Message from the President

Thank you for joining us. Dr. Bill Cosby, our indefatigable Keynote Speaker has been traveling the nation from Philadelphia to Los Angeles and the airwaves from Oprah to Meet the Press delivering the important message that, no matter what the circumstances, we must assume responsibility for what happens to our children. Given the importance of science and technology to our children’s future, we at The Benjamin Banneker Institute for Science and Technology hope to encourage the Black science community to use this mandate as a launching pad to catapult the Black presence in science and technology into the 21st Century.

National competitiveness, global warming, and energy independence are national challenges that constitute potential opportunities for African Americans. According to Craig Barrett, Chair of The Intel Corporation, America is finding these such difficult issues to gain traction on because “ . . . the nation is asleep at the wheel.” In Dr, Barrett’s view, fifty years of global dominance had lulled America into a false sense of complacency about our way of life, and most Americans are not aware or are just not convinced that radical new action is required to right the global balance on these matters.

Two things are true and relevant here. First, it is less difficult for African Americans to see and believe the writing on the wall because we are accustomed to “reading” our environment. . Second, one of the best ways to solve a problem is to pursue a goal that you have to go through the problem to achieve. Sputnik is a case in point of the latter effect. The national fear was that we were lagging behind technologically and that this was a clear threat to our way of life. The goal we posited for ourselves in response to Sputnik was not to increase the number of scientists in America or to foment a scientific revolution. The goal was to go to the moon in ten years. I was a little kid living in the Philadelphia area at the time, and the impact of that Sputnik goal reached all the way through all the societal levels that separated me from national decision-makers, affected the quality of math and science education I received, and drew me into the study of physics. I submit to you that our response to Sputnik is singularly responsible for the technological dominance that America has enjoyed for the past 50 years.

What has all of this to do with low performance and participation rates of African Americans in STEM fields? The educational disparities and other residual manifestations of institutional racism that have plagued our community since the founding of the Republic have proven as intractable a challenges as any. this nation faces. I am suggesting that to solve this problem, we need to posit for ourselves a goal that we will have to go through the problem to achieve. I suggest to you that national competitiveness, global warming, and energy independence together represent our 21st Century Sputnik. They are interrelated challenges which if not addressed pose a clear threat to our way of life. The Banneker Institute is working on an initiative which, working through our science membership organizations, will position African Americans to assume responsibility for waking the nation up to the implications of these challenges and leading the nation in the development and implementation of strategies for addressing them.

Engaging with the problems of the nation in this manner will showcase Black talent, raise the profile of our people, and give our children something to aspire to that is worthy of them. Tonight’s program will demonstrate that we are ready to take on this challenge. It will also identify the problems we need to go through to get there. Let us proceed.

Enjoy the evening!

Claudia C. Pharis
Founder and CEO
Catalyst

Congressman Chaka Fattah, welcome

Chaka Fattah is an experienced lawmaker serving in his seventh term in the U.S. House of Representatives. He represents the Second Congressional District of Pennsylvania, which includes parts of Philadelphia and Cheltenham Township.

Throughout his career, Congressman Fattah has been a champion of high quality education for all children. GEAR UP (Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs), of which Congressman Fattah was the architect, began with his desire for all children to have an equal opportunity to receive the best education possible. Assisting millions of children, GEAR UP has become the largest pre-college awareness program in this nation's history and has contributed nearly $2 billion toward the educational advancement of low-income students.

During his 12 years of public service to the city of Philadelphia in the Pennsylvania Legislature – where he served six years as a state representative and another six as a state senator – Fattah led the way to help local families make the transition from the Federal welfare program to the workforce with the help of job training and work placement programs. In 1986 Fattah developed the annual Fattah Conference on Higher Education. The conference motivates thousands of Philadelphia college students to pursue advanced degrees after graduation. In February 2006, at the 20th anniversary celebration of the Conference on Higher Education, Congressman Fattah announced that all 700 undergraduate attendees would receive full scholarships to graduate school. Read to Lead – another of Fattah’s educational initiatives – provides free books and classroom instruction to more than 5,000 students.

Dr. Bill Cosby, keynote speaker

Bill Cosby is, by any standards, one of the most influential stars in America today. Whether it be through concert appearances or recordings, television or films, commercials or education, Bill Cosby has the ability to touch people's lives. His humor often centers on the basic cornerstones of our existence, seeking to provide an insight into our roles as parents, children, family members, and men and women. Without resorting to gimmickry or lowbrow humor, Bill Cosby's comedy has a point of reference and respect for the trappings and traditions of the great American humorists such as Charlie Chaplin, Will Rogers, W.C. Fields and Groucho Marx.

The 1984-92 run of The Cosby Show and his books Fatherhood and Time Flies established new benchmarks on how success is measured. His status at the top of the TVQ survey year after year continues to confirm his appeal as one of the most popular personalities in America. Cosby's believability and humor makes him most effective as the spokesman for Jell-O. His lifelong contributions to American culture were recognized with a Kennedy Center Honor in 1998 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in July 2002, America’s highest civilian honor.

Today, Cosby has touched the hearts of a new generation of young children with his Little Bill animated series, which airs daily on Nickelodeon and Saturday mornings on CBS. The show is based on Cosby's popular children's books. His interest in young people also spawned his best-selling book, Congratulations! Now What?, published by Hyperion. The book contains his amusing yet wise take on college life and what lies ahead for the new graduate in the real world.

Friends of a Feather, a HarperCollins book released in May 2003, is Cosby’s most recent children’s book. Illustrated by his daughter, Erika, it is a beautiful story that explores the theme of being true to yourself.

I Am What I Ate … and I’m frightened!!!, Cosby’s newest book published by HarperCollins was released at the end of October and entered the New York Times Best Seller List at #5. It offers a hip, humorous, hardearned wisdom on the healthy lifestyle and the behavior behind it.

His best seller Fatherhood was launched appropriately enough on Father’s Day as an animated series on Nick at Nite.

Bill and Camille Cosby in conjunction with Fox Studios premiered a live action/animated Fat Albert motion picture. It has been a box office success. The Fat Albert television show is now available on DVD and is selling briskly.

Cosby's initial immediate success began with Bill Cosby Is A Very Funny Fellow, Right? and continued with many other comedy albums. He also has released a number of jazz recordings, including hello, friend: to ennis with love (released in 1997). Cosby has earned five Grammy Awards for best comedy album.

He often neglected his studies for athletics and, after repeating the tenth grade, he left school to join the Navy. He finished high school via a correspondence course while still in the service. When he was discharged, he enrolled at Temple University as the result of an athletic scholarship where he earned academic honors. His goal was to become a physical education teacher. He probably could have made it as a professional football player, but the world is richer in laughter because he decided on show business.

Mr. Juan Williams, call to action

Juan Williams, one of America’s leading political commentators and writers, is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Enough – The Phony Leaders, Dead-End Movements, and Culture of Failure That Are Undermining Black America – What We Can Do About It. He is also the author of the critically acclaimed biography: Thurgood Marshall - American Revolutionary and the nonfiction bestseller Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965, companion volume to the critically-acclaimed television series. Another recent book is I’ll Find A Way or Make One, a tribute to historically black colleges and universities. He is also the author of This Far by Faith – Stories from the African American Religious Experience. This book is the basis for a six-part Public Broadcasting TV documentary that aired in June of 2003. In 2004, he released My Soul Looks Back In Wonder – Voices of the Civil Rights Experience.

When not writing bestsellers, Williams is the Senior Correspondent for National Public Radio and Political Analyst for the Fox News Channel. He is a regular panelist on the weekly news affair program Fox News Sunday. Mr. Williams began his professional journalism career at The Washington Post. In a 23-year-career at the Post he has served as an editorial writer, op-ed columnist and White House correspondent and national correspondent. He has won several awards for investigative journalism and his opinion columns. He also won an Emmy Award for TV documentary writing and won wide-spread critical acclaim for a series of documentaries including “Politics - The New Black Power”. His documentary on A. Phillip Randolph was featured on PBS. Articles by Williams have appeared in magazines ranging from Newsweek, Fortune and The Atlantic Monthly to Ebony, Gentlemen’s Quarterly and The New Republic.

Williams spent 18 highly successful months as host of NPR’s afternoon talk show, Talk of the Nation, taking the show to its highest rating ever. For nine years, he was the host for the syndicated TV news show, America’s Black Forum. He has also appeared on numerous television programs, including “Nightline”, “Washington Week in Review”, “Inside Washington,” “Arsenio”, “Oprah”, CNN’s “Crossfire”[where he frequently served as co-host] and “Capitol Gang Sunday”. He was featured as a commentator in ESPN’s award-winning series on top athletes of the last 100 years, Sports Century.

His inspirational and informative speaking style has earned him praise from corporations, trade associations, colleges, civil rights groups and citizens associations.

He lives in Washington, DC with his wife and three children.

Mr. Kojo Nnamdi, master of ceremonies

Kojo Nnamdi is a Washington institution, but he is also suspicious of people who become an institution so his motto is, “Never take yourself to seriously, you CAN BE WRONG!”

Kojo Nnamdi is a broadcast specialist who is famous to just about everyone in Washington. He is currently host of “The Kojo Nnamdi Show” the weekday public affairs program on WAMU-FM 88.5 and the very popular “EVENING EXCHANGE,” seen on WHUT-TV. He was cited for an “Excellence in Broadcasting” award, by the Academy of Television Arts and Science (NATAS) in 1993.

He is currently at the height of a broadcasting career that began in 1973 at WHUR-FM radio in Washington, DC where he served as News Editor and News Director from 1973 to 1985. During that time he led a news division that created the now legendary award-winning evening broadcast called ”The Daily Drum,” the most comprehensive locally produce news show in Washington. After creating an interview segment of the same newscast, which he hosted, it wasn’t long before Kojo’s interviewing skills began to attract attention and television came a calling. In 1985, what was then WHMM-TV in Washington, DC-now WHUT-TV, approached Kojo about hosting its little known daily talk show with a small viewing audience, “EVENING EXCHANGE.” Since then the program, usually referred to as “Kojo’s Show, “ has risen dramatically in popularity and viewer ships. Nnamdi’s reputation as an interviewer and talk show host are now legendary in the Washington, DC area. He can be confrontational but civil, diplomatic but insistent, cerebral but humorous, and opinionated but restrained. Kojo has a reputation for versatility and preparation, because of his ability to knowledgeably handle topics as far removed as Nuclear Non-proliferation policy and basketball playoff match ups.

He is interested in all of the social and political issues that are discussed in the nation’s capital, but he is equally intrigued by the concerns of the nation and the world outside of Washington. For those longtime viewers of “EVENING EXCHANGE,” Kojo is known to be insistent on diversity both among his topics and his guests. Under his guidance, “EVENIG EXCHANGE,” is the only television show for which you will see Africa and Asia discussed just as often as Europe, the only program on which minority expert opinions are offered on non-minority issues, like science, medicine, the aerospace industry and telecommunications.

Mr. Nnamdi was honored by being named Washingtonian of the Year by the Washingtonian Magazine in January 2006. Mr. Nnamdi has been chosen by the Library of Congress to serve as a Trustee at the Library of Congress’s Folklife Center. Kojo has served as a member of the Cable Television Advisory Committee. Mr. Nnamdi was born is Guyana and is a active member of GUYAID an organization devoted to helping children in the Caribbean nation of Guyana.

Evening Program

DINNER

6:00 Invocation Rev. Dr. Lewis Anthony Invocation Metropolitan Wesley AME Zion Church
Remarks Dr. James E. West
National Technology Medal
National Inventors Hall of Fame

AWARDS CEREMONY

7:30 Congressman Chaka Fattah, Welcome
Mr. Kojo Nnamdi, Master of Ceremonies, The Educational Pipeline

The Envelope Please . . .

Celebrate Our Passion for Excellence in Grade School
Award presented by Dr. Bonita Saunders, National Institute of Standards and Technology

Celebrate Our Passion for Excellence in High School
Award presented by Dr. Paul B. Tchounwou, Jackson State University

Celebrate Our Passion for Excellence in College
Award presented by Dr. Roberta Troy, Tuskegee University

Celebrate Our Passion for Excellence in Graduate School
Award presented by Dr. David L. Ferguson, Stony Brook University

Celebrate Our Passion for Excellence in Ph.D. Pursuits
Award presented by Dr Robert Shepard, Science and Engineering Alliance

Celebrate Our Passion for Excellence in Life
Award presented by Dr. Warren Washington, National Center for Atmospheric Research

8:30 Dr. William Cosby, Keynote Address
9:30 Passing the Baton
Dr. Walter E. Massey, Lifetime Achievement Award
Andreas L. Utz Wierschen, Youth Award
Mr. Juan Williams Journalist, NPR, Call to Action
Rev. Dr. Lewis Anthony. Benediction

ADJOURN FOR DESSERT COCKTAIL JAZZ RECEPTION

Invocation & Benediction Rev. Dr. Lewis Anthony

Pastor Anthony serves as the senior pastor of Washington’s his-toric Metropolitan Wesley African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. Founded in 1832, the Metropolitan Wesley AME Zion Church served as a station on the famed “Underground Railroad,” and was the birthplace of the first public school for Washington’s African-American children. Pastor Anthony has a long and distinguished history of public ser-vice and advocacy, serving in the administrations of Washington, DC’s, first two elected Mayors, and as the director of the Con-gressional District Office of the District of Columbia’s first elected representative to the United States House of Representatives. On April 30, 2000, Rev. Dr. Anthony was inducted into the inaugural class of the Washington, DC, Hall of Fame, receiving the Legacy Award for Religion. He received degrees from Columbia and Harvard Universities. Pastor Anthony is a native of Washington, DC, and a graduate of Anacostia Senior High School.

Awards Presenters

Dr. David Ferguson

Dr. David L. Ferguson is Distinguished Service Professor of Technology and Society and Applied Mathematics at Stony Brook University. He is Chair of the Department of Technology and Society in the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences. Dr. Ferguson has been P.I. or Co-P.I. on numerous projects, including several NSF projects, aimed at improving undergraduate and graduate education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). He is faculty contributor in the calculus reform movement. He co-directed the NSF-supported Algorithm Discovery Development Project and two NSF-funded Faculty Enhancement workshops on the teaching of introductory computer science courses. Under support from the Sloan Foundation, he developed a course in applications of mathematics for liberal arts students. He co-designed and co-taught a multidisciplinary course, jointly offered by Biological Sciences and the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, on Computer Modeling of Biological Systems. He was Co-P.I. on a multi-campus project, funded by NSF, on Mathematical Sciences and Their Applications Throughout the Curriculum. He is coordinator for the Math and Computer Science cluster of Science Education for New Civic Engagement and Responsibility (SENCER), an NSF-funded National Dissemination grant. He was Co-P.I. on a project entitled "Real-time Multidimensional Assessment of Student Learning" funded by NSF's Program in the Assessment of Student Achievement in Undergraduate Education. Also, he was Co-P.I. on a project on Innovative Approaches to Human-Computer Interfaces, funded by the Combined Research and Curriculum Development Program of NSF. Professor Ferguson is Director of the NSF-funded SUNY LSAMP and SUNY AGEP programs. His research includes quantitative modeling, problem solving, educational technologies, and decision making. His awards include the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM), the Archie Lacey Award of the New York Academy of Sciences, and the Engineering Educator Award of the Joint Committee on Engineering of Long Island.

Dr. Bonita Saunders

Dr. Bonita V. Saunders is a research mathematician at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) in Gaithersburg, MD. She earned a BA degree in Mathematics from the College of William and Mary, MS in Mathematics from the University of Virginia and became the first African-American and first woman to receive a Ph.D. in Computational and Applied Mathematics from Old Dominion University. Currently, she is using her expertise in the fields of numerical grid generation, spline approximation, numerical software development, and scientific visualization to successfully manage the design and implementation of more than two hundred complex graphs and interactive 3D surface visualizations for the NIST Digital Library of Mathematical Functions Project, a high profile project involving the collaboration of over thirty internationally known mathematical scientists. Her work has led to several well received journal publications and talks throughout the U.S. and abroad.

Dr. Robert Shepard

Dr. Robert L. (Bob) Shepard is Founding Executive Director of Science and Engineering Alliance, Inc. (SEA), a nonprofit consortium formed in 1990 with a mission to increase participation of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs) in the Federal research enterprise. He earned a B.S. degree from Saint Augustine’s College, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Howard University, all in chemistry. Dr. Shepard has conducted research at the Celanese Corporation, Naval Research Laboratory and Nuclear Regulatory Commission. He serves on several advisory boards, a member of various societies and organizations, a past Sigma Xi Distinguished Lecturer and has received numerous awards and honors. In 2006, Dr. Shepard was named recipient of the Emerald Honors in Educational Leadership award by Science Spectrum magazine.”

Dr. Paul B. Tchounwou

Dr. Paul B. Tchounwou is Associate Dean of the College of Science, Engineering & Technology, and Director of the Environmental Science Ph.D. programs at Jackson State University. He earned his M.S. in Public Health and Sc.D in Environmental Toxicology from Tulane University Medical Center. Dr Tchounwou is an internationally recognized biomedical scientist, Presidential Distinguished Professor, author of 104 peer-reviewed publications and over 150 presentations at national and international conferences. He is Editor-in-Chief of Environmental Toxicology (John Wiley & Sons, New York) and of the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (MDPI, Switzerland). Dr. Tchouwou is the recipient of the 2003 Millennium Award for Excellence in Research and the 2001 National Role Model Award. He is a Fellow of the American Biographical Institute, and is featured in the American Registry of Outstanding Professionals as well as Marquis Who’s Who in American Education, Medicine and Healthcare, Science and Engineering, the South and Southwest, America, the World, and the International Who’s Who of Professionals.

Dr. Roberta Troy

Dr. Roberta M. Troy currently serves as an Associate Professor of Biology at Tuskegee University. Prior to returning to the classroom fulltime, Dr. Troy was Head of the Biology Department. She earned her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Biology from Tuskegee University, and her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from the University of Florida where she was a McKnight Fellow. Dr. Troy continued her training at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation where she was a postdoctoral fellow in Molecular Virology. Committed to the training of African American students, Dr. Troy assumed a position at Lincoln University where she provided biomedical research opportunities for undergraduate students and helped to develop a weekend biology program for eighth graders in the Philadelphia area. Dr. Troy is currently engaged in research focusing on chemotherapeutic effects of natural products on breast and cervical cancer cells in African American women. She is a recipient of the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching and continues to serve as mentor and research advisor to many undergraduate and graduate students.

Dr. Warren Washington

Dr. Warren Washington is a Senior Scientist and head of the Climate Change Research Section at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. His involvement in research for more than forty years has made him a sought after individual for advice, testimony, and lecturing on global climate change. Dr. Washington has held Presidential Appointments under Carter, Reagan, Clinton, Bush, and Bush Jr. Administrations. He has served on numerous committees and panels, among them the U.S. President's National Advisory Committee on Oceans and Atmosphere, the National Science Board (NSB), as well as NSB Chair from 2002 to 2006. He has over 120 publications and written an autobiography entitled “Odyssey in Climate Modeling, Global Warming, and Advising Five Presidents”. Dr. Washington holds membership in the National Academy of Engineering, Presidency of the American Meteorological Society and American Philosophical Society. He is a Distinguished Alumnus of Pennsylvania State University and Oregon State University from which he received an honorary Ph.D. in 2006.

Awards Finalist

Dr. Walter Massey

Dr. Walter Massey, president of Morehouse College, served as director of Argonne National Laboratory, as the University of Chicago's Vice President for Research, and as founding Chair of the University of Chicago Development Corp. He has directed the National Science Foundation and served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at the University of California System until being chosen Morehouse's ninth president in 1995. His vision for the college, a private liberal arts college for African-American men, is to place it among the finest private undergraduate liberal arts colleges in the world. Massey earned his B.S. from Morehouse in 1958 and his M.S. and his Ph.D. in physics from Washington University in St. Louis. He then held research and teaching positions at the University of Illinois, Brown University and the University of Chicago. Massey has served as President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a Trustee of Brown University and Rand Corporation, membership on Argonne's Board of Governors in 2004, Co-chair of the AAAS Steering Committee for the Project to Strengthen the Scientific and Engineering Infrastructure in Sub-Saharan Africa, a member of the National Science Board, on the visiting committee for the physics departments of MIT and Harvard, and on the Superconducting Supercollider Site Evaluation Committee of the National Academies of Science and Engineering.

Dr. Mickens

Ronald E. Mickens is a Fuller E. Callaway professor of physics at Clark Atlanta University. He received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Vanderbilt University and has held postdoctoral positions at the Center for Theoretical Physics-MIT, the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics and Vanderbilt University. He has published more than 280 research papers, written six books, and edited nine volumes. Professor Mickens serves on the editorial board of several research journals, including the Journal of Difference Equations and Application and the International Journal of Evolution Equations. His scholarly writings have appeared in reference works such as African American, American National Biography, Biographical Encyclopedia of Scientists, Encyclopedia of African American Culture and History, Notable Black American Men, the Society for Mathematical Biology, the History of Science Society and Notable Black American Women, for which he is an elected fellow. His current research interests include nonlinear oscillations, difference equations, and numerical integration of differential equations using nonstandard finite differences schemes, mathematical modeling of periodic diseases, and the history/sociology of African Americans in science.

Hattie Carwell

During her 30- year technical career, Hattie Carwell has worked nationally and internationally for the U.S. Department of Energy and the International Atomic Energy Agency as a health physicist and nuclear safeguards group leader. Currently, she is a senior physical scientist at the Berkeley Site Office at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Carwell assures that research and operations at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are performed safely and consistently with federal, state and local requirements. She also has served as Program Manager for High Energy Physics and Nuclear Science Programs. She received her B.S. degree from Bennett College in Chemistry and Biology and M.S. degree in health physics from Rutgers University. She also studied biophysics at the doctoral level at UC Berkeley.

Hattie has authored numerous articles and technical papers. Also, she has published books on black science achievement such as Blacks in Science: Astrophysicist to Zoologist , and In Pursuit of Excellence: Dr Warren Henry, World Class Scientist.

Currently, she is a Board Member of the Northern California Council of Black Professional Engineers, an organization of which she is a past President. She is treasurer for the National Council of Black Engineers and Scientists, co-founder and chair of the Development Fund for Black Students in Science and Technology, and Director of the Museum of African American Technology (MAAT) Science Village. MAAT Science Village archives information on African American achievements in science and engineering; develops hands-on science demonstrations and activities for k-12 students to enhance their science skills; sponsors the MAAT Science Village Chess Club and Oakland Math Circle; hosts the Scholars of African Descent lectures series to motivate youth to consider technical careers.

Over the past five years she has spearheaded the development a project to introduce solar energy technology in a village in Ghana and in the Alameda County solar Energy Partnership.

She is recipient of numerous performance awards from the Department of Energy, and recognized as a community leader. She is a distinguished alumna of Bennett College and included in the Black College Hall of Fame. Her achievements are annotated in biographical publications such as Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering and Who’s Who Among African Americans

Dr. Mae Jemison

Dr. Mae C. Jemison is founder of BioSentient Corporation and is the first woman of color in the world to go into space, flying aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in September 1992. She has served six years as a NASA astronaut and served as NASA’s first Science Mission Specialist performing experiments in material science, life science and human adaptation to weightlessness. Afterwards, she founded the technology consulting firm The Jemison Group, Inc. She also ran The Jemison Institute for Advancing Technologies in Developing Countries and founded the international science camp The Earth We Share™ for students 12-16 years old. Dr. Jemison has served as the Area Peace Corps Medical Officer for Sierra Leone and Liberia and was a general practice doctor in Los Angeles. Presently, she serves as Chair of the Texas State Product Development and Small Business Incubator Board and Chair of Texas State Biotechnology and Life Sciences Industry Cluster. She is a member of the Board of Directors of Kimberly-Clark Corporation, Scholastic, Inc., Valspar Corporation and Gen-Probe Inc. Dr. Jemison hold membership in the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine, the National Medical Association Hall of Fame, the Texas Science Hal of Fame and an inductee of National Women’s Hall of Fame. She is the winner of the Kilby Science Award and was selected as one of the top seven women leaders in a presidential ballot national straw poll. Dr. Jemison is the author of Find Where the Wind Goes, has appeared on an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, hosted the Discovery Channel’s World of Wonder and was chosen one of People Magazine’s “World’s 50 Most Beautiful People”. She currently serves as an environmental studies professor at Dartmouth College and was an A.D. White Professor-at-Large at Cornell University. Dr. Jemison received her undergraduate degrees in Chemical Engineering and African and Afro-American Studies from Stanford University and received her medical degree from Cornell University.

Esteria Johnson

Esteria Johnson is Chief Learning Consultant for Lockheed Martin Information Systems and Global Services and the manager of Lockheed Martin Apprenticeship Programs. She was the chief architect for Lockheed Martin’s Information Technology Registered Apprenticeship Program for high school underrepresented students. Through the program, African American students are employed, coached, trained and mentored, as they begin their careers at the world’s largest aerospace corporation. The program has recently won the 2006 Pennsylvania Workforce Leadership Award. Johnson recently architected a new national apprenticeship model for Chapter 31 (disabled) veterans. This new Lockheed Martin program has received the 2007 U.S. Department of Labor Private Sector Award for hiring and training disabled veterans. Additionally, Johnson is responsible for managing multiple Strategic Development Programs including the Information Technology Apprenticeship, K-12 Initiatives, and Early Career Talent Management. She holds a master’s degree in Instructional Systems Design from the Pennsylvlania State University, is a certified teacher and a former Director of Education. She is a key of member of the Learning Strategy Council and other strategic teams, including Capture Process, Focus on Ability, and Shape the Future Workforce.

Richard McGinnis

Richard McGinnis received his B.S. in Chemistry for the University of California and his A.M. and PhD from Harvard University. He has served as pre-medical adviser, chair of the Chemistry Department, Dean of the Natural Sciences Division, Acting Vice-President for Academic Affairs and Acting Provost for Tougaloo College. There he implemented a self-paced, audio-tutorial chemistry course and was instrumental in increasing the role of on-campus research for faculty and students. Dr. McGinnis has performed research at Brown University, where he was a visiting professor, and at the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics at the University of Colorado. He has served as Project Director/Principal Investigator for the Health Careers Opportunity Program and the LSAMP/MGE programs with the University of Alabama. He was the Co-PI for Tougaloo’s HBCU-UP grant and is the Site Coordinator for the Health Professions Alliance Partnership program with the University of Mississippi School of Medicine. Dr. McGinnis has been honored by Tougaloo College, the Minority Medical Education Foundation of Mississippi, the National Association of Minority Medical Educators and the Mississippi Medical and Surgical Association.

Dr. Saundra McGuire

Dr. Saundra Yancy McGuire is the Director of the Center for Academic Success, Adjunct Professor of Chemistry, and Associate Dean of University College at Louisiana State University. She received her B.S. degree, magna cum laude, from Southern University, M.A. from Cornell University, and Ph.D. in Chemical Education from the University of Tennessee. Dr. McGuire has previously held academic appointments at The State University of New York, The University of Tennessee, and Alabama A & M University, and Cornell University. She is actively involved in university curriculum reform efforts, and has written numerous study guides, work books, and teaching guides. Dr. Yancy is a much sought-after consultant who has presented workshops and keynote addresses at numerous institutions across the country. Her most recent accolades include the Council on Chemical Research Diversity Award, the Dr. Henry C. McBay Outstanding Chemistry Teacher Award, the National Service Award, the Teaching in Higher Education Conference Outstanding Presentation Awards, YWCA Woman of Achievement, the Chancellor’s Citation for Exceptional Professional Promise, and the Clark Distinguished Teaching Award.

Dr. Diola Bagayoko

Dr. Diola Bagayoko, Director of the Timbuktu Academy at Southern University, is a Southern University System Distinguished Professor of Physics and statewide Director of the Louis Stokes Louisiana Alliance for Minority Participation program (www.ls-lamp.org). A native of Bamako, Mali (in West Africa), he earned the BS degree in Physics and Chemistry from the Ecole Normale Supérieure of Bamako, the MS in the Physics from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and the Ph.D. in condensed matter theory from Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge. Dr. Bagayoko has over 130 publications, with over 80 of them in theoretical physics and 50 on teaching, mentoring, and learning. Established in 1990, the Timbuktu Academy is a systemic mentoring, academic enhancement, and research participation program for elementary to undergraduate students, with the primary focus on science, mathematics, engineering and technology (STEM) disciplines (www.phys.subr.edu/timbuktu.htm). The Academy received the US Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring in 2003. Financial support for the Timbuktu Academy has come from the Office of the Navy, Office of Naval Research (ONR), the National Science Foundation (NSF), the Louisiana Board of Regents, NASA, and the ExxonMobil Foundation (through the Bernard Harris Foundation).

Vice Admiral Adam M. Robinson Jr.

Vice Admiral Adam Robinson, a native of Louisville, Ky., is the Chief of the Navy Medical Corps. He entered the naval service in 1977 and holds a Doctor of Medicine from the Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, through the Armed Forces Health Professions Scholarship Program. Following completion of his surgical internship at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, Springfield, he was commissioned.

Vice Adm. Robinson’s first assignment was as a General Medical Officer, Branch Medical Clinic, Fort Allen, Puerto Rico, before reporting to the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Md., in 1978 to complete a residency in General Surgery. His subsequent duty assignments included: Staff Surgeon, U.S. Naval Hospital, Yokosuka, Japan, and Ship’s Surgeon, USS Midway (CV-41).

After completing a fellowship in Colon and Rectal Surgery at Carle Foundation Hospital, University of Illinois School of Medicine (1984-85), Vice Adm. Robinson reported to the National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, as the Head of the Colon and Rectal Surgery Division. While there, he was called to temporary duty in 1987 as Ship’s Surgeon in USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67) and in 1988 as Ship’s Surgeon in USS Coral Sea (CV-43).

Vice Adm. Robinson reported to Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, Va., in 1990 as the Head of the General Surgery Department and Director of General Surgery Residency Program. He was appointed Acting Medical Director for the facility in 1994. While at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Vice Adm. Robinson earned a Masters in Business Administration from the University of South Florida. In 1995, Vice Adm. Robinson reported to the Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, as the Force Medical Officer serving in that capacity for two years. Following that assignment, he reported to Naval Hospital Jacksonville in 1997 as the Executive Officer. In January 1999, as Fleet Hospital Jacksonville Commanding Officer, Vice Adm. Robinson commanded a detachment of the fleet hospital as a medical contingent to Joint Task Force Haiti (Operation New Horizon/Uphold Democracy).

Luther Williams

Luther Williams served as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean. Office of Graduate Studies and Research. Prior to that he served as the William T. Kemper Director of Education and Interpretation at the Missouri Botanical Garden and designed the Garden Education Compact. He received his B.A. in biology from Miles College, an M.S. degree from Clark-Atlanta University, and a Ph.D. degree in microbial physiology from Purdue University. Williams previously held positions include Assistant Director of Education and Human Resources for the National Science Foundation and Deputy Director of the National Institutes of General Medical Sciences, NIH. He has chaired the White House Biotechnology Science Coordinating Committee and the National Science and Technology Council Subcommittee on Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education. Williams has served as Assistant Provost and Director of Minority Center for Graduate Education at Purdue; Dean of the Graduate School at Washington University; Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Colorado, Boulder. He has also taught biology at Purdue, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Washington University. Willaims is the author of over 50 publications in professional scientific journals. He was selected as one of the “50 Most Important Blacks in Research Science” by Science Spectrum magazine and was the recipient of the William A. Hinton Research Training Award, seven honorary doctorate degrees and is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the American Society for Microbiology (ASM).

Awards Youth Finalist

Mariah Tanae Daniel

Mariah Tanae Daniel is 14 years old. She is an eighth grade student at Harper-Archer Middle School in Atlanta, Georgia where she plays the clarinet in the school’s band. She is a member of Cheerleading Squad. In her spare time she likes to read and dance. Mariah enjoys learning new things and conducting experiments. She has been an honor student for 5 years. Her dream is to attend Florida A & M University and become a Forensic Scientist so that she can be a major part of the medical and criminal justice organizations.

Tyrome C. Miller

Tyrome C. Miller II is a sophomore student in the Science and Technology program at Oxon Hill High School in Prince George’s County, Maryland. Tyrome has a strong desire to pursue a career as an Aeronautical Engineer or Biologist. He is a member of the varsity wrestling team, a Cadet 2nd Lt. in the Air Force JROTC, and has made the honor roll since elementary school. Tyrome is an active volunteer in his community. He has volunteered with projects such as Senior Days, area parades and various church ministries.

At Oxon Hill Tyrome is an active member of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA); a junior member of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and he’s the secretary and gesture for the Science and Technology Advisory Board (TAB). Tyrome has attended the University of District of Columbia’s Science, Math & Engineering, and Aerospace Academy Summer Program since 1999. Which has allowed him to participate in special trips to visit NASA and other activities specifically for excelling students.

Tyrome is an energetic, enthusiastic young man who is determined to make a positive difference in his home, community, country, and the World.

Andreas Lutz Wierschen

Andreas is the only child of his father, an immigrant of Germany and his mother a native of Ohio. Having achieved the highest rank of Eagle Scout, with the Boy Scouts of America, Andreas has excellent skills in leadership and community service. Popular with students and teachers alike, he has been commended for selflessly setting aside his work to help fellow classmates. This dedicated student has devotes himself to learning and achieving his goals not though mediocrity, but with excellence, always striving to be the best that he can be. Since he was very young he has aspired to be a scientist and has steadily worked towards that goal, excelling in all of his courses. Andreas is also a gifted and accomplished pianist. Beginning lessons at the age of five he has studied music for most of his life and has been employed as the church pianist since the age of 10. In his collegiate career he intends double major in Chemistry and Material science. Andreas has said that one day he will do something great in the field of science. Those that know him believe this beyond a doubt.

The Professional Development Center of the National Science Resources Center (NSRC)

The Professional Development Center (PD Center) of the National Science Resources Center (NSRC) was created in 2002 to address teacher preparation in science. Its goal is to impact 5% of the nation’s grades 5–10 science teachers by 2010. Because of the wealth of educational resources of the NSRC’s parent organizations, the Smithsonian Institution and the National Academies, the PD Center has placed special emphasis on engaging teachers from the D.C. and Baltimore metropolitan areas to attend its many events, which give teachers and ultimately
their students unique access to these resources. For the last three years, the PD Center has worked closely with the D.C. Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation (CYITC) to train groups of District teachers/grad students to use the NSRC’s NSF-supported, inquiry-based elementary science units in their summer programs. There is growing evidence that use of these units, along with appropriate professional development, has resulted in higher test scores in science, math, and reading and has helped narrow the achievement gap. In addition, with support from CYITC and other local benefactors, the PD Center has offered area teachers up to seventeen full scholarships to attend its weeklong Smithsonian Science Education Academies for Teachers, held during July and August during the last three summers. The Academies engage teachers in rigorous classroom sessions based on the NSRC’s middle school science curriculum and complements those sessions with unique, behind-the-scenes experiences at the Smithsonian, the National Academies, and many other local science-oriented organizations and institutions.

The Decade of Blacks in Science

The Decade of Blacks in Science is a campaign to mobilize, co-ordinate and coalesce the human and material resource needed to solve the problem of the low level of participation by African Americans in STEM fields. It grew out of the Year of Blacks in Science declared by Catalyst in 2006, and is embarked upon in recognition of the amount of work required to bridge the gap between where we areand where we need to go the response of the Black Science Community ti this initiative has convinced us that we can move the needle on this important issue of national concern.

The Decade of Blacks in Science has six programmatic components:

• Opening *NSBE Jr. Chapters in the following ten targeted cities:

• Negotiating with school districts and science memberships organizations to implement the Science Classroom Enrichment initiation which incorporates teaching by real working scientists in K-12 curricula to enrich the quality of science resources available.
• Sponsoring biennial regional workshops to mobilize local campaigns and assist in the development of local outreach programs designed to draw local youth into math and science related activities.
• Holding annual strategy sessions with science membership organizations to keep the campaign on track and take advantage of emerging opportunities for greater progress.
• Promoting media campaigns designed to project to young African Americans the image of themselves in science.
• Hosting annual Awards Gala to recognize those making significant contributions to the Banneker Institute goal of increasing the number of African Americans involve in STEM fields.

To monitor progress, the Banneker Institute has constructed and populated a baseline of data on the status of African American in STEM fields. This database will be updated annually. Please visit the Banneker website at: www.thebannekerinstitute.org to viwe the database as of 2007 and also to learn how you can become a partner in pursuit of this important mission.

Catalyst Solutions for Complex Social Systems

Catalyst is a group of experts in education, housing and community development, economic strat-egy, and public policy. We bring to the table years of experience in the operational techniques of business, government, academia, and non-profit organizations. More importantly, we employ an approach to systems analysis, problem solving, and development which is based on the system's possibilities, not on its limitations or its past performance.

Our commitment is to assist our clients in identifying, and then in creating the conditions necessary to realize those possibilities. Our techniques involve generating new partnerships and new ways of thinking, while build-ing on what is, with the intention that solutions will be taken to scale. Our focus is on large systems to which the resources of government, business, foundations, and community institutions can cooperatively be brought to bear.

For more information about Catalyst, please visit our website at www.catalystdc.org.

The Benjamin Banneker Institute for Science and Technology Advisory Committee