AAMU Garners First Place Honors at BEYA

The 7th Annual AMIE Design Challenge and Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) took place February 9-11 in Washington, D.C., and Alabama A&M University students made an impressive showing.  

In the Design Challenge, the AAMU squad competed against 12 different teams from various historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs).  As part of the competition, the team considered the following Problem Statement:  “How can we provide clean water for low-income residents in Alabama’s black belt region who lack access to adequate wastewater treatment?"

The students presented a solution to a water sewage problem in the Black Belt area of Alabama.  As a result, their presentation and demo won first place.

“I'm excited for their win (first time for this challenge) and proud of how passionate they were about the cause and how they pushed through in a short time frame to submit an outstanding solution,” commented (Ms.) Terry Miller of the Department Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, who served as the team's faculty advisor.  “The judges were very impressed and stated that the team covered every aspect of a proposed solution, leaving them speechless with no questions.” 

The students offered the following solution:  1) Establishment of a centralized sewer system; 2) establishment of manholes for maintenance; and 3) sending sewage to pumping stations. The system allows water to be cleansed using a process of chlorination and dichlorination, effectively sending clean water back into the environment and utilizing waste to be converted to fertilizer using an anaerobic process.

AMIE AAMU Design Challenge Team Members included Da’Quandalon Daniel, sophomore, a computer science major; Eyerusalem Girma, sophomore, computer science; Opeyeoluwa Olanipekun, sophomore, electrical engineering; Lyric Sampson, sophomore, computer science; Bre’Zhane Walker, senior, mechanical engineering; DeTavien Walker, sophomore, computer science; (Ms.) Terry Miller, faculty advisor; Sharde’ Estep, technical advisor from Leidos; and Anthony Steele, technical advisor from Dynetics.

2023 BEYA Student Leadership Award Winners

AAMU students continue to set the bar as student award winners at BEYA.  Four students were nominated and selected as Student Award Winners during the conference.   The winners were honored during the HBCU Deans Recognition Event. 

In addition to being recognized at the event, all four winners will be featured in the upcoming US Black Engineer and Information Technology Magazine Spring issue, scheduled for release early June.  The magazine focuses on HBCU Engineering deans and schools, and is dedicated to celebrating diversity and promoting equal opportunity for minorities and women in the fields of engineering, science, and information technology.  The winners will receive a complimentary issue of the magazine with their special feature story, an official student leadership certificate and award.  

 

Student Community Award

Bre’Zhane Walker, Senior, Mechanical Engineering-3.7 GPA

 

Student Leadership Award

Opeyeoluwa Olanipekun, Sophomore, Electrical Engineering-4.0 GPA

Kendrick Scribner, Jr., Sophomore, Civil Engineering-3.9

 

Student Research Award

Jamal Irby, Senior, Computer Science-3.0 GPA