(Akiit.com) The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) has presented its highest annual honors to 18 individuals and organizations. The 19th Annual NSBE Golden Torch Awards ceremony took place at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center this past March 26, during NSBE’s 42nd Annual Convention, an event that attracted nearly 12,000 attendees. The NSBE Golden Torch Awards recognize those who exemplify NSBE’s ideals of academic excellence, professional success and dedication to the advancement of the black community. Since its inception, the awards program has provided millions of dollars in scholarships to talented high school seniors. NSBE, with more than 31,000 members, is one of the largest student-governed organizations based in the United States.
“As our organization reaches for new heights in pursuit of our mission, our award winners not only show us the possibilities through their achievements, they also provide the resources we need to achieve our goals,” said NSBE National Chair Neville Green.
NSBE is working toward a nearly threefold increase in the number of African-American bachelor’s degree recipients in engineering: from 3,501 in 2014 to 10,000 annually by 2025. The organization’s mission is “to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and 
positively impact the community.”
“The NSBE Golden Torch Award winners provide success that engineers and aspiring engineers can see, hear and touch,” Green says. “Their contributions to NSBE and the nation are invaluable.”
A listing of the 2016 NSBE Golden Torch Award recipients follows. Profiles of the award winners are available online in NSBE Magazine, at http://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nsbe/2016convention.
ABOUT NSBE
Founded in 1975, the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) is one of the largest student-governed organizations based in the United States. With more than 31,000 members and more than 300 chapters in the U.S. and abroad, NSBE supports and promotes the aspirations of collegiate and pre-collegiate students and technical professionals in engineering and technology. NSBE’s mission is “to increase the number of culturally responsible black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community.” For more information, visit www.nsbe.org.
2016 NSBE GOLDEN TORCH AWARD RECIPIENTS
Golden Torch Legacy Award
Theodore Colbert III
Chief Information Officer and Vice President
The Boeing Company
Chicago, Ill.
Corporate Community Service
EMC Corporation
Hopkinton, Mass.
Corporate Diversity Leadership
Intel Corporation
Santa Clara, Calif.
Distinguished Engineer of the Year
Bryan Scott
Vice President, Integrated Security
Boeing Defense, Space and Security
St. Louis, Mo.
Graduate Student of the Year
Capt. Dante K. Earle
United States Air Force
Master’s Candidate, Systems Engineering
Cornell University
Ithaca, N.Y.
Dr. Janice A. Lumpkin Educator of the Year
Whitney Gaskins, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Lifetime Achievement in Academia
Emmanuel S. Eneyo, Ph.D., P.E.
Professor
Southern Illinois University
Edwardsville Edwardsville, Ill.
Lifetime Achievement in Industry
Darrell W. Warner Director, Safety and Mission Assurance, Network & Space Systems
The Boeing Company
Chicago, Ill.
Outstanding Woman in Technology
Tracy Hamilton Program Management Office, Director
Texas Instruments
Dallas, Texas
Minority Engineering Program Director of the Year
Charles Watson
Assistant Director, Diversity
University of Rhode Island
Kingston, R.I.
Pre-College Initiative Director of the Year
Karl E. Thompson
Advisor
San Antonio City Wide NSBE Jr. Chapter
San Antonio, Texas
Pre-College Initiative Program of the Year
Southern Maryland NSBE Jr. Chapter
Lexington Park, Md.
Pre-College Initiative Student of the Year (Male)
Bryan Rucker
Martinsville-Henry County NSBE Jr.
Chapter Martinsville, VA
Pre-College Initiative Student of the Year (Female)
Olivia C. Martin
St. Louis Gateway NSBE Jr. Chapter
St. Louis, Mo.
Professional Member of the Year
Joshua Thomas
Technical Services Manager
Caterpillar Inc.
Charleston, S.C.
Professional Technologist of the Year
Lisamarie Moore, Ph.D.
Postdoctoral Fellow/Assistant Professor
Rutgers University (StemTrix, LLC)/Essex Community College
Newark, N.J.
Mike Shinn Distinguished Member of the Year (Female)
Yvonne Nyavor
Ph.D. Student, Neuroscience
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho
Mike Shinn Distinguished Member of the Year (Male)
Jamel Alexander
Ph.D. Candidate, Mechanical Engineering
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State University, Miss.
FOR IMMEDIATE CONTACT
Contact: Christina Sykes
APRIL 18, 2016
703-549-2207, ext. 202