Six years ago, a trailblazing engineer born in East Baltimore put out a service call on Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Dr. Charles Johnson-Bey, a BEYA award winner and a National Academy of Engineering member, spoke about why he represents his employer at organizations that reach kids across the country. Johnson-Bey pointed out that people often assume there is nothing valuable in neighborhoods with fewer resources.
That is where the BEYA STEM Conference makes a difference, he said, because it highlights that there are smart kids from loving families who have the potential to succeed.
The BEYA STEM Conference helps people find scientists, technologists, and engineers. BEYA is a place where kids can see people who look like them and feel represented.
Dr. Johnson-Bey has visited schools and mentored young people interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM).
As a former professor at Morgan State University in Baltimore, he encourages students to see what they can achieve and reminds them that their dreams are possible, as he shared on the Larry Young Show.
He tells them they can use their education and skills to reach their goals and improve life for themselves and their families. "I work with a lot of programs that go from elementary through high school through college," he said.
At Baltimore Polytechnic, he encouraged students to learn about math through music during their classes. The Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, known as Poly, is one of the city's oldest high schools.
"We talk about the mathematical foundation of music and how it all comes together," he explained. "We also discuss what you can do with sound, how to create it, and how to use music to help people feel better in crowded places. These are ways we invest in our kids and ideas as a community, and it helps students see the value in what they can do."
Johnson-Bey won a career achievement award at BEYA in 2018. He was described as "one of the most outstanding STEM mentors and volunteers" at a leading defense contractor.
"It was a big gala," Johnson-Bey said about his award presentation at the BEYA STEM Conference. "I had my whole family there—three kids and my wife of 27 years. Walking out on that stage and hearing all the love from the audience, including former students from Morgan and longtime colleagues, made me think about all the hard work that goes into being dedicated to your craft and helping young people."
In 2019, Dr. Johnson-Bey also presented an award at BEYA. At the 2020 BEYA STEM Conference, he led seminars on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math for pre-college students. "A lot of times, people think, 'I don't look like that, or I don't like math that way.' But if you tell someone you'll give them five dollars in their paycheck and you give them four, they can count pretty well, right? We want people to see that math is in finance, dance, art, and video games," he said.
Many video games now use augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Many of our kids play these games, and we want them to know they have a place to grow their ideas and dreams.
Johnson-Bey encourages parents in Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia to attend the BEYA STEM Conference with their children. "The BEYA Conference helps us and our community grow and connect," he said. For 40 years, the BEYA STEM Conference has encouraged young people to pursue their goals and careers through passion, education, and hard work. Each year, STEM leaders and professionals gather to inspire and motivate a new generation of college graduates who will help build the 21st-century economy.
Next week, Dr. Johnson-Bey, as a member of the National Academy of Engineering (NAE) and co-principal Investigator of the Engineering Research Visioning Alliance, will present the first Frontiers of Engineering-ERVA Idea Awards at the NAE National Meeting.
Johnson-Bey has spent his career solving complex engineering and technology problems. He has been a professor and researcher, earned a doctorate in electrical engineering, and worked at Motorola research labs and Corning’s Research and Development Center.
The 2026 NAE National Meeting will focus on “Engineering the Future: Innovation for People and the Planet.”
Other notable BEYA winners in the NAE include Ted Colbert, the 2022 Black Engineer of the Year, who was recognized for his leadership in advanced commercial and military air and space platforms; Dr. Shirley Ann Jackson, retired president of Rensselaer Polytechnic; Wanda M. Austin, former president and CEO of the Aerospace Corporation; Colin Parris, retired senior vice president and CTO of GE Digital; and Ken Washington, retired senior vice president and chief technology and innovation officer at Medtronic.
The NAE is made up of senior professionals from business, academia, and government who have shown outstanding technical achievements and leadership.
NAE members volunteer their time to help shape federal laws and regulations, improve government programs, and inform the public on important issues. Being elected to the NAE is one of the highest honors for an engineer.