Three Black women are making history at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, NC. According to WXII-12 in Winston-Salem, NC, students Kristi Barnes, Maya Odom, and Breyana Robinson have been selected as recipients of the 2023 Astronaut Scholarship. The scholarship is offered by the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation (ASF), which is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization established in 1984 by a group including the six surviving members of the “Mercury 7,” the U.S.’s first astronauts, per its website. The organization provides over 60 scholarships yearly. Additionally, this scholarship is “among the largest merit-based monetary scholarships” distributed to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) undergraduate juniors and seniors.” Those who are recipients are supported with $15,000 and will receive mentorship and guidance from astronauts, top-tier executives, and industry leaders. “I was thankful to get the scholarship,” Odom, an aspiring...

Nowadays, people are more aware that STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) are not simply the future. Arguably, both are the most important sectors driving economic growth and academic tracks today. From an professional standpoint, both STEM and STEAM are natural segues into the technology industry. With concerns around digital divides and achievement gaps, it is understandable that leaders in the Black community are pushing even harder to ensure that youth and adults, making career pivots have access to opportunity. More importantly, pointing to representation in the tech field gives prospective employees and students choosing academic paths a relatable and attainable goal. Which happens to be the perfect pivot into; currently, women make up 35% of the current tech workforce. This is such a significant improvement from the early 2000’s when women made up approximately 9%. In 2023, women held only...

Black hair struggles just got a bit easier with this innovator’s creation.

When looking at the lack of Black characters in science fiction, the saying, art imitates life, brings forth a new meaning. Whether turning on the TV or tapping into the real world, a shared truth that connects the two is that there is a lack of Black representation both onscreen and off-screen in STEM. However, Showtime’s “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” demonstrates the importance of showcasing how the Black community excels in science on all fronts. The new sci-fi show follows Faraday (Chiwetel Ejiofor), an alien on a mission to save the planet, who is in need of the help of Justin (Naomie Harris), a single mother that had to hold off on her career as a scientist to take care of her family. Based on Walter Tevis’ eponymous novel and following after the beloved 1976 film that starred David Bowie, “The Man Who Fell to Earth” was created by Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman.

Women’s accomplishments in STEM get overlooked far too often, and for Black women, this fact reigns even more true. It’s not enough to just know these women’s names, sometimes it’s better if we can physically see the women behind our groundbreaking innovations. Lyda Hill Philanthropies® — a nonprofit organization that funds transformational advances in science and nature — and its IF/THEN® Initiative recognized that not only were women not being properly highlighted in STEM, there was also a lack of physical representation that honored them and their work. To resolve this issue, the initiative created the #IfThenSheCan exhibit, which acts as a first-of-its-kind monument for the most life-sized women statues ever assembled in one location at once. The idea behind the exhibit was fueled by IF/THEN®’s discovery that there were less than half a dozen women statues in all the major U.S. cities. Made up of over 120 ambassadors for IF/THEN®, the historic exhibit has set out to activate a...

Lifting as she climbs has always been the motto for Dr. Ashanti Johnson. From the outside looking in, it may seem as though she’s done it all! From working as a scientist to serving as an administrator for a nonprofit and even working in the industry at Exxon and Texas Instruments — Dr. Johnson is a woman who has worn many hats. Even down to helping to found and start a charter school system, Dr. Johnson has allowed her background in chemical oceanography to open doors, but what’s been most important for her is helping others along the way. “Although I love the ocean and I love the animals, I enjoy seeing the smiles and satisfaction of everyone that I help to achieve their goals even more,” said Dr. Johnson in an interview with AfroTech. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Ashanti Johnson As the first Black woman to be a chemical oceanographer in the country and the only African American to receive a Ph.D. in chemical oceanography at Texas A&M Galveston, she knows what it’s like to be the...

Although Black women have contributed to STEM in more ways than a little bit, they are still grossly underrepresented in the field. In 2016, Black women reportedly only made up a mere 2.9 percent of students earning bachelor’s degrees in STEM. Today those numbers have increased thanks to pioneers like Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson whose stories were brought to light in the hit film, “Hidden Figures.” Here are five women who also shattered glass ceilings and accomplished anything they put their minds to in STEM. Dr. Patricia Bath As the first Black doctor to land a medical patent for the laserphaco probe, a device uses to treat cataract patients, Dr. Bath became the first Black woman to complete an ophthalmology residency in the U.S. She was also the first to document that Black people suffered blindness at alarming rates compared to other racial groups. Soon, the late Dr. Bath could become the first Black woman to be inducted into the National Inventors Hall...

This Black doctor is the scientist behind some of our favorite beauty brands! Dr. Maiysha Jones serves as a Senior Scientist and Senior Scientific Communications Manager for Olay Body and several other P&G personal care brands. While she has a true passion for contributing scientifically to the brands, Dr. Jones is also committed to the development of young professionals in the sciences who have a specific interest in the growth and development of women and underrepresented minorities. “Black women bring a unique perspective to the STEM fields, and our voices need to be among those making decisions about the direction of consumer product and technology development to help protect against marginalization,” Dr. Jones told AfroTech via email. Since middle school, Dr. Jones knew that she wanted to grow up to become a scientist, but it wasn’t until after her undergraduate studies that she wanted to do research that specifically served a purpose in people’s lives. From there, she had the...