The BEYA STEM Conference weekend was truly inspiring.
World Wide Technology (WWT) expressed pride in honoring their Modern-Day Tech Leaders, networking with industry peers at the BEYA Career Fair, and connecting with WWT Scholars from Hope Ignites, an organization that nurtures and guides motivated young people in need to become well-educated, career-ready men and women.
Dr. Celeste Chamberlain, a cybersecurity expert, highlighted collaborating with Dr. Talitha Washington, a leader in mathematics, who emphasized that 'data is the new oil, and math is the refinery.'
Chamberlain also recognized Krystal A. Porter, a systems engineer and BEYA advocate, for her mentorship in engineering leadership. Jordon M., a network security leader at Boeing, moderated Chamberlain's Quantum Roadmap presentation, while Renata Spinks-McNeal contributed valuable military cybersecurity expertise as a co-panelist.
Chamberlain reflected that BEYA reinforced the importance of collaboration and bold conversations in shaping the future of AI and quantum security.
Joel Carrasquillo, an honors computer science student at Tennessee State University and Google Innovation Tech Scholar, expressed gratitude for attending BEYA 40.
He noted that AI is transforming current workflows, while quantum computing is shaping the future. Sessions on AI in business, quantum roadmaps, and post-quantum cryptography demonstrated the integration of emerging technologies and the need to address security challenges.
Joel is preparing for his AWS Cloud Practitioner certification and plans to pursue the AWS AI certification. He thanks Tennessee State University for supporting student participation in such conferences.
Joseph Logan, a Virginia State University Honors College student specializing in AI and Robotics, described the 40th Anniversary BEYA STEM Conference as a celebration of excellence.
He found the event motivating and is eager to apply the insights gained as he advances in engineering.
Yassir Abdel Razig, professor and associate dean at FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, represented the College at the HBCU Deans Council and highlighted the excitement of seeing FAMU students compete in the AMIE Design Challenge.
Myron Fletcher, a senior program manager at Boeing, valued his role as a technical advisor to Tuskegee University during the AMIE Design Challenge, especially after the team achieved first place.
Kirsten Hill, an electrical engineering student and robotics club president at Tuskegee University, led the team to first place in the 2026 AMIE Design Challenge.
As team lead in her third year of competition, she focused on both technical excellence and team development. The team's dedication resulted in Tuskegee University's first-ever first-place win.
Hill was also recognized as the university's outstanding student at the Dean's Breakfast. As she approaches graduation, Hill is proud to conclude her AMIE participation with this achievement and expresses gratitude to her team, advisors, and supporters. She now looks forward to pursuing graduate education.