USBE
For her contributions in teaching, scholarship, and service, Dr. Frances Williams received the 2018 STEM Innovation Award at the 32nd annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Global Competitiveness Conference.
Last week, Tennessee State University (TSU) News Service announced that Williams is one of two TSU researchers named among the “1,000 Inspiring Black Scientists in America” by Cell Mentor.
Williams, associate vice president of Research and Sponsored Programs and professor of electrical engineering, and Dr. Quincy Quick, associate professor of biology, were cited by Community of Scholars in its latest posting in Cell Mentors, according to TSU.
The Community of Scholars is “a group of Persons Excluded because of their Ethnicity or Race (PEER) composed of postdoctoral fellows, early-stage investigators, instructors, and consultants with a common passion to advance scientific discovery while innovating diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.”
Williams holds a patent in advanced materials and devices, biosensors, and nano- and micro-electromechanical systems processing and devices. She has received grants totaling over $15 million as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator. Williams earned degrees in electrical engineering from North Carolina A&T State University and a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
“I am humbled to be included with some of my STEM heroes and heroes," Williams told TSU. I hope that students see the list and are able to envision themselves as the next generation of scientists and innovators that make a positive impact on our world.”
A 1994 graduate of Ferrum College, Quincy Quick (left) earned his bachelor's degree in biology, with a minor in chemistry. He went on to earn his master's degree in biology from Virginia State University and his Ph.D. in Cell/Molecular Biology and Neuroscience from New Mexico State University. Currently, Quick has a research program investigating brain tumors and serves as a scientific grant reviewer for several cancer journals.
“The visibility from a minority standpoint is critical,” Quick said in a statement. “Oftentimes our work at HBCUs is overlooked in comparison to other majority institutions. Acknowledging the breadth of all of the African Americans across all types of institutions is a critical exposure for everybody.”
In addition to research projects supported by federal-state funding, Quick has mentored more than 80 students at the Ph.D., master’s, and undergraduate levels, as well as a research mentor for several NSF and NIH training and developmental programs.
Recently, Christopher R. Reid (right), 2020 winner of the Black Engineer Award for Outstanding Technical Contribution, joined the ASTM International Board of Directors. ASTM International’s board of directors is made up of 25 leaders from an array of companies, associations, and government bodies, one of the world's leading standards development organizations.
Reid, an associate technical fellow in human factors and ergonomics for Boeing’s Environment, Health, and Safety organization (North Charleston, South Carolina, USA), will serve a three-year term on the ASTM International board of directors. This organization in the aerospace corporation focuses on corporate strategy in health, safety, and environmental areas, including standards.
An ASTM International member since 2017, Reid is a member of the Exo Technology Center of Excellence Research and Development board, additive manufacturing technologies committee (F42), and exoskeletons and exosuits committee (F48). He is also chair of the subcommittee on human factors and ergonomics and a member of several other F48 subcommittees.
Reid holds doctoral and master’s degrees in industrial engineering and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering technology from the University of Central Florida.