Our History

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On the campus of Lincoln University in Pennsylvania several Black young men felt the need to organize a group where Black scientists could share the results of their scientific queries with others. These young men established the seed and it was cultivated by their professors 2 years later, in 1923. The professors were Dr. Harold F. Grim in biology, Dr. Arthur E. James in chemistry, and Dr. Walter L. Wright in mathematics.

While most were stellar students some were outstanding such as senior Hildrus Augustus Poindexter who graduated in 1924. In 8 years, he obtained an M.D., M.P.H., Ph.D., and D.Sc. By 1936, he became head of the Department of Microbiology at Howard University. His name is synonymous with the study of malaria and other tropical diseases. He and his 23 fellow founding members felt in 1923 as Dr. Crouch and Dr. Turner and their colleagues firmly believed 20 years later, in 1943- “That the scientific capability that resided in the Black institutions could be channeled to advance the fortune of the black scientists and to improve human pursuits and that Black scientists and researchers lacked a forum to discuss their research and academic achievements, with fellow colleagues and peers.

In 1943, these two professors, Hubert Crouch at Tennessee State University and Thomas Wyatt Turner of Hampton Institute along with, ten men of science from Black colleges established what would become the Association of Science Teachers in Negro Colleges and Affiliated Institutions. This organization, established to promote the professional growth of black scientists, became the predecessor of the National Institute of Science (NIS).

In 1943, Black scientists have played significant roles in major governmental scientific research programs such as the Manhattan Project; the Synthetic Rubber Program; the Radar/Microwave Program, and the American Red Cross Blood Donor Project, yet these individual could generally gain membership to majority organizations national conferences which would allow them to present their research data. They decided that the forum would not only be a meeting for exchange of scientific research data, but would stimulate professional, academic and student networking.

Beta Kappa Chi and the National Institute of Science strongly believed that a joint meeting should be a vehicle to promote greater student interest and access to careers in the STEM disciplines (sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics) through novel activities. Through participation in these activities, students would have additional invaluable tools to immediately cultivate their successes as students and, in the long-term, as future STEM professionals.

Many scientists and other professors made major contributions during these past years and most of these individuals were members of both Beta Kappa Chi (BKX) and the National Institute of Science (NIS). The NIS founders, Dr. Crouch who earned the B.A. degree from Texas College in 1927, the M. S. degree from Iowa State College in 1930 and the Ph.D. in Parasitology from Iowa State College. He made numerous contributions in this area and today a Hubert B. Crouch Hall stands on the campus of Tennessee State University and let us not forgot Dr. Thomas Wyatt Turner, the first black man to present a paper to the Virginia Academy of Science had many accomplishments in his long life of 101 year-1877-1978. His significant research in botany is still revered and his name stands on a building named in his honor, Turner Hall, on the campus of Hampton University.

The many past presidents and executive secretaries of both BKX and NIS have made major contributions to the Joint Meeting of these two organizations, as well as other active members. At the Meeting in Houston Texas in 1960, Beta Kappa Chi took steps which qualified the Society for membership in the Association of College Honor Societies.

The early meetings focused on student presentations; however, faculty were also among the presenters. There was always a need expressed to attract more minorities into science by developing novel programs. Bringing in high school students to present posters at this scientific forum began as early as the seventies and has persisted as a major feature of these joint meetings until today. In 1975, the Brookhaven Semester Program requested and was approved to join the NIS and BKX in their joint Annual Meeting. Dr. Glen Price of Brookhaven National Laboratory and Dr. Amos Kennedy of Grambling University, a faculty liaison with the Laboratory were instrumental in effecting this union of the three organizations. The Brookhaven Semester Program (BSP) was established in 1968 as an outgrowth of an effort by several scientists at the Brookhaven National Laboratory to offer students of the historically black colleges and universities an opportunity to spend an academic semester at Brookhaven to study and conduct research. This affiliation ended in the early part of the twenty first century.

A featured event of the National Institute of Science is the Memorial Lecture. This lecture was inaugurated at the 41st Joint Annual Meeting of NIS and BKX in 1984 in Atlanta, GA. The goal of the Memorial Lecture is to present a tribute to the achievements of our late colleagues. Individuals who have been selected to serve as the Memorial Lecturers have made major contributions in their fields and earned considerable respects from their colleagues and peers locally, nationally, and internationally.

Throughout the history of both organizations, various leaders with energy, enthusiasm, and vision have emerged at an appropriate time, in other words have come to rescue. In 1970, Dr. Annie L. Richardson of Norfolk State University was elected the Executive Secretary of NIS. It was during this time that the size of the number of attendees at the Annual Meeting necessitated the shift of the Annual Meeting from the campuses to hotels in the major cities to accommodate the large attendance. She initiated many positive changes in which resulted in renewed interest on many campuses and in the scientific community for the Joint Annual Meeting.

Dr. Richardson persuaded Dr. Elwood Bynum, Director of the Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) program to consider providing support for the Annual Meetings of these three organizations. The NIS submitted a proposal to NIH which resulted in an award in 1981 to provide travel funds for students to attend the Annual Meeting, to provide operational expenses for the Annual Meeting, and to provide funds for the publication of the papers presented at the meetings. This action further stimulated the growth and activities of the organization as well as attendance at meetings. This funding source continued for over ten years and resulted in enhancing the quality of the meeting.

In 1999 the funding that ended in 1991 begins with grants submitted to the NIS by the then Executive Secretary, Dr. Carolyn Cousin, and University of the District of Columbia and is assured until 2015. This funding was over $450,000 annually which does not included the gifts and the funds that are procured annually by Dr. Cousin who currently serves as the conference director and she is also a former National Institute of Science. She has initiated several new features of the meeting and has been instrumental in increasing the meetings objectives to include networking, expansion of membership, develop scientific interest and literacy in youth by BKX chapters and NIS clubs interacting with their respective local public school systems through community outreach activities. Two highly sought after videos have been written to capture the meeting’s theme. The joint meeting has several hallmark features that appear to be unique to this particular forum. The activities of the Joint Annual Meeting of BKX and NIS include.

  • NIS Memorial Lecture
  • NIS Distinguished Lecture
  • Hands- on workshops- Learning by performing,
  • General Workshops
  • Undergraduate Oral and Poster Presentations
  • Graduate Oral Presentations with and without manuscripts
  • Town Hall Meetings, (Discussion of controversial STEM topics)
  • Hotzone Series- ( An anchor, generally in the form of a film, video, case study or dramatic presentation on national and/or international topics that appear to be of universal concern),
  • An Evening at the Market Place (where students shop for future academic exposures, student meetings,
  • Summa lecture (Nobel Laureate or individuals receiving prestigious award in the STEM disciplines
  • Memorial Lecture Series (NIS sponsored activity)
  • See and Learn Science Tour
  • The Gentilly (New Orleans) clean-up (a special activity designed to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina). The meeting as an outreach component that is geared to the particular cause
  • Beta Kappa Chi Lecture
  • High School Poster Presentation and Award Luncheon
  • Chat and Crew ( graduate students and other potential role models speak to students)
  • Awards Banquet