Prior to 2016, the Legacy Awards were classified under a distinct recognition category. However, the awards were later renamed to pay tribute to BEYA’s legacy, which dates back to 1987. These Legacy Awards are presented annually at the BEYA STEM Conference to honor individuals who have voluntarily contributed to the science, technology, engineering, and math … Continue reading “Legacy Award Winners at the BEYA STEM Conference, Part 1”

Dr. Tolessa Deksissa was recently awarded the Research Leadership Award at the 2022 BEYA STEM Conference for his contributions to environmental research, teaching, and training at the University of the District of Columbia. (Photo courtesy of UDC College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability and Environmental Sciences (CAUSES) blog) Dr. Victor McCrary, UDC’s vice president for research … Continue reading “Dr. Tolessa Deksissa: Pioneering Researcher and Educator Tackling Global Water Management Challenge”

Adedeji B. Badiru, the Dean of the Engineering and Management graduate school at the Air Force Institute of Technology, recently received an award at the BEYA (Becoming Everything You Are) Conference for his commitment to youth development and mentoring in STEM education. He believes in the power of education to change the world and has … Continue reading “Trust, support, and collaboration lead to success, BEYA winners say”

Looking back at the hundreds of award winners who have walked across the stage at annual conference events, we can see the real impact that the Black Engineer of the Year Awards has had on students and young professionals starting their careers in large corporate organizations. One award winner stated that the conference is important … Continue reading “Starting your career in a large corporation can be challenging, but BEYA can make a big difference for students and new professionals”

The BEYA STEM Conference has been a popular event for nearly forty years, drawing in skilled professionals and students from across America. The conference recognizes individuals who have accomplished remarkable feats in engineering roles in either the industry or government sectors. These individuals have also made a positive impact on society by serving as mentors … Continue reading “The BEYA STEM Conference celebrates successful engineers who mentor others”

Winners of the Black Engineer of the Year Award for Community Service demonstrate leadership through volunteer work, contributions, and other activities outside their duties. Kenneth Holley, a former staffing and recruiting specialist with Sandia National Laboratories, started the Historically Black Colleges and Universities program to attract Black students to Sandia. He also led the Black … Continue reading “Giving back to the community is a natural outcome of their life experiences”

Wendell Dale Foster is currently an executive director of Joint Force Headquarters for the Department of Defense information network. Foster won the Pioneer Award at the 2023 BEYA STEM Conference for helping the defense department make tremendous advancements in signal intelligence and offensive and defensive cyberspace operations. A retired Marine officer, Foster has made multiple … Continue reading “Tech pioneer wins national award at BEYA 2023”

Award winners lead R&D teams at the forefront of innovation. They serve as a role model and leader for minorities and women.

Professional Achievement award winners have made significant discoveries or advances in their career paths and are acknowledged as leaders of large STEM initiatives.

The Rodney C. Adkins Award for Business Transformation is named after the 2007 Black Engineer of the Year.