By Neil Nachbar
Two University of Rhode Island senior engineering students were among this year’s recipients of the URI Black Scholar Awards.
Tailynn McCarty, a chemical engineering major from Providence, was presented the Saint Clair Drake Award for Outstanding Scholarly Research.
Nathan Ankomah-Mensah received the Saint Elmo Brady Award for Outstanding Achievement in Science. The native of Pawtucket is graduating from URI this spring with bachelor’s degrees in computer engineering and electrical engineering.
“It means so much to me to win this award,” said McCarty. “I’ve always known that I wanted to dedicate my life to research.”
McCarty has conducted research for the last two years in the Pharmaceutical Engineering Laboratory, under the direction of Assistant Professor Samantha Meenach.
“I am very grateful for Dr. Meenach giving me the opportunity to work in her lab,” stated McCarty. “I have learned vital skills that have made me a competitive candidate for research positions.”
McCarty has been a leader in the student chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) throughout her career at URI, holding the positions of secretary, vice president, and most recently, president.
“Once I joined NSBE as a freshman, I never looked back,” said McCarty. “I learned so much from being in NSBE. It’s bittersweet to hand the torch off to the incoming executive board, but I know they will do a great job.”
The research experience Ankomah-Mensah gained in Assistant Professor Kunal Mankodiya’s Wearable Biosensing Lab, coupled with his outstanding academic record, made him an ideal candidate for the Saint Elmo Brady Award.
“I’m extremely humbled and honored to have been recognized for my achievements'” said Ankomah-Mensah. “I have grown a lot during my undergraduate career at URI, personally and as an engineer.”
Ankomah-Mensah minored in mathematics and computer science at URI, and like McCarty, also held multiple leadership positions in NSBE.
He will continue his education in the fall at Purdue University, where he will pursue a master’s degree in computer engineering. Ankomah-Mensah’s graduate studies will be funded through the GEM Master’s in Engineering Fellowship Program, which will cover tuition, fees and include a $4,000 living stipend per semester.
Both students were nominated for their awards by Christopher Hunter, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering, faculty advisor of NSBE, and co-chair of the Black Scholar Awards Committee.
Hunter and Charles Watson, assistant director of diversity for the College of Engineering, have mentored the two students since they were freshmen.
“I’m particularly proud of Tailynn and Nathen being honored, as they have ascended as LSAMP (Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation) Scholars, NSBE leaders and are now part of a long line of engineering mentees whom I’ve had the pleasure of advising,” said Watson.
The Black Scholar Awards program was established in 1998 with the primary objective of acknowledging the diverse achievements of URI students of African descent. The program has become an integral part of URI’s commitment to diversity on the campus.