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Engineering a Better Path

October 8, 2015

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Marcus is doing time, eight years, for stealing a car from a supermarket parking lot. He’s 22. Except for swiping a can of soda from a store when he was 10, it’s the first time he’s been in trouble with the law.

Winston is doing time too, but it’s in the microbiology lab at a research university. He and four other post-docs are exploring the cell signaling of viruses. His contribution to the effort extends beyond his skill in microscopy – it was Winston’s idea to divide a crucial component of the research project into three phases.

Both are black men, and while hypothetical examples, their current stations in life mirror many others just like them. They also exemplify two bodies of research.

Marcus received a sentence that, statistically speaking, is harsher than what would have been assigned if he had been white. He personifies the imbalance in our nation’s criminal justice system, a system in which a black man is questioned, arrested, convicted and penalized more severely than a white man.

Winston shows how teams with racial diversity perform better than homogenous groups. Diversity contributes new ideas, and new ideas drive innovation. Having people of different race and ethnicity introduces a wider range of information, provokes more thought and promotes open-mindedness.

This dichotomy between incarceration and inclusion is detrimental to our nation.

Consider STEM education. America’s current and future competitiveness in the world will grow from our expanding capacity in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Our country has a vested interest in preparing students for these fields. Yet underrepresented minorities, and black men in particular, continue to trail white students in STEM learning. A valuable component of our innovation equation is missing.

Why? Earnestine Easter, a program director with the National Science Foundation who has studied the issue, cites the reasons. Black men are more likely to come from poor backgrounds and attend inadequate schools. White teachers often misinterpret black students’ responses and behavior or overlook their abilities. Some peers label their academic diligence as “acting white.” Role models are scarce.

The result? In 2012, black men earned 334 doctorates in STEM fields – out of 16,545 awarded. That number equals about two days of newly imprisoned black men that same year.

Fixing this imbalance is not a mystery. Research shows how black boys can develop STEM acumen and how black men can progress to graduate education and beyond.

For the youngest students, teachers must understand differences in how students answer questions. Our teachers should challenge black students in math as a vote of confidence in their abilities. Schools must create programs of peer support and role model encouragement.

Take Cleon Davis. Placed in a class for kids with learning disabilities, Cleon was labeled early on. Although he never had a disability, his teachers did not want to be bothered with an active black boy. Thanks to his mother’s persistent efforts to mainstream him into regular classes, Cleon eventually graduated from high school with honors. He came to Georgia Tech for graduate school, and I was fortunate to be his thesis advisor as Cleon earned his Ph.D. Today Dr. Cleon Davis works on the technical staff at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.

For students in college, a host of pilot programs and tested initiatives, such as those we have developed at Georgia Tech, engage and support black males in their pursuit of a STEM degree.

These proven solutions are at every stage of the pipeline. What this country lacks is a coordinated and comprehensive plan to implement them.

Here’s a start: What if we redirect some of our investment in imprisoning black men to preparing them better in STEM fields? Or rehabilitate those already incarcerated with STEM training?

We can begin with those convicted for non-violent drug offenses, which is the number one reason for incarceration of black men. If we identify cost-saving alternatives to help them pay their debts to society, we could apply those savings to programs tailored to support other underrepresented students pursuing STEM careers.

Alone, such an idea is by no means a solution. But it’s a first step toward addressing our inequitable imprisonment of black men and inadequate preparation of black students in STEM fields.

Filed Under: Diversity, Education, Engineers, STEM, Uncategorized Tagged With: black men, Careers, diversity, engineering, Gary May, Georgia Tech, Graduates, Master's, PhD, research, STEM, Students

Let’s Hear It for the Engineers

July 24, 2015

I sometimes worry about folks casually lumping engineers in with scientists. I just read an article in Business Insider headlined “Scientists are on the cusp of these 15 discoveries that will transform the world.” The author was reporting on an MIT report that detailed 15 industries and scientific fields in which we may soon see breakthroughs.

Einstein said that “scientists investigate that which already is; engineers create that which has never been.” Although I respect and admire scientific discovery, there is no doubt in my mind that the potential breakthroughs described in Business Insider will be the results of research being done in engineering labs.

Let me give you some examples. The article talks about cybercrime and its serious risk to society. The MIT report indicated that designing more secure systems can be done. Will it be a scientist who does this? I think the designer is likely to be closer to a computer engineer. It will take an engineer who understands the intersection of networking and security fields; knows how to secure network infrastructure; has knowledge of wired and wireless networks; and can build assured systems.

The list also includes investing in “futuristic” defense technology such as cloaking and alloys as strong as steel but lighter. A number of our Georgia Tech engineering faculty are already involved in these initiatives. The list goes on in the areas of next-generation materials, battery technologies, infectious diseases, and robotics.

Professor Satish Kumar and research engineer M.G. Kamath have developed a process for making the strongest known carbon fibers to date. (Credit: Gary Meek)

Professor Satish Kumar and research engineer M.G. Kamath have developed a process for making the strongest known carbon fibers to date. (Credit: Gary Meek)

Engineers will be the ones who move us forward in the future. My concern is that engineering can be invisible, and that’s a problem since we need talented young people to enter the profession, and we need leaders (as well as the general public) to understand the importance of our contributions to the world now and in the future. If we want our profession to grow and flourish, engineering must be widely understood, appreciated, and esteemed.

Maybe I am a little sensitive about this subject, but I am proud of my profession. I want people to value and respect engineering for what it is. We create real solutions that improve the world around us.

While we learn from what already is, engineers clearly have their sights set on the future. For that reason, and many others, I hope that people will not generalize the profession and confuse us with scientists. Let’s hear it for the engineers.

Filed Under: Education, Engineers Tagged With: engineering, Gary May, Georgia Tech, MIT, research, science

My First Podcast

May 18, 2015

Last month I had the opportunity to be a guest on the Pie Farmer Diaries podcast with Russ Wood (ME ’93). We talked about a range of topics, including how to generate more interest in STEM, the role of research and entrepreneurship here at Georgia Tech, venture capital, the Inventure Prize, using technology to deliver education, and much more.

You can listen to the whole podcast here.

Thank you to Russ for inviting me to be his guest.

Filed Under: Education, Engineers, Entrepreneurship, STEM Tagged With: diversity, education, entrepreneurship, Gary May, Georgia Tech, invention, Jobs, maker movement, problem-based learning, research, STEM

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Extra-Credit Reading

  • CoE Dean selected for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentorship
  • Engineered for success
  • 10 reasons for diversity on campuses
  • The most in-demand (and aging) engineering jobs
  • Why diversity matters in tech and engineering
  • Women in science – STEM programs and higher education

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