NASA... Where are The African American Engineers?

[Smiley]

You would be surprised at the number of engineers graduating every year. YOU must understand that NASA is one of many "Plantations". We have AAs everywhere doing everything but kept in the dark. The further south you go the more the "Plantation" like mentally is displayed. You go to the "Big 3" and it like..... I am so glad I see people like me everywhere I look. Its changing slowly but surely because the "Ole Boys" are getting old and retiring out the way. I know some engineers at NASA that don't work in engineering because they weren't allowed to use their skills and knowledge. There is also a big discrimination complaint against NASA, Redstone Arsenal and the Corp of Engineers (Huntsville) because of improper promotions and hiring.

I was in Michigan the other week and I parked next to a car that had a SU sticker in the window and I was like I need to locate the driver of this car......I know it was an engineer because that is all in that building.

 

[Panther88]

Originally posted by SU's Finest '93
They're probably tons of African American Engineers working for NASA. They may not look like you and I, though.

ROTGDF!!!! LMMFAO@DTo, errr, SU's Finest'93!!!!! LMAO! :emlaugh: :bawling: :emlaugh: Gurl, I on't know about you sometimes. lol

pbla, I think we're represented (from what I gather) considering. Just that those "visible" positions haven't been overly represented yet. It's been that way since I left undergrad back in the late 80s.

You'd be amazed how doors that were once very much closed to us are still being opened. If I hear one more <b>"you're the first black to do blah blah blah here" or "you're the first African-American to do blah blah blah here...." vs "you're the first EMPLOYEE to do blah blah blah here"</b> I swear I'm gonna' puke! lol I shake my head and just do what I'm s'posed to do salary wise. :tup:

But still, it would certainly be nice if more AAs continued to represent in the technical/science fields. :tup:

 

[MsJag4Jag]

Originally posted by jag4life
There are 7 SU grads in my building alone. 2 of us are on this board.

and at least 3 Prairie View grads that I HAVE met...There are others too, but I don't know which school persuasion they are...

 

[Kappalicious]

Ironically...

While at the Super Bowl last weekend, I took time out to visit the Hip Hop Summit / State of the African American Male.

One of the forum speakers was non other than the very first African American (Dr. Harris) to walk in Space and the first person to walk in space in the last 30 years. He was profound, to say the least in so many ways. If you ever get a chance to hear him speak, please take advantage of the opportunity.

One of the things he announced, however, is that NASA has invited engineering students from several HBCU's to come to Houston this spring to be given jobs on the SPOT!

I doubt if that is on anyone's website, but he did make the announcement.

The Hip Hop Summit and State of the African American Male was incredible, though!

 

[Dr. H]

TN State has engineers at NASA. A majority of the minority engineers is located at the smaller operations such as JPL, Greenbelt and other companies that does contract work for NASA. I use to work for an Engineering firm in Denver ?Martin Marietta? and we had engineers from NASA and the DoD.

 

[buckwheat]

I'm sure that there are some engineers from Grambling at Nasa also. I'm a software engineer with a degree in CS from Grambling and I know when I was graduating a lot of engineers were being hired by Raytheon and IBM. I was hired by Raytheon in Tucson, Arizona and I knew several people from Grambling, Southern, PV, Tenn. St. Valley, JSU, Alabam A&M and Skeegee. We had our own black engineering organization with the company.

 

[BluPearl98]

You engineers certainly...

picked a good field according to CNN:

http://money.cnn.com/2004/02/05/pf/college/lucrative_degrees/index.htm?cnn=yes

 

[JR]

Like most folks on here posted there are plenty of "Us" at NASA. Especially at JSC. I was there from 96-2000 working for SAIC (bldg 45 and 7) and all I saw were PV and SU grads everywhere with a few Tuskegee and other schools. Hell all the Civil Servants at NASA that are black are from HBCUs. Now when I used to go the Cape in Florida, I did not see as many bruhs and sisters like JSC has. I know Goodard Space Center in Maryland represents.

All the recent TV stuff has come from JPL in Pasadena, CA. Since most JPL folks are kind of different(NASA folks know what I am talking about), you may not see as many blacks out there. But there are some. I know Boeing in Hunington Beach has some that are doing well. I am sure SuperJag96 can attest that we have some decent numbers in Huntsville at Marshall.

What you don't see is black Flight Directors in Mission Control. Normally that's what area the media shows. We have the numbers just not the exposure.

 

[JR]

Re: Ironically...

Originally posted by Kappalicious
While at the Super Bowl last weekend, I took time out to visit the Hip Hop Summit / State of the African American Male.

One of the forum speakers was non other than the very first African American (Dr. Harris) to walk in Space and the first person to walk in space in the last 30 years. He was profound, to say the least in so many ways. If you ever get a chance to hear him speak, please take advantage of the opportunity.

One of the things he announced, however, is that NASA has invited engineering students from several HBCU's to come to Houston this spring to be given jobs on the SPOT!

I doubt if that is on anyone's website, but he did make the announcement.

The Hip Hop Summit and State of the African American Male was incredible, though!

Dr. Harris is a good man. His wife also works for a NASA contractor.

 

[Jaguar Diehard]

We're here, but....

I'm sure that there are some engineers from Grambling at Nasa also. I'm a software engineer with a degree in CS from Grambling and I know when I was graduating a lot of engineers were being hired by Raytheon and IBM.

The hang up with hiring engineers from GSU is that they are EET's or MET's. NASA won't hire you in an engineering capacity if that is the case, however, our contractors DO hire them and if they perform at better levels than their co-workers (which is the case where I am at), those folx get promoted to SUPER-Tech status.

The folx pretty much getting a lot of attention in the summer programs are FAMU, JSU, Morehouse and Tuskegee (at least for now). The biggest push is to get Hispanics. I'm working on getting whoever I can while I can especially with the latest announcement from the Commander-In-Chief. This might even help me make it to retirement... but I am shooting for 50 y-o!!

:lmao: :lmao:

 

[EB]

Here is some more information on Dr. Tunstel.

http://www.blackengineer.com/artman/publish/article_198.shtml

 

[Smiley]

Originally Posted By: Jaguar Diehard

The hang up with hiring engineers from GSU is that they are EET's or MET's. NASA won't hire you in an engineering capacity

True, True. Never fear METs and EETs come over here to the automotive industry. Great projects, good exposure and good money. One of these days those guys will realize what they are missing.