A second objective is for researchers in genetic and evolutionary computing to pro- vide evolutionary biologists and evolution theorists greater insight as to how evolution operates outside the “strictly biological” arena. By observing how evolution operates on digital organisms as these organisms attempt to solve complex problems, evolutionary biologists will gain a better understanding of evolution as a universal concept. This is because digital organisms evolve so much faster than biological organisms. A third objective is to provide opportunities for the general public to see how evo- lution is presently at work around us on a daily basis and how the power of evolution can be harnessed and exploited.
USBE&IT: What does the Science and Technology Center hope to do? GD: The Science and Technology Center hopes to be a “BEACON” for “the Study
of Evolution in Action”. Through interdisciplinary, interinstitutional research, the S&T hopes to demonstrate how evolution can be used to change the lives of everyday people.
USBE&IT: What kind of future do you envision? GD: The future for BEACON is amazing! The majority of the researchers and scientists in BEACON have already collaborated on various projects in the past. So we already have a working relationship and an appreciation for one another’s work. This will result in greater cohesion with respect to our collaborations, which in turn will lead to greater research success. I believe that in five to 10 years from now people will look to BEACON as the model for doing interdisciplinary, interinstitutional research.
USBE&IT: What does this mean for A&T? GD: North Carolina A&T State University has always been known as a university on the cutting edge of engineering, science, and technology. At A&T, we have a number [of] world-renowned researchers and scientists in engineering, biology, and computer science. BEACON (and BEACON@A&T) provides an opportunity for these research- ers and scientists to work collaboratively on solving some of the most difficult and important problems of our time. BEACON is simply consistent with N.C. A&T’s legacy and history of research excellence.
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science, electrical and computer engineering, and visual comput- ing research center is composed of researchers from North Carolina A&T (the lead institution), Carnegie Mellon University, Clemson University, and the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
Dr. Dozier is also founding director of the Center for Cyber Defense, the North Carolina A&T State University’s Information Assurance Center. This is an interdisciplinary center composed of information assurance research lab- oratories from N.C. A&T’s Department of Computer Science, Department of Management, and the Department of Mathematics. Besides leading interdis- ciplinary research centers, Dr. Dozier is also working to increase diversity in the field of computer science. He developed an organization which seeks to increase the number of African American Ph.D. and master’s degree recipients nationwide. The Al- liance for the Advancement of African American Researchers in Computing currently consists of eight universities and colleges.
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A PASSIONATE EDUCATOR BROADENS HIS MESSAGE Dr. Joseph Graves is one of the education and diversity coordi- nators for BEACON@A&T. He talks to USBE&IT about the center’s educational component and how it hopes to target all student age groups, from mentoring postdoctoral candidates considering aca- demia to implementing summer camps and teacher education for the K-12 community.
USBE&IT: How will the BEACON Science and Technol- ogy Center help STEM diversity at A&T? Joseph Graves: African Americans are the most underrepresented population in evolutionary biology. I was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. in evolutionary biology, in 1988. Since that time only about five [or] six individuals, including Dr. Scott Edwards, Harvard, Dr. Paul Turner, Yale, and Dr. Charles Richardson, University of
www.blackengineer.com
Dr. Joseph Graves, Jr. Dean, Division of University Studies
Professor of Biological Studies North Carolina A&T State University
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Joseph Graves received his Ph.D. in environmental, evolutionary and systematic biology from Wayne State
USBE&IT
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