ASME Foundation Honors STEM NOLA Founder and President Calvin Mackie, Ph.D., at New Orleans Event

Date Published:

Nov 15, 2023

ASME Donates 2024 Scholarship for STEM NOLA Fellow

NEW YORK (Nov. 15, 2023) — The engineering community recently honored Calvin Mackie, Ph.D., engineer, advocate, and founder and president of STEM NOLA, now celebrating its 10^th anniversary, for his leadership of the organization in reaching more than 125,000 children in more than 5,100 schools across the U.S. and five other countries with its science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) programming. The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) recognized Mackie’s vision and dedication with the donation of a 2024 scholarship for a STEM NOLA Fellow, the ASME Foundation announced at a gala event held Nov. 2 in New Orleans.

“ASME is proud to donate this scholarship in honor of Dr. Mackie,” said Oscar Barton, Jr., Ph.D., dean of the engineering school at Morgan State University, member of the ASME Foundation Board of Directors, and an ASME Fellow. “For over ten years, STEM NOLA and its extraordinary programs have created new dreams for young people who may otherwise never have discovered the wonders of STEM — and the world may have otherwise missed the life changing contributions they will bring.”

The ASME Foundation, through the ASME INSPIRE Scholarship Program, will award a one-time, $5,000 scholarship to a high school senior actively participating in the STEM NOLA Fellows Program and aiming to pursue an engineering degree at an accredited four-year college or university starting Fall 2024. Scholarship applications open Dec. 1 at https://www.asme.org/asme-programs/students-and-faculty/scholarships/available-high-school-scholarships.

“Dr. Mackie shares our vision for a more diverse engineering workforce and a new generation of innovators and problem-solvers who represent the full spectrum of humanity,” said ASME Executive Director/CEO Tom Costabile. “In fact, Calvin and I are currently thinking through creative ways that we might be able to collaborate on some new initiatives together in the future.”

"I am truly honored to receive this recognition from ASME,” said Mackie. “This acknowledgement not only reflects my personal journey but also highlights the crucial intersection of innovation and STEM education. I look forward to the future partnership between ASME and STEM NOLA, working hand in hand to inspire and empower the next generation of diverse, talented young minds in STEM. Thank you, ASME, for your commitment to building the next generation of engineers."

Other speakers included ASME Fitzroy Medal recipient Gwendolyn E. Boyd, D.Min., ASME Fellow and former Jackson State University President Carolyn Meyers, Ph.D., and New Orleans Regional Transit Authority CEO Lona Edwards Hankins. Attendees also included current and prospective donors to The ASME Foundation’s Campaign for Next Generation Engineers, ASME’s five-year, $50 million capital campaign to support its philanthropic work. The Foundation funds ASME’s array of high-impact programs in education, workforce development, and innovation support aimed at increasing equity in the engineering profession and advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The STEM NOLA Fellows Program supports low-income students of color in the New Orleans area who have a passion for exploration in STEM and an interest in pursuing careers in these fields. STEM Fellows engage in hands-on, immersive experiential learning through eight-month long mini-courses for two to four hours on Saturdays that are designed to address real-world problems in different STEM fields. Fellows also assist with at least one STEM Saturday monthly to elementary school students. Second through fourth year Fellows have opportunities for internships, innovation competitions, professional mentorships, college application assistance, and recommendation letters.

The ASME INSPIRE Scholarship Program is supported by an endowed fund established by the family of Lucy and Charles E.W. Clarke. A keen passion for engineering and understanding the challenges of limited financial resources to pursue one’s dream were the catalysts for establishing the Clarke Scholarship Fund. In the 2022-2023 academic year, over $50,000 in scholarship funds were awarded to high school seniors via the ASME INSPIRE Scholarship initiative.

About STEM NOLA
Launched in 2013, STEM NOLA provides communities in New Orleans and across the country with hands-on fun and education programs that raise awareness of the many benefits of science, technology, engineering, and math skills. The non-profit specializes in utilizing community facilities - churches, schools, and community centers – to bring STEM education directly to K-12 students right in their own neighborhoods, especially low-income areas and communities of color, which historically have been under-resourced. Learn more at www.stemnola.com.

About ASME
ASME helps the global engineering community develop solutions to real world challenges. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, ASME is a not-for-profit professional organization that enables collaboration, knowledge sharing, and skill development across all engineering disciplines, while promoting the vital role of the engineer in society. ASME codes and standards, publications, conferences, continuing education, and professional development programs provide a foundation for advancing technical knowledge and a safer world. In 2020, ASME formed the International Society of Interdisciplinary Engineers (ISIE) II & III LLC, a new for-profit subsidiary to house business ventures that will bring new and innovative products, services, and technologies to the engineering community. For more information, visit www.asme.org.

About the ASME Foundation
The ASME Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, supporting an array of programs in three core pillars: engineering education, career engagement, and global development. With the goal of empowering tomorrow's technical workforce, the ASME Foundation advances equitable access both to professional opportunities and to engineering innovations that improve quality of life. For more information, visit www.asmefoundation.org.

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Media Contacts:
Monica Shovlin
MCShovlin Communications LLC (for ASME)
monica@mcshovlin.com
+1.541.554.3796

Emily Oliver
STEM NOLA
eoliver@stemnola.com

Pictured above: Calvin Mackie, Ph.D., and Demetric M. Mercadel, District Director, U.S. House of Representatives (LA02) representing Congressman Troy Carter, with Pepper the Robot, a humanoid robot manufactured by SoftBank Robotics. With built-in microphones and cameras, Pepper can recognize faces and voices and provide feedback to its users. Pepper is currently being used as a receptionist in offices and hotels in Europe and Japan. STEM NOLA plans to show students how to program Pepper and use her compatibility with ChatGPT and other AI platforms to explore the possibilities of robotics.

Pictured above, left to right: Carolyn Meyers, Ph.D., former president of Jackson State University and an ASME Fellow; Calvin Mackie, Ph.D.; and STEM NOLA Co-founder and Client Support Manager Tracy Mackie.

Pictured above, left to right: Calvin Mackie, Ph.D., and K. Keith Roe, ASME Past President, ASME Foundation Philanthropy Committee Chair, and an ASME Fellow.