September 5, 2024
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) Physics Department will host its second
speaker this September as part of a larger campaign supported by funding from the
American Institute of Physics (AIP) Foundation through its TEAM-UP Together Expanding
Expertise, Championing Excellence & Leadership (TUT EXCEL) program.
The public is invited to Dr. K. Renee Horton’s guest lecture – Flying on A Rocket:
How I Got There – on Thursday, September 12 at 5 p.m. in the Feigenbaum Center for
Science and Innovation (CSI) 121 with a reception in the CSI atrium at 4 p.m.
Dr. Horton is a trailblazing advocate for diversity in STEM and the first African
American to receive a Ph.D. in Material Science with a concentration in Physics from
the University of Alabama. Currently serving as a NASA airworthiness deputy, Dr. Horton
has received numerous accolades, including the Black Engineer of the Year Trailblazer
Award.
She founded Unapologetically Being, Inc., a nonprofit for STEM advocacy and mentoring,
and speaks worldwide to promote systemic change in STEM fields. Dr. Horton's commitment
to community service includes serving on multiple boards and as past president of
the National Society of Black Physicists. She is also the author of the children's
book series "Dr. H Explores the Universe."
“Being able to bring in speakers who specialize in fields other than our faculty’s
has been significant for our students to be exposed to all the different sub-fields
of physics,” said MCLA Associate Professor and Chair of the Physics Department Dr.
Kebra Ward. “And especially for our students to see that studying physics still prepares
you for fields that aren’t exactly physics. Many of our graduates go on to get engineering
jobs. Having guest speakers in the field brings into focus the breadth of employment
options with a degree in physics.”
In 2016, Dr. Horton was elected President of the National Society of Black Physicists
(NSBP) as the second woman to hold the office. She has served the physics community
abroad as a member of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics Women in
Physics Working Group. She serves on several advisory boards dedicated to a more diverse
inclusion in physics. In 2017, she was elevated to a Fellow in the NSBP – the highest
honor bestowed upon a member.
Dr. Horton was named a 2019 Louisianian of the Year featured in the Louisiana Life
magazine. She was honored in a group of nine individuals who stand out in their professions,
give back, and represent what’s best about Louisiana. In 2021 Dr. Horton was named
the Gulf Coast Organization Legacy Award honoree and was inducted into the LSU Alumni
Hall of Distinction. In 2022 she served as an Astro Access Ambassador on the charted
Zero G flight.
“The grant allows us to bring in successful people from backgrounds that could be
very similar to our students’. We want to give our students the opportunity to see
themselves out there in the industry,” Ward said.
The AIP funding will advance the College’s efforts to increase its African American
physics student enrollment, increase African American students' sense of department
belonging, and introduce systemic changes to the physics Bachelor of Arts degree program
to ensure positive outcomes for the department’s African American students. It also
allows MCLA to implement four main initiatives: a specialized recruitment campaign,
a revised corequisite model ensuring all students have a path to the degree, strategic
external partnerships, and on-campus activities.
In February the department hosted the first speaker in the series, Trevor David Rhone,
assistant professor in the Department of Physics, Applied Physics and Astronomy at
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
About MCLA
At MCLA, we’re here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught
by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive
on every level of their lives. In nearly every way possible, the experience at MCLA
is designed to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully
empowered to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 129-year commitment
to public education, we have fortified our commitment to equitable academic excellence.
MCLA has appeared on U.S. News’ list of Top Ten Public Colleges for nine consecutive
years, ranking No. 7 for Liberal Arts Schools in the nation for a third year. The
College's continued commitment to affordable education and economic prosperity is
reflected in its inclusion on U.S. News' list of National Liberal Arts Colleges for
Social Mobility since the organization adopted this ranking in 2019; MCLA is No. 1
in the state, No. 2 in the country, and No. 22 for National Liberal Arts Colleges.
These rankings measure how well schools graduate students who receive Federal Pell
Grants. Learn more at www.mcla.edu.
