Black Inventors Celebrated Feb. 25 at Oak Hill

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – Arthur Bryd, a podcast host and Toastmasters executive, will host a program Feb. 25 highlighting historic and modern Black inventors.

Held in celebration of Black History Month, the free event, “Historic and Modern Inventors,” will take place at 6 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Oak Hill Collaborative, 507 Oak Hill Ave. The discussion will focus on Black inventors of note. Click HERE to reserve your seat.

Byrd will share the contributions of Shirley Jackson, a theoretical physicist who is the first African American woman to receive a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. From 1976 to 1991, Jackson conducted research in theoretical physics, solid-state and quantum physics, and optical physics at AT&T Bell Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey, according to her biography. Jackson’s work is credited with lending to the development of touch-tone telephones, caller identification and fiber-optic cables.

Jackson is president of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in New York, the oldest technological research university in the U.S.

The event will also cover Nigerian computer scientist Philip Emeagwali, who holds a doctorate in civil engineering/scientific computing from the University of Michigan. He programmed The Connection Machine, which uses more than 65,000 computers linked in parallel to form the fastest computer on Earth, performing 3.1 billion calculations per second. He was also one of the main contributors to developing the internet.

Contributions of other Black professionals to the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics will be shared, along with discussions on the invention process from idea to fruition.

Those interested in the event should call 330 406 0731 or click HERE.

Pictured: Art Byrd will discuss contributions to the STEM industries of inventors like Shirley Jackson and Philip Emeagwali.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.