Dr. Gates will serve as vice president in 2019, president-elect in 2020, and president in 2021.
In Memoriam: Kofi Atta Annan, 1938-2018
Kofi Annan was a career diplomat from Ghana who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1997 to December 2006. He earned a bachelor's degree at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, and master's degree in management at MIT.
Howard University Partners With Carnegie Mellon for Engineering Initiative
This partnership between historically Black Howard University and Carnegie Mellon University will cover a wide range of initiatives between the two institutions, including a dual-degree Ph.D. program that will allow students to earn a doctoral degree in engineering from both schools.
Johns Hopkins University Scholar Wins the $50,000 Hiett Prize in the Humanities
Chris Lebron, an associate professor of philosophy, is the winner of the award that recognizes "ascending" scholars whose are "devoted to the humanities and whose work shows extraordinary promise to have a significant impact on contemporary culture."
New Study Shows Racial Health Gap in HIV Cases Remains Wide
In 2016, Blacks were 8.4 times more likely than Whites to be diagnosed with HIV, whereas in 2005 they were 7.9 times more likely. The number Black men diagnosed with HIV increased from 9,969 in 2005 to 12,890 in 2016.
Seven African Americans Who Are Taking on New Administrative Roles at Universities
Here is this week’s roundup of African Americans who have been appointed to new administrative positions at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
MIT Debuts a New Website Documenting Its African American History
At present, the website offers more than 500 illustrations, photographs, and other archival material. An additional 2,500 items already collected by the MIT Black History Project will be included in the future.
MIT Scholar Finds Racial Bias in Commercial Facial Analysis Programs
The study found that commercially available face analysis programs had a very low error rate when determining the gender of light-skinned men. For women who had the darkest skin, the systems failed to accurately determine their gender nearly half the time.
Reginald Rogers Named Educator of the Year by the National Society of Black Engineers
The Dr. Janice A. Lumpkin Educator of the Year Award from the National Society of Black Engineers is given annually to a collegiate faculty member who demonstrates commitment to advancing education in engineering, science or mathematics.
Two African American Scholars Poised to Take on New Roles
Pamela Jackson, an associate professor and dean of the College of Business and Economics at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina was appointed interim provost. And Bryan Bryson will join the faculty at MIT as an assistant professor of biological engineering.
School of Architecture and Planning at MIT Adds Three Black Faculty Members
The School of Architecture and Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has announced the appointment of five new faculty members. Three of the new hires are African Americans: Jason Jackson, Erica James, and Danielle Woods.
New Assignments for Nine Black Faculty Members in Higher Education
Here is this week’s roundup of Black scholars who have been hired or assigned new duties at colleges and universities throughout the United States.
Four African American Women Scholars Taking on New Roles in Academia
The Black scholars assigned to new duties are Nadia Nurhussein at Johns Hopkins University, Sonja S. Watson at the University of Texas at Arlington, Danielle Wood at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Peggie R. Smith at Washington University in St. Louis.
Leo Morton Stepping Down as Chancellor of the University of Missouri-Kansas City in October
This past May, Leo E. Morton, chancellor of the University of Missouri-Kansas City, announced that he would step down at the end of the 2017-18 academic year. Now Chancellor Morton has announced that he will leave the university in October.
Six African Americans Appointed to New Administrative Positions in Higher Education
Taking on new roles are Jessica Evans at Murray State University, Jacqueline Jackson at Harford Community College, Kirsten Boswell-Ford at MIT, Teresa L. Smallwood at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Renarde D. Earl at Fayetteville State University, and Sharon Taylor Burnett at Tuskegee University.
Only One Black Scholar Among This Year’s 22 Pew Scholars in the Biomedical Sciences
Ibrahim I. Cissé, the Class of 1922 Career Development Assistant Professor in physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will receive $240,000 over the next four years from the Pew Charitable Trusts to support his research.
Notable Honors Awarded to Two African American Women in Higher Education
Rita Dove, Commonwealth Professor of English at the University of Virginia, was honored by the U.S. Presidential Scholars Foundation and DiOnetta Jones Crayton, associate dean for undergraduate education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, received an award from the Women in Engineering Pro-Active Network.
Leo E. Morton to Step Down as Chancellor of the University of Missouri-Kansas City
Morton has led the university since December 2008. At that time, he was chair of the university's board of trustees and agreed to lead the university as interim chancellor until a new leader could be found. But a few months later, the board asked him to take the job on a permanent basis.
Five African American Faculty Members Given New Assignments
The faculty members taking on new roles are Dineo Khabele at the University of Kansas Health System, Cullen Buie at MIT, Ingrid M. Nembhard at Yale University, Cherlon Ussery at Carleton College in Minnesota, and Kami Chavis at Wake Forest University in North Carolina.
Mark Smith Appointed Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Smith was a member of the 1980 and 1984 U.S. Olympic team in the sport of fencing. He currently serves as dean of the Graduate School at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He has held that post since 2009.
Harvard and MIT to Collaborate on Project to Boost Genetics Research in Africa
The Global Initiative for Neuropsychiatric Genetics Education in Research Project (GINGER) has recruited 17 African scholars who will attend workshops in the United States and London over the next two years on epidemiology, bioinformatics, genetics, and grant writing.
Three Black Scholars Elected Members of the National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering recently announced the election of 84 new members. The academy does not disclose the racial makeup of its membership, but it appears that there are three Black engineers among the 84 new members.
Four Black Scholars Honored With Prestigious Awards
The honorees are Wanda Spurlock of Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Carmen Robinson of the University of California, Santa Cruz, Alex Acholonu of Alcorn State University in Mississippi, and Joy Buolamwini of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Morehouse College Announces It Will Change Its Leadership
The board of trustees of Morehouse College, the historically Black educational institution for men in Atlanta, has announced that it will not extend the contract of the college's president John S. Wilson Jr. beyond June 30, 2017.
New Fellowship to Aid Black Students at the Harvard Graduate School of Design
The Philip Freelon Fellowship Fund at the Harvard Graduate School of Design will be used to provide financial aid to African Americans and students from other underrepresented groups who are pursuing graduate degrees in design.
Five Black Professors Receive New Teaching Assignments
Taking on new teaching roles are Craig S. Wilder at MIT, Stacy-Ann January at the University of South Carolina, Wonder Drake at Vanderbilt University, Joseph Ravenell at New York University, and Marlon James at Macalester College in Minnesota.
New Mentoring and Networking Group for Black Women at MIT
My Sister's Keeper, founded by Professor Helen Elaine Lee, seeks to support Black women students, with social, professional, and mentoring relationships. To meet this goal, the organization has created "sister circles," small groups of five or six students, staff, and faculty united by common interests.
New Discovery May Improve Treatment for Those Who Suffer From Sickle Cell Disease
A study by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Harvard University, MIT , Florida Atlantic University, and the University of Korea reports on a discovery that may help physicians treat those who suffer from sickle cell disease.
Higher Education Grants of Interest to African Americans
Here is this week’s news of grants to historically Black colleges and universities or for programs of particular interest to African Americans in higher education.
