Conference Agenda

The conference structure includes sessions and tracks on faculty development, service training for staff in curricular enhancement, mentoring and advising on recruitment, retention, and developing summer bridge research programs and activities for students.

The sessions and tracks will also include workshops on curriculum design and innovative methods of teaching science and engineering.

Conference Overview

  • Provide students interested in STEM to meet and network across HBCU campuses;
  • Provide opportunity for those who teach to have ready access to faculty development and in-service training to improve student achievement and graduation rates;
  • Coordinate and share resources that will support and enhance the work of the HBCUs producing STEM graduates;
  • Create and maintain a sustainable mechanism that allows the Consortium to share with other similar HBCUs, colleges and universities the lessons learned and to acquire new academic perspectives on how to effectively develop and maintain a competitive pool of African-American students and women that will become scientists and engineers.

Conference Program Book

Speaker Highlights

Keeton, Christina - Photo

Christina K. Keeton, PhD

Vanderbilt University

Dr. Keeton is a Program Manager for the Initiative for Maximizing Student Diversity (IMSD) at Vanderbilt University and Co-Director of the Vanderbilt Summer Science Academy. As Program Manager, she serves as recruiter, advocate and mentor for underrepresented students pursuing a doctorate in biomedical research and is administrator of academic, social and community activities of the IMSD program. As Co-Director, she facilitates summer research experiences for undergraduate students from across the country culminating in a symposium that includes poster and oral presentations. She developed her passion for empowering students in STEM while earning her own doctorate in biochemistry at Vanderbilt University.

Williams, Frances - Photo

Frances Williams, PhD

Tennessee State University

Dr. Frances Williams is a Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies and Research in the College of Engineering at Tennessee State University. Her research focus is in the areas of advanced materials and devices, biosensors, and nano- and micro-electromechanical systems processing and devices. She has received grants totaling $14 million as a principal investigator or co-principal investigator. In 2010 she received a U.S. patent for developing a micromachined sensor for monitoring electrochemical deposition.

 Dr. Williams holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in electrical engineering from North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University, and a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

She is the current associate vice president for research and sponsored programs.