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By Whitney Gaskins, PhD

The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) recently celebrated a milestone moment in its history with the 50th Annual Convention, held from March 20th to 24th, 2024 in Atlanta, GA. This monumental event brought together over 18,000 engineers, students, educators and recruiters from across the world to commemorate the organization’s work in achieving its mission of increasing the number of culturally responsible Black engineers who excel academically, succeed professionally and positively impact the community. 

Building Engineering Community 

The theme of this year’s convention, “Engineering Community,” underscored the organization’s commitment to honoring its rich legacy of contributing to communities while recognizing the success of its members.  Throughout the convention, attendees reflected on the incredible progress made by NSBE over the past five decades and looked ahead with optimism and determination to shaping the future of engineering and technology. During the convention, UC Alumnus and NSBE Charter Member, Keith Boswell, hosted two sessions on the founding and historical impact of NSBE. Mr. Boswell served as both the University of Cincinnati chapter president and the Great Lakes region’s first Chairperson. During the session, he showcased many artifacts from the organization’s founding, including the original constitution which he helped draft. 

Building Connections and Opportunities

One of the most valuable aspects of the NSBE convention was the opportunity for networking and professional development. Attendees had the chance to connect with recruiters from top companies, explore internship and job opportunities, and expand their professional networks. Career fairs, resume workshops, and mentoring sessions provided invaluable resources and support for students and professionals alike, helping them take their careers to new heights. Over 300 companies participated in this year’s two-day career fair, including local companies such as P&G, GE Aerospace, Jacobs, Johnson and Johnson and more.  Hundreds of engineering students left the convention with full-time and internship job offers.

Inspiring Keynote Addresses and Workshops 

The convention kicked off with a series of inspiring keynote addresses from prominent leaders in STEM and beyond. Astronaut and lifetime NSBE member, Victor Glover, gave a rousing speech recapping his experience living in space and the life lessons that he has learned on his path to becoming an astronaut. In addition to keynotes, NSBE members gained knowledge and experience through the 100+ workshops focusing on career development, cultural awareness, emerging technologies and much more.  

Celebrating Excellence in STEM

The convention also provided a platform to celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black engineers and STEM professionals. The Golden Torch Awards (GTA) Gala, one of the world’s largest celebrations of Black technical talent, honored outstanding individuals and organizations for their exemplary leadership, innovation, and service to the community. The GTA host for this year was Malcolm Jamal Warner. During the event, GE Next Engineers, a pre-college program offered in collaboration between the University of Cincinnati and GE Aerospace was presented with the corporate/educational partner award for supporting nearly 6,400 students and awarding nearly $1,000,000 in scholarships to date. Another local organization, the Gaskins Foundation was recognized as the Pre-College Program of the Year.  As the event came to a close, newly elected leaders were also celebrated. Christopher Boles, a PhD Candidate in the Biomedical Engineering department at the University of Cincinnati was elected to serve as the Secretary for the Great Lakes Region and Taylor Scott, a P&G Employee and Graduate Student in Cosmetic Science at the University of Cincinnati was selected to serve as the National Chairperson of the organization, with their terms beginning on May 1, 2024.

Looking Ahead

As the 50th Annual Convention came to a close, attendees left empowered and ready to continue the work of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM. The convention served as a reminder of the incredible impact that NSBE has had on the lives of countless individuals and the broader engineering community. As NSBE looks ahead it is preparing for another milestone. The organization will move to Chicago to celebrate the Golden convention in 2025, commemorating 50 years since NSBE was founded by a group of young men, affectionately referred to as the “Chicago Six”. The organization’s commitment to excellence, innovation, and empowerment remains as strong as ever, paving the way for a brighter and more inclusive future in engineering and technology.