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TEConomy Partners, LLC, a global leader in research, analysis, and strategy for innovation-driven economic development, has released a groundbreaking report assessing the state of research and talent at the ABET-accredited engineering schools of 15 historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Click here to read the full report.
The "Making Outsized Contributions for Ensuring Black Progress in Engineering Research and Education" study was prepared by TEConomy Partners for the MITRE Corporation, a longtime partner with Advancing Minorities’ Interest in Engineering (AMIE), a coalition of corporations, government agencies, and the engineering schools at the ABET-accredited Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).
According to the authors of the report, although more than one hundred HBCUs have made an enormous contribution to the United States, the 15 HBCUs with Schools of Engineering that meet the standards set out by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) are a true “national treasure for STEM research and education.”
The analysis in TEConomy's report validates the relevancy of the 15 ABET-accredited HBCU Schools of Engineering to address challenges in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and contribute to advancing leading areas of disruptive technologies of importance to the industry.
However, each of the HBCUs must overcome a legacy of underinvestment that requires immediate attention to reach their full potential in research, talent development, and Pre-K-12 STEM pathway activities. That potential includes building on the HBCUs’ successes and leading and collaborating in research with the Department of Defense, other federal government agencies, the business community, and Predominantly White Institutions (PWIs) to increase the magnitude and volume.
The themes guiding the study published in June 2022 include bringing opportunity to talent, meeting each HBCU where it is today and helping it move forward, and forging a new culture of collaboration and commitment to working together across the 15 Abet-accredited HBCUs.
The report aims to launch a dialogue to advance national policies and public-private partnerships to build on the collaborative research and talent strengths of the 15 ABET-accredited HBCU Schools of Engineering.
In advancing dialogue, the report has tapped the involvement of major corporations to examine the ability of the 15 HBCUs to meet industry innovation needs and to explore opportunities for enhancing the capacities of HBCUs in research, talent development, and Pre-K-12 STEM pipeline activities.
These industry and government partners include Abbott, Air Force Research Laboratory, Boeing, Boston Scientific, Career Communications Group, Corning, Dell EMC, Exelon, GM, IBM, Leidos, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, MITRE, NAVSEA, NetApp, Northrop Grumman, National Security Agency, Oracle, and the Applied Research Lab at Penn State.
Sponsor corporations participating in the report’s development include Abbott, Amazon, Boeing, Boston Scientific, General Motors, IBM, Lockheed Martin, Microsoft, MITRE, and Oracle.
Report findings include:
1. An analysis of 8,000 peer-reviewed publications generated by the 15 HBCUs across their institutions since 2015 finds that these institutions are active in publication fields associated with the disruptive technology areas and that the 15 HBCUs stand out, with much higher levels of publication specialization compared to the national average.
2. A summary of the alignment of the 15 HBCU publications activities across the broad areas of disruptive technologies finds strong connections to industry-relevant technology priorities in research activities:
• Connectivity & Networking – Activities in cybersecurity found within machine learning and distributed computing activities, electrical and electronic engineering capabilities aligned in device engineering applications on the Internet of Things, along with some activity in wireless/cloud and other current areas of emphasis in networking.
• Computing & Analytics – Significant activity levels in current areas of emphasis for industry, including machine learning, algorithm development, and modeling/simulation.
• Digital Systems – A wide range of systems engineering applications in electrical/electronic engineering and materials, primarily focused on embedded sensing and power electronics within aerospace, satellite, autonomous vehicles, and industrial control platforms.
• Materials & Energy -- a signature area of emphasis for research activities with a diverse portfolio of activities spanning from engineered/high-performance materials, optics, nanotechnology, bio-energy applications, and advanced materials analysis and testing.
• Medical Technology -- Activity in biomedical engineering highly focused on custom biocompatible materials context.
3. While each of the 15 HBCUs accepts students from out of state and internationally, its in-state population is a primary source of students for each school. The importance of this pipeline points to the opportunities for the nation to finance and leverage the strong engagement of the faculty and students of the 15 HBCU communities to support
4. Across the 15 HBCU Territorial networks, racial disparities in poverty, income, and educational outcomes are staggering. In many ways, this geographic area represents a microcosm of the socio-economic challenges and inequities still present throughout the United States.
5. The corporations developing this report have committed to meeting this national moment one university at a time. More specifically, each company involved in the initiative has committed to using a value-based approach to make a meaningful and sustained difference in enhancing the capacities of two or more of the 15 ABET-accredited HBCU Schools of Engineering.
Selected 15 HBCUs and the strengths that most directly influenced the partner matching:
Abbott
• FAMU-FSU: Well-established biomedical engineering program with solid research capacity
• NCA&T: Well-established biomedical engineering program offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees and home to an NSF Engineering Research Center on metallic biomaterials
• Prairie View: Offers a bioengineering concentration in their ABET-accredited chemical engineering program and is home to the Center for Computational Systems Biology, a multidisciplinary center to study complex biological processes
Amazon
• Howard: Sizable and breadth of engineering and computer sciences degrees and robust research intensity, including computing and analytics • Jackson State: Computer sciences and computer engineering accreditation along with data analytic strengths and active research program • Tennessee State: Strong computer sciences talent pipeline and publications activities, along with a strong women’s STEM focus
Boeing
• Alabama A&M: Sizable and diverse range of engineering and computer sciences degrees and geographic alignment • FAMU-FSU: Sizable and wide-ranging engineering program with a strong research focus • NCA&T: Sizable and wide-ranging engineering program with a strong research focus
Boston Scientific
• UDC: Growing biomedical engineering program • FAMU-FSU: Well-established biomedical engineering program with solid research capacity
General Motors
• NCA&T: Strengths in autonomous vehicles and material sciences • Virginia State: ABET-accredited in manufacturing engineering
IBM
• Hampton: Electrical engineering and computer engineering accreditation as well as student pipeline to top graduate programs • Jackson State: Computer sciences and computer engineering accreditation along with data analytic strengths and active research program
Lockheed Martin
• Morgan State: Sizable number of electrical engineering graduates along with geographic alignment • Prairie View: Ongoing STEM collaborations, breadth of engineering and computer sciences degrees, and research centers • Tuskegee: Only accredited aerospace engineering program among the 15 HBCUs and active materials engineering research effort
Microsoft
• Southern: Computer sciences accreditation and large master’s program • UMES: Growing computer sciences program and modern lab facilities
The MITRE Corporation
• Alabama A&M: Sizable and diverse range of engineering and computer sciences degrees and geographic alignment • Norfolk State: Only accredited optical engineering program among the 15 HBCUs, and sizable computer sciences master’s and research effort
Oracle
• Howard: Sizable and breadth of engineering and computer sciences degrees and vigorous research intensity, including computing and analytics • Tennessee State: Strong computer sciences talent pipeline and publications activities, along with a strong women’s STEM focus
THE 15 ABET-ACCREDITED HBCU SCHOOLS OF ENGINEERING
• Alabama A&M University College of Engineering, Technology and Physical Sciences • Florida A&M University-Florida State University College of Engineering • Hampton University School of Engineering and Technology • Howard University College of Engineering and Architecture • Jackson State University College of Science, Engineering, and Technology • Morgan State University School of Engineering • Norfolk State University College of Science, Engineering, and Technology • North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University College of Engineering • Prairie View A&M University Roy G. Perry College of Engineering • Southern University College of Sciences and Engineering • Tennessee State University College of Engineering • Tuskegee University College of Engineering • University of the District of Columbia School of Engineering and Applied Sciences • University of Maryland Eastern Shore School of Business and Technology • Virginia State University College of Engineering and Technology