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NASA Dryden Computer Engineer Honored with Technology Award
February 19, 2004
Release: 04-07
Byron L. Simpson Jr., a software engineer at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif., will be honored for his outstanding achievement in technology this Friday, Feb. 20, 2004.
Simpson will be recognized as a Modern-day Technology Leader during the 18th annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference at the Baltimore Convention Center, Md. These leaders “are men and women of color who are demonstrating outstanding performance and will shape the course of engineering, science and technology in the future. (Simpson) and the other technology leaders are individuals whose stories of phenomenal success merit national recognition,” said Tyrone D. Taborn, chief executive officer of the Black Engineer of the Year Awards Conference.
Simpson began his association with NASA during summer positions in 1999 and 2000 at the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. He was a National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science intern at Dryden during the summers of 2001 and 2002. He accepted a permanent position as a computer software engineer at the center in January 2003 following completion of a master of science degree in computer science from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, N.C. Simpson earned a bachelor of science degree in computer science from the same university in 2001.
During Simpson’s university years, he was active in the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). He served as chairman of NSBE – Region II during the 2001 – 2002 academic year. He previously held NSBE positions as chapter president and vice president.
NASA Deputy Administrator Frederick D. Gregory and Dr. Regina B. Blue of NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Houston, Texas, will also receive awards honoring their outstanding achievements in technology.
The conference is hosted by the U.S. Black Engineer & Information Technology Magazine, the Council of Engineering Deans of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, the Lockheed Martin Corporation and DaimlerChrysler Corporation.
-NASA-
Note to Editors: For photo or interviews, please contact Beth Hagenauer at (661) 276-7960.