SAU Engineering Mathematics Major – Tyler Miller attended the Clayton Evans Memorial Lecture and Outreach Program hosted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – Department of Chemistry on Thursday – February 13, 2025. Black History in STEM: Dr. Clayton Evans joined UNC – Chapel Hill as an Assistant Professor in 1974, becoming the First Black Chemist in the Department of Chemistry. He rose to the rank of full professor in only 10 years and had a successful career at UNC – Chapel Hill. Dr. Evans passed away in 2001 at the age of 58 years old. As a testament to Dr. Evans’ legacy, the Slayton Evans Jr. Memorial Fund – supports the visit of a preeminent speaker in the chemical sciences each year. Dr. Evans’ Academic Profile and Research Profile: B.S. in Chemistry | Tougaloo College (HBCU) and Ph.D. in Chemistry | Case Western Reserve University. Dr. Evans’ scholarly research focused on conformational analysis, stereochemistry, and organophosphorus chemistry.

The 2025 – Slayton Evans Memorial Lecture Speaker: Dr. Paula Hammond of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Dr. Hammond’s research focuses on designing polymers and nanoparticles for drug delivery and energy-related applications including batteries and fuel cells. Dr. Hammond is an elected member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, National Academy of Medicine, National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Sciences, and National Academy of Inventors. Recently, Dr. Hammond served on the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (Under – President Biden) and received the Benjamin Franklin Medal in Chemistry and National Medal of Technology and Innovation. At MIT, Dr. Hammond serves as the Vice Provost for Faculty and holds the Rank of Institute Professor, the highest academic – faculty honor. Dr. Hammond was the first woman and person of color appointed as Head of the Chemical Engineering Department at MIT.

Outreach Program: STEM Undergraduate Scholars from Saint Augustine’s University, North Carolina Central University, Fayetteville State University, and the University of North Carolina at Pembroke met with UNC – Chapel Hill professors and graduate students from the Department of Chemistry to learn about careers in the chemical sciences, summer research opportunities, and the Ph.D. Program in Chemistry at UNC – Chapel Hill. Scholars also had a one-on-one session with Dr. Hammond before her lecture. After the lecture, scholars toured various chemistry labs and interacted with graduate students presenting their research during the poster session.

Tyler Miller: Is a 2nd Year – Engineering Mathematics Major and NSF LSAMP Scholar (VA – NC Alliance Group). Tyler was raised in Baltimore, Maryland and Tchula, Mississippi and currently lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. Overall, Tyler is embracing the Concept of Integrative and Interdisciplinary – Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Medicine (STEMM) early in his academic career. During Fall 2024, Tyler connected with leadership from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) when they visited SAU to initiate a HHMI – SAU Biomedical Research Partnership and he visited Grand Valley State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan to learn about their graduate programs in engineering.