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Legacy Awards, presented annually at the BEYA STEM Conference, honor a winner’s voluntary work in the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) community, as well as excellence in the STEM workforce.
Before 2016, Legacy Awards were in a special recognition category. The awards were renamed to honor BEYA’s legacy dating back to 1987.
Legacy awards were introduced at BEYA’s 30th-anniversary conference to celebrate the scientific and technical contributions of men and women who have won the Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) since 1987. For more than five years, the Engineering Deans Breakfast at BEYA has been the place for special recognition honorees to receive Legacy Awards.
The Dr. Eugene Deloatch Legacy Award was given to Dr. Oliver Myers, an associate professor and associate dean at Clemson University's College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences.
Myers received his bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. degrees in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland, where he was part of the first cohort of the Meyerhoff Scholars Program.
He has authored or co-authored over 70 journals and conference publications, secured NSF Bridge funding for the doctorate at CECAS, and is a mentor to students in the Meyerhoff Scholars Program. He also presents each year at Clemson University's Men of Color National Summit.
The Dr. John Slaughter Legacy Award was given to Olie Burton II, senior director of enterprise technology services and support at General Dynamics Information Technology.
Burton has over 23 years of experience in engineering, operations, and strategic planning for the organization. He started his career in the United States Air Force as a military training instructor, then pursued a career in information technology. He has mentored many of the employees who report to him, providing training and advancement opportunities.
The Dr. Sandra Johnson Legacy Award was given to Makita R. Phillips, a structural analyst at Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory.
Phillips was the first Black woman to obtain a Ph.D. from North Carolina State University in mechanical engineering. She uses her technical expertise in computational analysis to investigate structural and thermal concepts critical to society and national security.
She is an active member of the National Society of Black Engineers and the Society of Women Engineers, and her outreach helps spread engineering to the world and increase inclusivity.
The Dr. Wanda M. Austin Legacy Award was given to Krystal A. Porter, lead engineer and solutions architect at Leidos. Porter has over 10 years of experience in the field and has worked on projects for NASA, the Department of Defense, and other government agencies.
She has been recognized for her technical expertise and leadership skills and is passionate about increasing diversity and inclusion in STEM fields. Read about more award winners here: