Celebrating Black History Month at the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus
In recognition of Black History Month, the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus reached out to two members of our community: Britney Aiken, computer science master’s student, and Paul Ampadu, professor of electrical and computer engineering and diversity lead. We wanted to hear their perspective on what this month means to them.
The Innovation Campus is on its way to becoming the most diverse graduate tech program in the country. We seek to unlock the potential for all students by assembling them into diverse teams to work on challenging real-world projects. Being intentional about achieving diversity will elevate the performance and experiences for all.
Britney Aiken
Britney is a Master of Engineering in Computer Science student, Boeing Scholar, and systems development engineer at Amazon Web Services (AWS). She graduated from George Mason University in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in information technology.
Q:
What does Black History Month mean to you?
A:
To me, it is a reminder to keep fighting for the things you believe in even if it's unpopular at the time. Many Black historical figures never got the chance to see their work pay off, but their unwavering efforts changed history nonetheless. As we celebrate the achievements of past changemakers, I believe it is just as important to recognize and support current trailblazers who are trying to make positive changes in our communities.
Q:
What's the importance of Black History Month in advancing diversity and inclusion?
A:
Black History Month highlights the importance of understanding history to foster empathy and equity. Fostering these values is critical to building a more inclusive society. I believe Maya Angelou said it best: “You can’t really know where you are going until you know where you have been.”
Q:
Can you give us an example of how working in a diverse team helps the learning environment?
A:
Having a diverse team has helped me to not only understand but also appreciate perspectives that may differ from my own. This is especially true in my Ethics course at Virginia Tech. Ethics and morality are very nuanced and are influenced by many different factors, including religion, cultural norms, personal values, and childhood upbringing. Discussing these topics with a diverse student body forces you to consider other perspectives and question your own biases. This has led to many rewarding discussions as it relates to computer science and artificial intelligence.
Paul Ampadu
Professor Ampadu is a professor of electrical and computer engineering at Virginia Tech and the diversity lead at the Virginia Tech Innovation Campus.
Q:
How is the Innovation Campus working to promote diversity and inclusion? As Diversity Lead, what is your role?
A:
We are fulfilling our mission to create "the most diverse graduate tech program in the country" by intentionally fostering an inclusive campus of students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders who will collaborate with our industry, government, and other partners to bring diverse perspectives into everything we do. Through recruiting, retention, K-12 STEM+C initiatives, our project-based learning, and use-inspired research, we are building the workforce of the future. My role as diversity lead is to facilitate this process by listening to our stakeholders, executing our strategic plan, and developing (with my colleagues and partners) effective measures to assess our progress and culture.
Q:
What's the importance of Black History Month in advancing diversity and inclusion?
A:
I believe that the month-long exposure and reflections on Black and African-American contributions, achievements, and sacrifices, and the conscientious participation of people in educational and socio-cultural activities during Black History month provide a foundation for yearlong reflection on advancing diversity and inclusion in our society.
Q:
What does Black History Month mean to you?
A:
For me, it's a time of pride, self-reflection, and knowledge of what the trailblazers have been able to achieve despite apparent insurmountable barriers. Their indomitable spirit, courage, and sacrifices reveal to me that I can do it too, and so can others who feel excluded, underrepresented, or disadvantaged.
Q:
What role do universities play in addressing advancing opportunities for populations that are traditionally underserved, especially in the tech space?
A:
Universities and other educational institutions have a critical role in creating a diverse workforce, particularly in science and technology. I believe that we are responsible not only for preparing our students to lead and create technologies of the future (e.g. AI), but also in engendering learning environments that produce compassionate citizens, who embrace diversity and inclusion and promote a society where everyone participates in the economic and educational resources available.
