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Florida A&M University (FAMU) alum Nathan Brooks, Ph.D., a Technical Fellow at Boeing, was recently recognized as the Defense, Space & Security Engineer of the Year. Brooks earned the rare honor for his work supporting antenna design and testing across a diverse portfolio of products.
“As a graduate of an HBCU, striving for technical excellence while caring for others was ingrained in me. I am honored to be acknowledged by Boeing for my dedication in applying those principles as best I can,” Dr. Brooks told FAMU News. “I have been blessed to contribute my expertise in electromagnetics.”
According to FAMU, Boeing welcomed nearly 100 students from historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) into its intern program in 2020. Boeing also awarded $53,000 in grants to FAMU to fund scholarships, curriculum enrichment, student projects, student outreach, and retention, and student organizations in support of students pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), business or information technology (IT). Brooks was the first person to earn a doctorate degree in electrical engineering from FAMU.
During his career, Brooks has been noted for work on Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) projects and a DARPA system that uses methods to gain awareness of things inside a building from the outside.
His external honors include US Black Engineer magazine's Senior Technology Fellow Award, which is presented at the BEYA STEM Conference to professionals who dream up new devices, lead R&D teams, and serve as a role model and leader for minorities and women.
In addition to mentoring Boeing engineers, Brooks volunteers as technical liaison with AMIE (Advancing Minorities’ Interest in Engineering) and technical fellow liaison for the Potomac region of Boeing’s Black Employee Association. Brooks also engages with FAMU and Howard as a member of Boeing teams focused on developing relationships through research, sponsorship, and internship opportunities