WASHINGTON (February 7, 2019) – Howard University’s Dean of the College of Engineering and Architecture, Achille Messac, Ph.D., will join fellow members of the Council of Historically Black College and University (HBCU) Engineering Deans, Saturday, February 8, for a panel discussion with corporate leaders as part of the 2019 Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) Global Competitiveness Conference. 

The Dean’s Roundtable is one of the many events planned for the annual conference, which brings together professionals and students from STEM-related fields for three days of seminars, workshops and networking events. According to the BEYA Conference, a substantial portion of the nation’s African-American engineers graduate from the 15 accredited HBCU engineering programs.

“In terms of African American engineering degrees awarded from 2006 to 2016, according to the latest ASEE report, we have in fact declined from 5 to 3.9% at the undergraduate level, while the Ph.D. award rate is also at 3.9%. Clearly, at the global level, whatever progress we are making is woefully inadequate,” Messac explains. “This conference promotes an engaging and honest dialog with Corporate America. In the same context, the National Engineering Academy's Roundtable will be another opportunity for me to help bring this issue to the forefront of national discourse, as we advise the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering.”

Messac is the only council member who will also serve a two-year term as an appointed member of the National Engineering Academy's Roundtable on Linking Academic Engineering Research and Defense Basic Science, a select group of 30 engineering deans nationally recognized as "leaders of engineering schools."  

Now in its 33rd year, the BEYA STEM conference is the largest STEM careers conference in the country. The theme of this year’s conference is HBCU Excellence, at the intersection of America’s future. Last year, more than 4,600 students and 4,475 professionals attended. The goal of the conference is to create connections between students, educators and STEM professionals while fostering partnerships with individuals and their local STEM resources. The 2019 BEYA STEM Conference takes place February 7-9 at the Washington Marriot Wardman Park and is hosted by Lockheed Martin Corporation, The Council of HBCU Engineering Deans, and US Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine. The conference is sponsored by Aerotek and General Dynamics Corporation. For more information, including a schedule of events, visit beya.org.

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About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 13 schools and colleges. Students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced four Rhodes Scholars, 11 Truman Scholars, two Marshall Scholars, one Schwarzman Scholar, over 70 Fulbright Scholars and 22 Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.

Media contact: Ramzey Smith, Office of University Communications, Ramzey.smith@howard.edu