For a hundred years Howard University has been a pioneer in the education of African Americans in engineering and architecture. On Friday, April 27, a Centennial Awards Ceremony was held at the College of Engineering, Architecture and Computer Sciences to mark the event.
The college viewed the 100th anniversary as an opportunity to enhance its visibility in the public arena, the University community and among the college’s constituencies.
--
One hundred years ago Howard became the first historically Black college/university (HBCU) to offer engineering and architecture programs. For the first forty years, beginning in 1911, Howard was the only historically Black university offering engineering. Howard assisted the development of engineering and architecture programs at five other black colleges.
The 1970s saw the creation of an engineering education movement. Howard was a leader of that movement—bringing increased opportunities for minorities across the nation and accelerating the development of programs at Howard.
In more recent decades, as the lead University in a nation-wide National Science Foundation funded program called Engineering Coalition of Schools for Excellence in Education and Leadership (ECSEL), Howard influenced the direction of undergraduate education for the 21st century.
Efforts to transform undergraduate engineering education and increase the diversity of engineering graduates are paying off.
Thousands of students have graduated from the engineering and architecture programs, and these professionals have made an impact around the world in industry, educational institutions, national laboratories, government agencies, and the corporate sector.
Their achievements have contributed in areas of interest common to industry and the nation: the engineering pipeline, the nation’s production of engineers, diversity in the workforce, and efforts to ensure that the nation remains at the cutting edge of innovation and creativity.
Howard’s engineering program has executed pioneering research in nanocomposite metal semiconductor infrared technology, silicon carbide materials and devices, and Navier Stokes Equations. Howard University’s architecture program continues it role in providing professional design leadership in all sectors and at all levels of society with emphasis on instruction, research, scholarly activities and community services; and with a new emphasis on green architecture and the study and design for energy efficiency and sustainability.
These achievements have contributed to technological needs, increased the nation’s production of engineers, and advanced diversity in the workforce. Howard continues to have a leading role in the education of African American engineers and architects.
