NSBE - Convention 2018 - 34

MARCH 21-25, 2018 * PITTSBURGH, PA.

NATIONAL
A
SOCIETY OF BLACK ENGINEERS

IGNITE * IMAGINE * INNOVATE

Golden Torch Honorees
Dr. Janice A. Lumpkin Educator of the Year
Reginald E. Rogers Jr., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical
Engineering
Rochester Institute of Technology
Dr. Reginald Rogers joined the faculty of
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in 2012, after earning his undergraduate degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, his M.S.
at Northeastern University and his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, all
in chemical engineering. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at RIT
leading up to his faculty appointment. His research interests are focused on
improved water resources using novel nanomaterials and advanced cathode
materials for sodium-ion batteries.
As an educator, Dr. Rogers has continuously integrated undergraduate
students into his research efforts to broaden their perspectives on their
potential roles in meeting societal challenges as rising engineers. Before
pursuing his graduate degrees, Dr. Rogers worked in the Fabric & Home
Care Business Unit of Procter & Gamble, and he has integrated his industrial
experience into his classes to challenge his students to "think outside of the
box." In addition to teaching, Dr. Rogers is passionate about mentoring the
next generation of students to ensure they are confident about reaching their
life goals.
Dr. Rogers has been recognized for his teaching, research and service efforts with numerous awards and invitations to seminars. Among his notable
awards are the 2015 Partner of the Year Award from RIT's Multicultural
Center for Academic Success, the 2016 Richard and Virginia Eisenhart
Provost's Award for Excellence in Teaching from RIT and the 2017 Henry C.
McBay Outstanding Teacher Award from the National Organization for the
Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers.
Graduate Student of the Year
Chima Patrick Chukwuemeka
Ph.D. Candidate, Chemical Engineering
Tennessee Technological University
Chima Chukwuemeka, a native of Imo state,
Nigeria, obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in
food science and technology from Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria. His
interest in engineering led him to enroll in the chemical engineering graduate
program at Tennessee Technological University, Cookeville, in Fall 2012,
which is when he joined NSBE. His graduate research work highlighted the
effects of plasmin inhibitors and promoters and the role of fibrinolysis in preventing wound healing abnormalities. His aim was to find means to prevent
the occurrence of abnormal scars from developing after wound healing. He
obtained his master's degree in Spring 2014 and subsequently enrolled in
the chemical engineering doctoral program.
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NSBE MAGAZINE * CONVENTION 2018

Chukwuemeka has contributed to the engineering discipline in both industry and academia. He started his industrial engineering career with GeorgiaPacific Cellulose as a Process Development summer intern in 2016 and
returned in summer 2017 as a Pulping Operations intern. In both capacities,
he provided solutions and helpful recommendations to meet the challenges
he was presented with. He has also contributed to his field through research
and mentorship. He has served as a teaching assistant in the Department of
Chemical Engineering at Tennessee Tech since 2012 and has helped more
than 400 students achieve success. With a perfect 4.00/4.00 GPA in his
doctoral program, he has dedicated his energy to excelling academically
while also mentoring undergraduates. Now, in the chemical engineering
doctoral program at Tennessee Tech, Chukwuemeka is working to develop a
new topical antibacterial from comestible herbs, for wound management. He
has published an article on wound healing and abnormal scaring.
Chukwuemeka has received numerous awards, including several scholarships from NSBE and Minority Graduate Research Award from Tennessee
Tech.
Lifetime Achievement in Government
Jimmie Williams
Supervisory Engineer (SPAWAR) (SSC Pacific)
U.S. Navy
Jimmie Williams is a supervisory engineer in
the Logistics and Fleet Support Department at
Space and Naval Warfare (SPAWAR) Systems Center Pacific (SSC Pacific)
in San Diego, Calif., where he works with Fleet Support and Sustainment
Engineering projects for the U.S. Navy. He began his career with the
Department of the Navy in 1977, as a high school draftsman at the
Supervisor of Shipbuilding, Conversion and Repair facility in San Diego. As a
student aide, he supported civil engineers in developing foundation drawings
for installations aboard Navy ships.
In 1982, Williams was accepted into a co-op program at Naval Electronics
System Command (now SSC Pacific). He eventually became part of the
automatic test engineering team. Upon graduation, he accepted an offer at
SSC Pacific as the lead test engineer.
Williams transitioned his career to project management in 1990 and led
the development of the SPAWAR/Program Executive Office (PEO) Integrated
Data Environment and Repository (SPIDER). Before SPIDER, installations
planning/execution for command, control, communications, computers,
intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C4ISR) was done using
spreadsheets, by dozens of people in several commands. Williams was
instrumental in the effort to reconcile ownership of "ground truth": data at
these commands. Once that was determined, programmers were able to
develop a robust system that seamlessly shared critical data that improved
the fleet modernization process in multiple commands.
Williams now leads 22 engineers, technicians, computer specialists and
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