APSU launches National Society of Black Engineers chapter
By: Ethan Steinquest March 18, 2024
APSU’s National Society of Black Engineers chapter president Tobi Yusuf, at right, and vice president Austine Unuriode. | Photo by Sean McCully
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. - Austin Peay State University is expanding opportunities for students of color to enter STEM fields with the launch of a National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) chapter on campus.
The idea for APSU’s NSBE chapter came from a group of computer science and mathematics graduate students led by Tobi Yusuf, who participated in the NSBE conference held in Kansas City in 2023. NSBE offers networking, internship and career development support to its members, and students from all racial backgrounds are welcome to sign up through PeayLink or Peay Mobile.
“The mission of the chapter is to get Black people and STEM majors more involved in diversity and inclusion,” said Tobi, NSBE APSU chapter president and Austin Peay’s International Student Organization (ISO) president. “We want to make sure everybody knows about the NSBE and understands what we are here to do because there are so many career opportunities open to people.”
Approximately 35 of the chapter’s members are preparing to explore those opportunities at the NSBE’s 50th Annual Convention from March 20-24 in Atlanta, Georgia. Several also hope to present their personal projects, which range from machine learning to app development.
“Personally, I’ve been to a lot of conferences, and I realized the power they have in terms of networking,” said Austine Unuriode, a graduate computer science major and NSBE’s vice president. “Having been exposed to that, I felt that if we could have a chapter of the NSBE at Austin Peay, that would give us access to the national convention and help students connect with people they look up to in their career fields.”
Unuriode already has a software development job lined up after his graduation this summer, which was made possible through the networking opportunities offered by organizations such as NSBE. He said his long-term career goal is to work in cloud computing because of the endless power and advantages it offers, and he plans to speak with representatives from companies like Google and Amazon at the convention to learn more about their processes and challenges.
Success stories like Unuriode’s are a major part of what inspired the students to establish an NSBE chapter on campus, and the goal is to create similar opportunities for its members.
“A number of my previous students have been to these meetings before, and what I’ve heard back has been good,” said Dr. Ibukun Amusan, associate professor of mathematics and NSBE’s faculty advisor. “They usually get interviews, network, and talk with employers. I think it’s a good society for students to explore the opportunities out there, so I was happy to be an advisor when they needed one.”
Through these events and connections, Tobi hopes to encourage chapter members to consider employment options inside and outside of Tennessee. He was born in Nigeria and plans to fund climate change mitigation projects in West Africa to promote environmental sustainability in the region.
“I was working with a project called the Youth Employment and Social Support Operation in Nigeria,” he said. “We dealt with a lot of people in rural areas, and conversations with people in the field and at conferences opened my horizons to see that I have to understand quantitative analytics.”
Tobi previously earned a master’s degree in environmental science from Bayero University Kano in Nigeria. However, he decided to study at Austin Peay to delve deeper into predictive analytics and machine learning, aiming for a comprehensive understanding of environmental work and sustainability leveraging on time series data.
This also gave him the opportunity for a summer internship with engine manufacturer Cummins Inc. He assisted the company with a sustainability project as an environmental health and safety intern and hopes to work for them full-time after graduating.
“What I learned during my internship is totally different from what I’ve been doing in Nigeria, which was more in the field,” he said. “Here … I was able to look at all the data and assist in developing a Material Requirements Planning (MRP) tool aimed at strategically distributing returnable packages across the network of direct suppliers, Cummins plants, and Container Management Centers (CMCs) to enhance recycling processes and cost savings. So, by the time I'm able to work with them again, I'm confident that wherever I go in the world, I'll be able to further sustainability efforts using technology.”
Students like Tobi and Unuriode have also benefitted from networking with one another, and many of the chapter’s members have already bonded through their involvement in the ISO.
“Having that connection with like-minded people who are studying similar subjects is very helpful,” Amusan said. “I know a lot of departments or subjects have their own student organizations, but this chapter can help bring people from different areas together.”
Unuriode said having faculty engaged with the chapter is just as important when it comes to setting students up for success and helping them learn more about how STEM fields interact.
“We need to use the blend of the two so that students will be comfortable when faculty members are also part of the body and the organization,” he said, noting that alumni can also serve as valuable resources. “Basically, the aim is to create awareness about STEM and how engineering is involved in every aspect of the field, regardless of major.”
The chapter also provides a supportive community for STEM students across campus, and Tobi said membership can leave a lasting impact on their professional development.
“I would encourage any students who have an interest in pursuing an engineering or STEM career to look beyond the walls of the school and participate in associations like this,” Tobi said. “The benefits are beyond what you can even imagine because the power of information is something we cannot quantify, and you’ll get a lot of help and career guidance.”