NSBE - Fall 2009 - 60

GoldenTorch HONOREES The NSBE GOLDEN TORCH AWARDS recognize organizations and individuals who exemplify NSBE’s ideals of academic excellence, professional success and dedication to improvement of the black community. The four Golden Torch honorees presented here were selected after the deadline for publication in the March/April 2009 issue of NSBe magazine. They received their awards with 13 other honorees at the 35th NSBE Annual National Convention in Las Vegas, Nev., in March. Mike Shinn Distinguished Member of the Year (Female) CANDICE M. DIxON Alumni Extension Member of the Year KEISHA SLAUGHTER Educational Technology Ph.D. Candidate, Louisiana State University Referred to by many of her peers as an overachiever, Candice Marie Dixon has her sights set on getting her doctorate and building a multibillion-dollar firm. After graduating from Southern University in 2004 with a B.S. in electrical engineering, Dixon went to work for Northrop Grumman Corporation and served as NSBE national vice chair. She earned her M.S. in information systems from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County in 2006 and continued developing her website development and graphic design business, Dixon Solutions. She remains actively involved in NSBE and other organizations, including the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority Nominating Committee. ■ Program Manager, Ohio STEM Learning Network/STEM Columbus Keisha Slaughter leads and facilitates the strategic direction, programs and activities of STEM Columbus, a nonprofit, public/private science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) partnership comprising 26 NSBE Jr. chapters, the Summer Engineering Experience for Kids (SEEK) Camp and other STEM experiences for Columbus City School students. Slaughter attended Northwestern University, where she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in industrial engineering. She has served as NSBE National Alumni Finance chair and has held a number of other local, regional and national board positions throughout her 13 years as a member. She now serves as the Pre-College Initiative chair for NSBE’s Central Ohio Alumni Extension Chapter of NSBE and mentors several high school and collegiate students. ■ Mike Shinn Distinguished Member of the Year (Male) EDWARD J. WILLIAM II Electrical Engineering Student, University of Idaho When Edward William II was a fourth grader in El Cajon, Calif., school administrators steered him into special education classes. When he reached middle school, he was transferred out of what he calls “that oppressive environment,” worked his way up to honors classes and graduated as Most Improved Student. In high school, he was introduced to NSBE and decided to become an engineer. Today, he is a graduate student in electrical engineering at the University of Idaho. His current goal is to attain a master’s and Ph.D., get established in his lifelong career, and offer scholarships to high school or middle school students interested in engineering and science. ■ ROBERT L. HOWARD JR., PH.D. Alumni Extension Technologist of the Year Human Factors Lead, NASA Robert L. Howard Jr., Ph.D. first worked for NASA as a summer intern at NASA Johnson Space Center, when he was an undergrad in the Atlanta University Center Dual Degree Engineering Program. He earned his M.S. in industrial engineering with a focus in human factors from North Carolina A&T State University then a doctorate in aerospace engineering from the University of Tennessee Space Institute, where his research focus was on spacecraft engineering. As a graduate student, he continued his NASA work tours as part of the graduate co-op program. He was converted to full-time employee status with NASA’s Space Station Motion Control Systems Group in October 2002. Dr. Howard has been a member of NSBE since 1990. He is the founder and president of the NSBE Houston Space Chapter and the founder and director of the NSBE Space Special Interest Group. ■ www.nsbe.org 60 • career engineer • fall 2009 •

NSBE - Fall 2009

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