Celebrating Black History Month and the Intersection of STEM

Message From Our Communications Chair

Uriane R.

As we honor Black History Month, Engineers Without Borders Chicago Professional Chapter proudly celebrates the invaluable contributions of Black American innovators, scientists, engineers, and visionaries to STEM.

As the Communications Chair of our chapter and a black man in the industry, I stand at the intersection of history and possibility. My journey in STEM has been one of resilience, determination, and unwavering passion. It is a journey marked by challenges overcome, and barriers shattered--a testament to the transformative power of diversity in our field.

Now, more than ever, we recognize the imperative of fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in STEM. We envision a future where every aspiring scientist, engineer, or technologist--regardless of race, gender, or background--feels empowered to pursue their dreams and contribute their unique talents to the advancement of society.

Let us seize this moment to reflect on past achievements and redouble our efforts in creating a future where diversity is not just celebrated but embraced as the cornerstone of innovation. Together, let us continue to build bridges, break down barriers, and inspire the next generation of STEM leaders to reach new heights of excellence.

I want to leave a message that I carry with me every day and apply to my work overall that comes from the software engineering realm written simply so that all can understand.

def success (dedication, persistence, passion) ;

dedication += 1 # dedicate yourself

persistence += 1  # be persistent

passion = True  # have passion

if passion == True;

magic = dedication + persistence

return magic

else:

magic = 0

return magic

Love it. Make mistakes. Learn. Keep grinding.

Learn more about incredible contributors to STEM

Happy Black History Month!

Team Member Spotlight

Communications Chair - Uriane

So, Zayn, as the Membership Chair of the Executive Committee, can you share a bit about your background and what led you to the Engineers Without Borders Chicago Professional Chapter?

Membership Chair - Zayn

I am the Membership Chair on the Executive Committee. So, I went to college at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and majored in engineering there. I attended one EWB meeting at Uni; we have a large chapter there. Unfortunately, I only went to one meeting during my first year. However, I have remembered it since then. So, when I returned home after graduating during my gap year before applying for medical school, I knew I had time, so I decided to do more service work with my time off. In the interim, I noticed the EWB Chicago Professional Chapter. Since I studied engineering as an undergrad, it would be a good idea to get involved again and attend my meeting; things went from there.

Communications Chair - Uriane

Projects often require a multi-disciplinary approach. How does your unique background contribute to the diverse skill set of the Executive Committee?

Membership Chair - Zayn

During undergrad, I had the opportunity to have experiences that involved social media, google collaborations, emailing, and or marketing. So, being on the younger side as a member has an upside to reaching that audience. Participating in various clubs, researching, and finding different avenues to increase our membership and involvement in the chapter.

Communcations Chair - Uriane

Can you highlight a memorable project, with EWB or undergrad, that were able to work on and contribute to?

Membership Chair - Zayn

So, I majored in biomedical engineering, and the nice thing about that is we could work on semester projects. In the projects, we would collaborate with physicians or medical device companies at the university. This helped develop my skill set in project management. I had to lead a few different projects over time. One of them was similar to the work we do here at EWB. We worked with an underserved community in Africa where we created a contraceptive ring for women to help combat HPV. HPV is one of the most highly contracted viruses in Africa. So, working on global health projects in the medical device world. While not directly related, it gave me the passion and background to further my contributions.

Communications Chair - Uriane

So, for individuals considering joining EWB, what advice or insights would you offer based on your journey with the organization?

Membership Chair - Zayn

My journey is a little unique. Still, going out of your way and contacting our members or going to your first meeting, kickstarting your journey, drives trying to really do it yourself and not just wait.  It is the best way to get the most involvement you want on projects. It will take a little work, but it's worth it once you do. Yeah, it goes a long way

Communications Chair - Uriane

What aspects of EWB's mission and values resonate with you? Most personally, how do they align with your own professional or personal goals?

Membership Chair - Zayn

My goal is to attend medical school next year. So, for me, medical school and being a physician will be a life of service and service work. So, just going out into our local and global communities and making an impact. And not just in a medical sense, but like in all aspects of life, it is important to me and something that I'll carry now and hopefully when I'm a future doctor. I can continue to work on projects like these and Medical projects as well.

Communications Chair - Uriane

So, finally, as the spotlight you'll be featured, is there anything you'd like to convey to visitors about your commitment to EWB or specifically about how they could be committed to it amid anything that they're doing professionally as well?

Membership Chair - Zayn

Plug our our program and our projects. If you can, come and join us or help us with projects. Be there for events. Donate if you’re able, and encourage others to donate.

Communcations Chair - Uriane

Great, thank you for your time today, Zayn. We’re in the business of helping improve communities, near or far.