Sandra K. Johnson has demonstrated excellence throughout her career.

Marsha Reeves Jews, host of WKIM Media Network, highlighted Johnson’s achievements during a recent interview on STEM City USA.

Johnson, the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from Rice University, is committed to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as evidenced by her longstanding career.

At IBM, she held various roles including chief technology officer, research staff member, WebSphere database development manager, and Linux performance architect and manager.

Johnson is also a member of the IBM Academy of Technology, an IBM Master Inventor with pending and issued patents, an author of over 80 technical publications and books, and a Fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Her new biography, “Soft Power for the Journey: The Life of a STEM Trailblazer” is described as an authentic portrayal of a technology trailblazer’s inner strength, boldness, wisdom, and strong faith that will encourage, inspire, and uplift the spirits of a broad audience.

According to Calvin Lawrence, an IBM CTO and author of the best-selling book “Hidden in White Sight: How AI Empowers and Deepens Systemic Racism,” the book is an inspiring tale of overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

The Legacy Awards, presented annually at the BEYA STEM Conference, honor a winner’s voluntary work in the STEM community and their excellence in the STEM workforce.

Initially introduced as a particular recognition category, the awards were later renamed to honor BEYA’s legacy dating back to 1987. Legacy awards were introduced at BEYA’s 30th-anniversary conference to celebrate the contributions of men and women who have won the Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) since 1987.

The Engineering Deans Breakfast at BEYA has been the venue for special recognition honorees to receive Legacy Awards for over five years.