The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Bryan Kent Wallace. Dr. Wallace is currently an Assistant Professor of physics at Fisk University. Dr. Wallace’s career has been dedicated to the upward mobility of underserved and underrepresented populations in STEM related curriculum.

Bryan Kent Wallace was born in Chicago, Illinois.  He attended Grambling State University in Grambling, LA where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physics;. He then attended Fisk University in Nashville, TN and earned Master of Science in Plasma Physics. He earned his Ed.d. in Learning Organizations and Strategic Change from David Lipscomb University in Nashville, TN. Dr. Wallace is currently Assistant Professor of physics at Fisk University. He is also a Primary Investigator for Fisk University’s Rocket Science Program, entitled Altitude Achievement Missile Team (F.A.A.M.T).   This program was built from scratch to compete in a NASA competition wherein the students design, build, launch and recover a sounding rocket carrying a scientific payload to an altitude of exactly one mile.  In its first year of this competition, Fisk University Placed 4^thoverall, and Placed 2^nd, in reaching the one-mile target altitude. 

Legacy - Improving STEM Education for underserved and underrepresented populations

Dr. Wallace’s career has been dedicated to the upward mobility of underserved and underrepresented populations in STEM related curriculum.  Dr. Wallace has a long history of engaging youth and adult learners with the goal of positively impacting their sense of self efficacy in being full participants in STEM and STEM related careers. Dr. Wallace engages in extensive work pipelining university students in to Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers as well as engaging in mentoring programs aimed at building self-efficacy in under-represented populations in K-12. The goal of these efforts is to encouraging them to become full participants in their STEM curriculum and eventually go into STEM related careers. 

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Mareena Robinson Snowden. Dr. Robinson Snowden became the first black woman to earn a PhD in nuclear engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2017.

Mareena Robinson Snowden earned a bachelors degree in physics from Florida A&M University. She then attended graduate school at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) majoring in nuclear engineering. While at MIT, Robinson Snowden was awarded the NNSA Stockpile Stewardship Graduate Fellowship (SSGF) in 2012, a four-year fellowship that supported her graduate work in the MIT Laboratory for Nuclear Security and Policy. Robinson Snowden completed her PhD in nuclear engineering in 2017, becoming the first black woman to earn a PhD in nuclear engineering from MIT. 

In 2017-2018, Robinson Snowden served as a National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Graduate Fellow (NGFP) in the Office of Major Modernization Programs. This office is responsible for the modernization of warhead systems and ensuring access to the strategic materials used in the U.S. stockpile. After her time at NNSA, Mareena was a Stanton Nuclear Security Fellow with the Nuclear Policy Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. Her research focused on nuclear arms control verification, nonproliferation, and modernization. Currently, Dr. Robinson Snowden is a senior engineer in the National Security Analysis Department at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. 

Legacy - Paying it Forward

While in graduate school she worked with an organization called Grad Catalyst that steers underrepresented minorities into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Members of Grad Catalyst visit other institutions to hold seminars on graduate school — from what internships to apply for to how to manage relations with a PhD advisor. She was also co-president of the Academy of Courageous Minority Engineers, a group that serves, in her words, “to provide a community and a safe space to voice goals, grievances, and just feel supported.” After graduation, her story in STEM has been featured in MARVEL Comics, CNBC, BET and other national television, radio and print media. She hopes her accomplishments will inspire other young people to confidently pursue careers in fields in which they might be a minority.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Marta Dark McNeese. Dr. McNeese is a professor of physics at Spelman College. She endeavors to be a mentor to other young women interested in a STEM career, particularly in physics.

Marta Dark McNeese grew up in Prince George’s County, Maryland. She attended the University of Virginia, where she received a BS in Physics, and appears to be the first African American woman to do so. Upon completing her studies at the University of Virginia, she received a PhD in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology working in the biomedical laser research group of the late Professor Michael Feld. She returned to the Washington DC area as a postdoctoral associate at the Naval Research Laboratory. Her research interests are in laser interactions with biological tissues and biomolecules. Marta is currently doing research at Spelman College on techniques using laser light to "weld" a special glue to knee cartilage, repairing tears and strengthening the tissue.  In addition to meeting the challenge of optimizing the composition of the glue, Marta also has to ensure that the heat from the laser does not damage the cartilage itself.

Legacy - Mentoring women and young people in physics 

Since 2000, Dr. Dark has been a professor at Spelman College in Atlanta. Her decision to join Spelman came from a desire to champion the field of physics as a viable career option for African American women. Dr. Dark enjoys teaching physics at all undergraduate levels, from astronomy for non-science majors to quantum mechanics. She volunteers with elementary school students in Atlanta giving demonstrations in physical science. She is a member of the American Physical Society, the National Society of Black Physicists, and the American Association of Physics Teachers. She has served on the APS Committee on Minorities, Panel on Public Affairs, and as a General Councillor. Dr. Dark lives in Atlanta with her husband and two children.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Evelynn Hammonds. Among her many accomplishments, she was a former Dean of Harvard College, the first African-American and the first woman to head the College.

Dr. Evelynn Hammonds was born in Atlanta, Georgia in 1953. She obtained bachelor's degrees in physics and electrical engineering from Spelman College and Georgia Tech, respectively. She went on to confer her master's in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) before competing her Ph.D. in the history of science from Harvard University. Once she finished her Ph.D., Hammonds was hired by MIT where she eventually rose to the position of associate professor. Later, Dr. Hammonds returned to Harvard University in 2002 to accept a joint appointment as professor of the history of science and African American Studies. She is currently the Barbara Gutmann Rosenkrantz Professor of the History of Science and Professor of African and African-American Studies at Harvard University. She is also the chair of the Department of the History of Science at Harvard University.

Dr. Hammonds research focused on gender and race in science and medicine. Her scholarly work spanned the gamut from historical analysis to addressing contemporary issues of race and gender. Dr. Hammonds is the author of “Childhood's Deadly Scourge: The Campaign to Control Diphtheria in New York City, 1880-1930”. She is currently completing a history of biological, medical, and anthropological uses of racial concepts entitled, The Logic of Difference: A History of Race in Science and Medicine in the United States , 1850–1990.

Legacy - Progress at MIT and Harvard.

During her time at MIT, Hammonds was the founding director of the MIT's Center for Diversity in Science, Technology and Medicine. Scholars at the CSD examine both the impact of diversity on the theory and practice of science, medicine, and technology, and the contributions of racial and ethnic minorities to those fields.  after serving as the Senior Vice Provost for Faculty Development and Diversity. She was the first person to hold this position after Harvard created it, and in it she supported the recruitment and promotion of minorities and women at the university. In 2008, Hammonds was appointed dean of Harvard College, the first African-American and the first woman to head the College. She served as dean until she rejoined ranks of professor in 2013. Dr. Hammonds has always enjoyed working with students and has said she thinks it is especially important for minority students to have minority faculty available as role models.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Trina Coleman. Dr. Coleman is a scientist, educator, entrepreneur, and host of the podcast "Beyond the Classroom with Dr. Trina Coleman". Her work to highlight HBCUs and their STEM education programs has a profound impact. 

Dr. Trina Coleman is a three time graduate of Hampton University, earning her bachelors, masters and doctorate degrees in physics. Dr. Coleman is a scientist, educator, entrepreneur, host of Beyond the Classroom with Dr. Trina Coleman on HBCUiRadio and HBCUSmartTV, visiting professor at Stillman College and public speaker. She is the former Technical Executive Officer of NSBP and the second of five African-American women in this nation’s history to obtain a degree in theoretical nuclear/particle/quantum physics. 

As a scholar and former academic administrator, Dr. Coleman has crafted a diverse professional portfolio. From post-doctoral researcher and faculty member, to executive director, assistant provost and CIO, her experience ranges across a broad spectrum but has always maintained a focus on STEM. Her professional journey includes: educating high school and postsecondary students in physics and astronomy; conducting unclassified research that focused on solving national defense issues as a Post-Doctoral Fellow of the Central Intelligence Agency; and spearheading enterprise IT, academic and policy initiatives as a member of the Howard and Hampton University administrations. She has presented her research nationally and internationally at conferences for various organizations.

Legacy - STEM Outreach

Currently as CEO & President of Coleman Comprehensive Solutions, LLC, an educational and IT consulting and services firm, Dr. Coleman has created an online course platform get.stemskills.online to help bridge math and science deficiency gaps for middle and high school students, as well as adults seeking knowledge for careers in technical fields. She is equally passionate regarding the recently trending interest in exposing underrepresented students to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) programs. Her STEM outreach and public persona Academic Blue Blood connects to her illustrious academic lineage. Additionally, Dr. Coleman conducts STEM Camps that do a deep dive into the relationship between each letter in S.T.E.M. with a little theory and hands-on activities.

Dr. Coleman serves as an Advisory Board member for the United States Distance Learning Association (USDLA) and Board member, Fascinate, Inc.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Mary James. Her work to advocate for physics for minorities and women has led to greater opportunities within the physics community for underrepresented groups.

Dr. Mary James is the daughter of a Tuskegee Airman.  She enrolled into Hampshire College, in Amherst, MA in 1972.  Growing up, she loved science, but quickly realized after one physics class at Hampshire College that her dream of becoming a scientist, might not be possible.  However, after some years of persistence and determination through a relentless professor that believed in her, he convinced James to apply for a summer research internship at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC).  It was here at the lunch table sitting next to a few senior engineers that were talking about physics, that she realized she could make physics a career.  She returned back to Hampshire College where she would go on to receive a B.A. in Physics in 1976.

After graduation, James moved to California and began working as a Junior Engineer at SLAC.  She began working on her Ph.D at Stanford University and completed her studies in Applied Physics in 1986 and was awarded her degree in March of 1988.  In 1987, Dr. James joined the faculty of the University of Maryland, as an Assistant Professor in Electrical Engineering.  In 1988, Dr. James moved on to become a Professor in Physics at Reed College in Portland, OR.  In 2013, she was promoted to Dean for Institutional Diversity, a position she holds currently.

Legacy - Advocate for Physics among minorities and women

Dr. James is an advocate for physics among minorities and women.  She currently serves on the leadership team of the Liberal Arts Diversity Officers consortium at Reed.  She has served as a member and chair of the American Physical Society committee on Minorities in Physics.  She established the Center for Teaching and Learning at Reed College, which strives to attract and retain women, first generation students and minorities in STEM majors.  In 2018, Dr. James began working with the American Institute of Physics to launch TEAM UP, a Tasks Force to Elevate African American Representation in Undergraduate Physics and Astronomy.  Over the past two years, her committee have been investigating the reasons for the persistent underrepresentation of African Americans in physics and has released a report with its finding, which can be found here.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. K. Renee Horton. Dr. Horton is a past president of NSBP, an award winning NASA engineer, and tireless advocate for diversity and inclusion in STEM.

K. Renee Horton is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.  She is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a B.S. of Electrical Engineering and a Ph.D. in Material Science with a concentration in Physics from the University of Alabama. Dr. Horton was the first African American to receive this degree from the University of Alabama. In her day job, she serves as a NASA Space Launch System (SLS) Quality Engineer at Michoud Assembly Facility (MAF) in New Orleans. Throughout her academic career, Renee has received numerous accolades and awards including the Black Engineer of the Year Trailblazer Award, a NASA Space Flight Awareness Team award and a NASA Marshall Space Flight Center Certificate of Appreciation Honor Award.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. James Davenport. Dr. Davenport was the chair of the physics department at Virginia State University for over thirty years, establishing a legacy of educational and academic excellence at the University.

James Davenport was born in 1938 in Union Springs, Alabama. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education at Tuskegee University. He earned his masters degree and Ph.D. in physics from Howard University.In 1968, Dr. Davenport accepted a position at Virginia State as the head of the physics department where he served until 2003. During his time there, he was a vital part of research conducted at Virginia State for NASA, including work in both medium energy physics and muon spin rotation studies of condensed matter. He also studied radiation damage in solar-cell materials with support from NASA. Additionally, from summer 1974 until summer 2014, he worked with the Fermi National Accelerator Lab (Fermilab) in Batavia, Illinois alongside Nobel Laureate and fellow physicist Leon Max Lederman. In addition to his duties at Virginia State, Dr. Davenport was the first secretary-treasurer of the National Society of Black Physicists and a longtime supporter of the organization.

Legacy - Physics Department at Virginia State University

Dr. Davenport principal contribution to physics has been in the field of education. Under his leadership the research component of Virginia State’s physics department flourished. Dr. Davenport strongly emphasized teaching and mentorship during his career at Virginia State University. He taught first courses for physics majors in an effort to prevent people from dropping science as a major, an unusual practice for department chairs. This practice allowed him to inspire confidence in his students while providing a challenging curriculum for the first year students. Many of this students have established outstanding academic and professional careers.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Charles McGruder, III. Dr. McGruder is an experimental astrophysicist that has made it his priority to facilitate the entry of people of African descent across the diaspora into astronomical research.

Charles McGruder graduated from Caltech with a B.S. in Astronomy. Rather than stay in the US to complete his graduate studies, McGruder obtained his Ph.D. from  University of Heidelberg in Germany in Astrophysics in 1972. Upon completion of his degree, Dr. McGruder became the first African American to study extragalactic systems. 

Today, Dr. McGruder is the William McCormack Professor of physics department at Western Kentucky University. He heads a group of astronomers at his university who primarily are interested in active galactic nuclei but also gamma-ray bursts and extrasolar planets. His department has been very successful in securing funding that involves undergraduates in faculty-mentored research. 

Legacy - Improving Physics Capabilibies on the African Continent

Dr. McGruder has made it his priority to facilitate the entry of young African Americans into astronomical research.  After graduation, Dr. McGruder worked in sub-Saharan African countries. Dr. McGruder is a former president of NSBP and has been very involved with improving the state of physics on the African continent as the chair of the NSBP's international committee. He was very instrumental in the development of the African Astronomical Society.

Dr. McGruder has been especially active with the growth of astronomical research in South Africa. In South Africa, the National Astrophysics and Space Sciences Program (NASSP) – was created to train South African students to ensue the development of high level physics skills within SA. The program specifically takes graduates with bachelor's degrees in math or the physical sciences and prepares them to obtain Ph.D.s in astrophysics and related disciplines. However, there were no Black SA astronomers to serve as mentors and instructors. Dr. McGruder worked with other African American astrophysicists within NSBP to serve as mentors and instructors for this program. In the very next year after NSBP participation in the program, the number of black students in NASSP jumped dramatically.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Calvin Mackie. Dr. Mackie is an award-winning mentor, a critically acclaimed author, an internationally renowned motivational speaker, and a successful entrepreneur.

Calvin Mackie was born in Bronx, New York and graduated from McDonogh 35 High School, New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1985. In 1990, Mackie earned a B.S. in Mathematics from Morehouse College and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech through a dual-degree program. He also completed a M.S. in 1992 and a Ph.D. in 1996, both in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. 

Following graduation, he joined the faculty at Tulane University, where he pursued research related to heat transfer, fluid dynamics, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. In 2002, he was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure. Mackie’s eleven-year academic career ended in June 2007, when Tulane University disbanded the engineering school in response to financial hardship induced by Hurricane Katrina. He enjoyed a respected academic career, before refocusing his career on entrepreneurship, consulting and professional speaking. Mackie founded the personal development and educational consulting firm, Channel ZerO Group, in 1992 and co-founded an alternative energy company, Golden Leaf Energy, in 2009.

He is a member of Phi Beta Kappa, Pi Tau Sigma and Tau Beta Pi National Honor Societies, and a Lifetime Member of the National Society of Black Engineers.

Legacy - Community Service

Through his travels and online mentoring presence, Mackie reaches millions of students and professionals annually. In 2009, then Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal appointed Dr. Mackie to the Louisiana Council on the Social Status of Black Boys and Black Men. The board elected Mackie to chair position where he led the state’s effort to create policy and programs to positively impact the quality of life for black males and families in the state of Louisiana.  Committed to community service, Mackie is an active member of the National Speaker Association and the 100 Black Men of Metro New Orleans.

Dr. Mackie founded STEM NOLA is a non-profit organization founded to expose, inspire and engage communities about the opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). STEM NOLA designs and delivers activities, programs and events that bring inspiration, motivation and training to all STEM stakeholders (especially students) across entire communities. Since December 2013, STEM NOLA has engaged over 11,000 most under-served K-12 New Orleans students in hands-on STEM project based activities. Over 80% of participants receive free or reduce lunch vouchers and thus free admission, and 45% have been females.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Calvin Lowe. Dr. Lowe is the current dean of the school of science at Hampton University. His career as a physicist and education administrator has created a tremendous legacy in the area of science education.

Education administrator and physicist Calvin Lowe was born in Roanoke Rapids, Michigan in 1955. After graduating from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University with his B.S. degree in physics, Lowe enrolled at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) where he earned his M.S. degree in plasma physics in 1979. Upon completing his doctoral thesis, “Optical Properties of Graphite Intercalation Compounds,” Lowe graduated from MIT with his Ph.D. degree in solid state physics in 1983.

Upon graduation, Lowe began teaching as an associate professor of physics at the University of Kentucky. In 1987, Lowe was appointed as an associate professor of physics at Hampton University and was named chair of the department of physics. He left Hampton University in 1992 and moved to Alabama Agricultural and Mechanical State University in Huntsville, Alabama where he served as chair of the department of physics from 1992 to 1995. In 1996, Lowe returned to Hampton University and he served as the vice president of research and dean of the graduate college. In that position, he was instrumental in building an internationally recognized atmospheric-sciences research group. Lowe is the author or co-author of numerous scientific publications, many focusing on the optical properties of various compounds. In 2011, Lowe received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the National Aeronautic and Space Administration’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

Legacy - Educational Leadership

Lowe was named the ninth president of Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland and served from 2000 to 2006. While at Bowie, Lowe was as a member of the Task Force to Study College Readiness for Disadvantaged and Capable Students. Lowe has also served as the vice president of research and program development at the National Institute for Aerospace. In addition to serving as faculty and administrator, Lowe served as a member of the board of Directors for the University System of Maryland from 2000 to 2006. In 2011, Lowe was appointed as the dean of the School of Science at Hampton University, where he is currently serving.

Dr. Calvin Lowe currently resides in Virginia with his wife Tanya. His brother, Dr. Walter Lowe is also a professor in physics at Howard University. Learn more about him by going to his Hampton University webpage.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Carl Spight.

Carl Spight was born on September 8, 1944, in Indianapolis, Indiana.  As a youth, he attended Frances W. Parker School 56 and Arsenal High School where he graduated in 1962.  He enrolled at Purdue University and received a B.S. degree in electrical engineering with honors in 1966. He would go on to complete his M.A. and PhD at Princeton in plasma physics in 1971.  

Dr. Spight went on to have an extensive resume in academia and the private sector.  He has taught at Southern University (1971); served as professor and department chair at Morehouse College (1972-1980); served as a visiting professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1977), worked and served as director of research at AMAF (1980-1983); served as chief of advanced technology programs, director of engineering, and chief scientist at Sonicraft, Incorporated in Chicago, Illinois (1986-1989); assisted with the consolidation of Clark College and Atlanta University into Clark Atlanta University (1989); served as dean of the college of arts and sciences and executive assistant to the president at Clark Atlanta University (1989); served as chief scientist and regional manager of information systems for Jackson and Tull, Incorporation (early 1990s); and served as manager of academic services for the Office of Information Technology at the City Colleges of Chicago (1994 through 2000).  Dr. Spight has also taught at and assisted academic programs at Chicago State University, Olive-Harvey College, Providence St. Mel High School, North Lawndale College Preparatory Center, and the Betty Shabazz Charter School, and worked as a statistical consultant and vice president for Forté Development Corporation. 

Legacy - Civic Activist

During his professional endeavors, Dr. Spight continued to be a community leader and civic activist. During his time at Princeton University, he co-founded the Committee on Black Awareness. Along with the collaboration efforts of Drs. Jim Davenport, Warren Henry, Walter Massey, Harry Morrison, and James Young, he helped to organize and plan the fourth annual Day of Scientific Lectures and Seminars (DOSLAS) meeting that was held at Morehouse College in 1976, which was also an instrumental part in the development of the National Society of Black Physicists as an organization.   In Oak Park, Illinois, Spight co-authored the research study about the performance gap between black and white achievement at Oak Park and River Forest High School. His activism led him to be a featured presenter at the Olive-Harvey Black Studies Conference for over seventeen years. He has received the William F. Thornton Award for Professional Achievement from the National Technical Association in 1989 and the Distinguished Alumni Award from Princeton University. Dr. Spight is a former president of the National Society of Black Physicists.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. James H. Stith. Dr. Stith was the first African American to earn tenure as a professor at West Point. His work with STEM professional organizations that improve program evaluation and teacher preparation and enhancement left a sizeable legacy across the scientific community.

James H. Stith was born on July 17, 1941, in Brunswick County, Virginia.  He attended Oak Grove Elementary School and he graduated from James Solomon Russell High School in 1959.  After high school, he went on to enroll at Virginia State College where he earned a B.S. in physics in 1963 and a M.S. degree in physics in 1965.  While enrolled at Virginia State, Stith joined the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and worked as an instructor.  After he completed his M.S. degree, he was called to active duty with the U.S. Army.  After serving two years in the Army, he began working at the Radio Corporation of America and began studying at Pennsylvania State University, where he completed his D.Ed. degree in physics in 1972.  

After completing his degree, Dr. Stith was recalled to the Army.  There he joined the faculty at the United States Military Academy at West Point, where he became the first tenured African American professor.  In 1993 he retired from his post at the rank of Colonel.  During his military tenure, he was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal, Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal W/Oak Leaf Cluster and the Air Force Commendation Medal.

Shortly after leaving West Point, Dr. Stith began teaching as a full professor at the Ohio State University until 1998.  

Legacy - Community Involvement

Dr. James Stith is heavily involved in professional scientific organizations that are committed to his primary interests are in Program Evaluation and Teacher Preparation and Enhancement. Dr. Stith has served as a past President of the National Society of Black Physicists, an active member, and a chartered fellow of the organization. He served as the director of physics programs and the Vice President of Physics Resources Center at the American Institute of Physics (AIP) from 1998-2008.  He currently holds the title of Vice President Emeritus with AIP.  Stith is a past President of the American Association of Physics Teachers (first African American), a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, a Fellow of the American Physical Society, and a Fellow of the American Association of Physics Teachers. Among his many other accomplishments, Dr. Stith has served on the board of the Triangle Coalition (1999-2006), the advisory board for Project Kaleidoscope (1990), and served as the Past President, President, President Elect, and Vice President of the American Association of Physics Teachers (1990-1994).  He was recognized as one of the “50 Most Important Blacks in Research Science” in 2004.  In 2018 he was presented with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award by Marquis “Who’s Who”.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Robert A. Ellis Jr. Dr. Ellis was considered a pioneer in modern experimental plasma physics. His legacy lives on at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory in his research and in his son.

Robert A. Ellis was born on 1924. He received his bachelor's degree from Fisk in 1948 and his master's degree from Yale in 1949. After receiving his master's degree in physics from Yale, Ellis taught at Tennessee A&I, later known as Tennessee State University. He then went to earn his doctorate at the University of Iowa. During his doctoral studies, his advisor attempted to pursuade him to seek a position at a research institution, but his commitment to black education and his loyalty to Tennessee A&I led him back to that institution. He returned to Tennessee State as a full professor in the physics department.

In 1956, Dr. Ellis went to Princeton to join Project Matterhorn, a small group working on controlleed fustion. Project Matterhorn would later become known as the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL). He became a key member of the team studying the magnetic confinement and heating of plasma in stellarators. Their published papers on the B-l and B-3 devices were the first to document ohmic heating, anomalous transport across the magnetic field, radiofrequency plasma heating at the lower-hybrid frequency, and nonlinear cyclotron harmonic interactions. From 1972 to 1976 Bob was group leader for the Adiabatic Toroidal Compressor tokamak at Princeton. In 1988 Bob was appointed head of experimental projects at PPPL, putting him in charge of all non-TFTR experimental work. He held that position until his death in 1989.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Howard J. Foster. Dr. Foster left a tremendous educational legacy as the founder and former chairman of the Department of Physics and Mathematics at Alabama A&M University.

Dr. Howard J. Foster was born on Sept. 22, 1926, in Gadsden, Alabama. He was a 7th grade dropout; but after serving in the armed forces, Dr. Foster returned to the seventh grade at the age of 23. He attended college at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he graduated magna cum laude and earned the MS degree in physics. In 1964 he received a Ph.D. in physics from Catholic University of America with a special citation for academic performance.

Before his time at Alabama A&M University, Foster held a position as solid state physicist in the Institute for Material Research at the US National Bureau of Standards. He also held consulting and part time professional positions with NASA and the Atomic Energy Commission, and a visiting professorship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Foster’s past work activity included teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels in physics and mathematics; consulting in environmental sciences; work in atomic energy; environmental control (space program); missile vibration shielding; prospecting for mineral resources from outer space; defense against sophisticated missile attack (Safeguard); laboratory director for high-temperature studies of missile nose-cone materials and nuclear fuels; electron microscopy and diffraction; thin films and crystal growth, and theoretical and experimental studies of Fermi surfaces in metals.

Foster’s recent work activity included quantum theoretical and experimental studies of Fermi surfaces and electronic properties of metals; work in crystal growth and purification of metals and alloys; and, consulting in some of these areas. 

Legacy - Department of Physics and Mathematics at Alabama A&M University

Dr. Foster began the physics and mathematics department at Alabama A&M University in 1965. He was the chairman of the department of physics and mathematics at Alabama A&M University when he died on January 23, 1973. The Howard J. Foster Center for Irradiation of Materials is a research building on the campus of Alabama A&M University named after Dr. Foster. 

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Harry L. Morrison. Dr. Morrison was the first African American physics faculty member at the University of California Berkeley and a founding member of NSBP. 

Harry Lee Morrison was born on October 7, 1932, in Arlington, Virginia. Morrison attended the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC, from which he received a BA in chemistry in 1955 and a PhD in chemistry 1960.  

In 1961, Dr. Morrison was called to active military service as a first lieutenant at the US Air Force Academy. He taught physics there as an assistant professor until 1964. He later joined the staff of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) as a theoretical physicist, and worked on quantum fluids and statistical physics. He applied his knowledge to a direct derivation of the Landau theory of quantum hydrodynamics and interacting Bose systems.

During the 1970s, Morrison served as a visiting professor at the University of Colorado, Howard University in Washington, DC, and MIT. In 1972, Dr. Morrison was hired by the University of California Berkeley as an associate professor. He was the first African American faculty in the Berkeley Department of Physics and was promoted to full professor in 1977.

Perhaps his best-known contribution to physics was his 1972 demonstration of the absence of long-range order in quantum systems in two dimensions, such as in thin superfluid helium films, that resulted from the breaking of a continuous symmetry. In collaboration with two colleagues, both of LLNL; it was one of the most successful applications of algebraic quantum field theory to the analysis of physical systems.

In 1985, Dr. Morrison was appointed as assistant dean of the College of Letters & Science. He retired from the UCB faculty in 1994, but continued to serve as an assistant dean in the College of Letters & Science for 11 more years, until his death in 2002.  

Legacy - Development of scientific talent in the African American community

Dr. Morrison was devoted to the practice of theoretical physics, the development of scientific talent in the African American community, and the life of an intellectual. Morrison was involved in the early planning stages of a program launched in 1970 as Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA). Conceived as a way to boost minority enrollment in science and engineering programs in college, it has since become a nationally recognized and very successful statewide academic preparation program reaching out to more than 21,000 students throughout California. He also was one of the founding members of the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) and one of the first members to obtain the status of fellow. 

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Meredith C. Gourdine. Dr. Gourdine was a highly successful scientist and entrepreneur. His pioneering research and product development in electrogasdynamics has made an indelible legacy on our world.

Meredith C. Gourdine was born September 26, 1929, in Newark, New York. Raised in Brooklyn, he attended Brooklyn Tech High School, where he was a star athlete in swimming and track and field. After graduation, he turned down swim scholarship at the University of Michigan to attended Cornell University, where he earned the nickname “Flash” as an intercollegiate track champion while also studying engineering. In 952, he competed in the Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland, where he would win a silver medal in the long jump. That same year he graduated from Cornell with a B.S. in engineering.

After graduating from Cornell University, Gourdine served as an officer in the U.S. Navy and then did graduate work in engineering at the California Institute of Technology, supported by a Guggenheim fellowship. He worked as a senior research scientist at the Caltech Jet Propulsion Laboratory for two years before completing his Ph.D. in Engineering Physics in 1960. Shortly afterwards, he became a Lab Director of the Plasmodyne Corporation for two years and then went on to become the Chief Scientists of the Curtiss-Wright Corporation until 1964.

After leaving the private industry, Dr. Gourdine founded his own research and development firm, Gourdine Systems, in Livingston, NJ. His company staffed over 150 and has been issued several patents on gas dynamic products as a result of his work. In 1973, he founded another company, Energy Innovations, in Houston, TX. Here is where he produced direct-energy conversion devices from his patented designs.

Legacy - Pioneering work in Electrogasdynamics

Gourdine was an expert in electrogasdynamics, the generation of electrical energy based on the conversion of the kinetic energy contained in a high-pressure, ionized, moving combustion gas.  Gourdine's companies developed commercial applications for electrogasdynamics, garnering patents for converting natural gas to electricity, desalinating sea water, creating circuit breakers, and for acoustic imaging. He also invented the “focus flow heat sink,” which cools computer chips. But Gourdine is best known for developing the electrostatic precipitator filtration system, which removes smoke from burning buildings, fog from airport runways, and, today, allergens and other particulates from the air of many homes.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Carl A. Rouse. Dr. Rouse became the first African American to successfully enter into a career as a professional astrophysics researcher. He left behind a tremendous academic legacy as well as a financial legacy to ensure continued growth of underrepresented groups in astrophysics research.

Raised in Ohio, a young Rouse developed a love for science. In 1944 while serving in the Army Specialized Training Reserve (ASTR) he was sent to New York University to complete the ASTR Civil Engineering Course. After being discharged from the Army, he attended Case Institute of Technology where he studied physics and math. After receiving his BS, he was awarded an Institute Fellowship to study at California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Rouse then went on to earn his doctorate degree in physics in 1956 from Caltech, becoming the fifth African American to earn a doctorate degree in physics from any American university and the first to earn one from Caltech.

After earning his doctorate, Dr. Carl Albert Rouse became the first African American to successfully enter into a career as a professional astrophysics researcher. Dr. Rouse's thesis research was in the field of particle physics. After graduate school, he took a position as a scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory where he studied screened Coulomb interactions utilizing quantum mechanics theory. There he developed mathematical equations for describing changes to solid matter when it comes into contact with high temperatures and radiation. In 1967, he edited a four volume series entitled, Progress in High Temperature Physics and Chemistry. Perhaps his most notable achievement was his development of a mathematical model of the interior sun. While working on equations of state he discovered problems with the standard model of the sun. With this discovery, he set out to develop a mathematical (high-z) model of the sun whose predictive value could be measured through observations of solar radiation. Rouse then devised a new method to measure the presence of helium in the sun's atmosphere and he posed his own theories on the matter. Through his efforts, many astrophysicists abandoned the standard model of the sun in favor of his model.

Legacy - The Dr. Carl Rouse Fellowship

Following the passing of Dr. Rouse in 2014, the National Society of Black Physicists and the California Institute of Technology, along with the Rouse family established the Dr. Carl Rouse Fellowship in honor of the late Dr. Carl Albert Rouse for research with LIGO Laboratory and for undergraduate students who have demonstrated both a commitment to pursuing science as an academic major and a strong interest in astrophysics. The Rouse Memorial Fellowship is awarded annually to provide summer research support for an undergraduate student, preferably an underrepresented minority, participating in the LIGO SURF program. Fellows are supported through the National Society of Black Physicists and the generous contributions of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Carolyn Beatrice Parker. Ms. Parker is the first African American woman known to have gained a postgraduate degree in physics. Her legacy of academic achievement in physics inspired generations of African American women in physics.

Carolyn Beatrice Parker (1917–66) was a true hidden figure. Raised in a family of scientists, she earned a bachelor’s degree from Fisk University in 1937 and a master’s in mathematics from the University of Michigan in 1941. From 1943 to 1947, Parker worked on research and development for nuclear weapons as part of the Dayton Project, a division of the Manhattan Project. After World War II, she earned a master’s degree in physics from MIT and completed her coursework for her PhD. But before she could complete her doctoral program, she died at age 48 from leukemia, an occupational hazard for Dayton Project workers. Parker is the first African American woman known to have gained a postgraduate degree in physics.

Ms. Parker's Legacy - African American Women in Physics (AAWIP)

Ms. Parker served as an inspiration for generations of women African American physicists. Dr. Willie Moore Hobbs became the first women to complete her doctoral degree in physics. To date, there are nearly 100 African American women that have completed their doctoral degree in physics. In an effort to keep track of all the women that received doctorate degrees in physics, Dr. Jami Miller created the African American Women in Physics (AAWIP), an organization devoted to honoring the women that paved the way and inspiring future generations of African-American women physicists.

The National Society of Black Physicists honors Dr. Edward Bouchet. Dr. Bouchet was the first African American to earn a Ph.D. in physics from any American University. He has established a legacy of excellence for all African American physicists.

Edward Alexander Bouchet (September 15, 1852 – October 28, 1918) was an African American physicist and educator and was the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. from any American university, completing his dissertation in physics at Yale in 1876. While completing his studies, Bouchet was also the first African American to be inducted in to Phi Beta Kappa for his stellar academic performance in his undergraduate studies. Bouchet’s original research focused on geometrical optics, and he wrote a dissertation entitled “On Measuring Refractive Indices.”

Unfortunately, after completing his dissertation, Bouchet was unable to find a university teaching position after college, probably because of racial discrimination. Bouchet moved to Philadelphia in 1876 and took a position at the Philadelphia's Institute for Colored Youth (now Cheyney University of Pennsylvania), where he taught physics and chemistry for the next 26 years. Bouchet spent the next several years in several different teaching positions around the country.  In 1916, Bouchet returned home to New Haven in poor health, and died in 1918 at age 66.

Dr. Bouchet's impact on physics still resonates today around the world. The American Physical Society (APS Physics) confers the Edward A. Bouchet Award on some of the nation's outstanding physicists for their contribution to physics. The Edward Bouchet Abdus Salam Institute was founded in 1988 by the late Nobel Laureate, Professor Abdus Salam under the direction of the founding Chairman Charles S. Brown. In 2005, Yale and Howard University founded the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society in his name. 

Dr. Bouchet's Legacy

During his four decades of teaching, Dr. Bouchet educated hundreds of students, many of whom went on to professional careers. As a physicist, Dr. Bouchet's legacy of academic excellence lived on in scientists like Dr. Joseph A. Johnson, III, the second African American to graduate from Yale with a Ph.D. in physics and former president of NSBP. However, Dr. Bouchet's academic legacy went to a whole other level in the fall of 2019 with two African Americans graduating with doctorate degrees in physics from Yale University. On September 10, 2019, Dr. Charles Brown successfully defended his thesis, “Optical, Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Superfluid Liquid Helium Drops Magnetically-Levitated in Vacuum.”  Dr. Brown is an atomic physicist and the sixth African American to complete a doctoral degree from Yale University. Dr. Brown has joined the Stamper-Kurn group at the University of California, Berkeley as a postdoctoral associate, conducting experiments with ultracold atomic gases trapped in optical lattices. On December 6, 2019, Dr. Brooke Russell successfully defended her thesis, “An Electron Neutrino Appearance Search in MicroBooNE with 5 x 10¹⁹ POT”. Dr. Russell is an experimental particle physicist, the seventh African American person and the first African-American woman to graduate with a doctorate degree in physics from Yale University. Dr. Russell will join the Neutrino Group in the Physics Division at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as an Owen Chamberlain Postdoctoral Fellow, working on 3D pixelated charge readout devices to enable the single-phase LArTPC DUNE Near Detector physics program.