UMBC President to Receive the ASME Ralph Coats Roe Medal

UMBC President to Receive the ASME Ralph Coats Roe Medal UMBC President to Receive the ASME Ralph Coats Roe Medal UMBC President to Receive the ASME Ralph Coats Roe MedalFreeman A. Hrabowski III, Ph.D.Freeman A. Hrabowski III, Ph.D., president of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), will be one of eight engineering leaders who will be honored by ASME at the Societys Honors Assembly, to be held Nov. 16 in Houston, Texas. The ceremony will be held in conjunction with the ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, which will take place from Nov. 13-19 at the Hilton Americas Hotel and the George R. Brown Convention Center. Dr. Hrabowski will receive the ASME Ralph Coats Roe Medal for his dedicated service as a global advocate for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), engaging the general public, lawmakers, funding agencies and foundations to create opportunities for minorities in STEM fields that will help ensure their future per sonal and professional success. The medal, established in 1972, recognizes outstanding contributions toward a better public understanding and appreciation of the engineers worth to contemporary society.Hrabowskis research and publications have focused on science and math education, with special emphasis on minority participation and performance. He chaired the National Academies committee that produced the 2010 report titled Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation Americas Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads. In 2012, President Obama appointed Hrabowski as chair of the newly created Presidents Advisory Commission on Educational Excellence for African Americans.The president of UMBC since 1992, Hrabowski currently serves as a consultant to the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the National Academies, and universities and school systems throughout the United States. He also serves on the boards of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the France-Merrick Foundation, the Marguerite Casey Foundation, the T. Rowe Price Group, the Urban Institute, McCormick Company and the Baltimore Equitable Society. In 1988, Hrabowski co-founded the Meyerhoff Scholars Program at UMBC. The program, which is open to all high-achieving students committed to pursuing advanced degrees and research careers in science and engineering, aims to increase diversity among future leaders in STEM-related fields. Based on his experiences with the program, Hrabowski has authored numerous articles and co-authored two books, Beating the Odds Raising Academically Successful African American Males and Overcoming the Odds Raising Academically Successful African American Young Women. His latest book, Holding Fast to Dreams Empowering Youth from the Civil Rights Crusade to STEM Achievement, was published in May.Hrabowski has been the recipient of many honors and awards, including being named one of TIME magazines 100 Most Influential People in the World by T IME magazine in 2012 and one of Americas Best Leaders by U.S. nachrichten World Report in 2008. He was also among the inaugural inductees into the U.S. News World Reports STEM Solutions Leadership Hall of Fame in 2012. The ASME Foundation is the proud supporter of the ASME Honors and Awards program through the management of award endowment funds set up by individuals, corporations or groups. For more information on the special events scheduled to take place at the ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress and Exposition, visit www.asmeconferences.org/Congress2015