MYLES MACKIE: A REMARKABLE STORY OF A YOUNG BLACK MAN MASTERING STEM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN COMMUNITIES

Dr. Calvin Mackie, Myles Mackie and Tracy Mackie
Dr. Calvin Mackie, Myles Mackie and Tracy Mackie

MYLES MACKIE: A REMARKABLE STORY OF A YOUNG BLACK MAN MASTERING STEM TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN COMMUNITIES

 

Since Birth, Myles Mackie has Demonstrated His Special Gifts & is Now Poised to Use Them 


NEW ORLEANS, LA - As a college student, Myles Mackie spent a summer researching the effects free stream turbulence research on low speed airfoils at the DEVCOM Army Research Labs, another helping design a user interface at a NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and yet another working with MIT experts to reduce propeller noise in electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing (eVTOL) aircraft for applications in urban areas.

In May, the extraordinary 22-year-old, young, achieving Black engineering whiz graduated from Howard University with a degree in mechanical engineering.


This summer, the New Orleans resident is at Aerospace Corporation, a leading architect for the nation's space programs, working on projects so vital to national security that he can only say his efforts involve the thrust stage that boosts rockets into outer orbit. Once this summer job ends, Myles is off to the University of Michigan to begin work on his PhD in robotics.


Myles is authentic,” exclaims Tracy, his mother. “He tells it like it is. Whatever he puts his mind to, you know he's going to do it. He sets goals. Since childhood, he has achieved his goals by any means necessary. He is very disciplined when it comes to accomplishing his goals. And Myles is very passionate about everything he does.”


The extraordinary journey that Myles has traveled is outlined in a comprehensive story on the STEM Global Action (SGA) website. SGA, a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) education initiative for students K-12, was launched in 2013 by Dr. Calvin Mackie, Myles’ father. From a young age, Myles was engaged at STEM NOLA, the first SGA affiliate. Today, STEM learning programs under the SGA banner are located in cities around the country. Over the last 12 years, Dr. Mackie’s programs have invigorated STEM ecosystems nationwide, impacting 250,000 K-12 students, 5,150 schools, and 5,500 volunteers. Myles's success is a testament to the effectiveness of such initiatives in nurturing talent and promoting diversity in STEM fields.


Since birth, Myles has excelled in math and science, leaving his parents and teachers little doubt that he had the special abilities and aptitude to make a mark in our society. Myles has remarkable gifts, yet his success is also made possible by the nurturing love and support from his parents, Tracy and Calvin Mackie, who are actively engaged in his growth and education. Their role in his journey is a testament to the importance of family and community support in nurturing talent.


Educators lament about the “Lost Einsteins,” thousands of young, gifted Black and Brown children who demonstrate the ability to be inventors and creators. However, they are never nurtured at home and school, and their potential is never fully realized. Myles Mackie exemplifies what can happen when children’s intellect and talents are recognized, cultivated, and celebrated. His story should motivate us all to ensure that all children, regardless of their color, have their talents nurtured and potential realized. It can transform students, instilling self-confidence that allows them to explore and succeed, propelling young men and women along pathways to greatness.


“Myles succeeds mostly because he is brilliant and works hard,” said his father, Dr. Calvin Mackie. “But we can’t lose sight of the fact that Tracy and I created a home environment that supported him. We also introduced him to Black scholars and achievers, so that he could meet Black doctors, scientists, and engineers, and realize that he, too, could be one. Too many gifted and high-achieving Black and Brown students throughout the country are not being nurtured, and therefore, their talents and potential contributions are being wasted. We are proud that STEM Global Action is shaping other young minds.”


Tracy Mackie has a simple message for other parents.


“You have to know your children,” Tracy proclaims. “And if you have multiple children, you have to really know them because it's not a one-stop shop. Both of my boys excelled, but there were some differences between them that I had to understand. They are different, but both are high achievers. Even at the best schools, you must advocate for your children. You have to be in tune with them and what’s happening in school and around them. If you're not paying attention to what they're doing, they can be left behind.”


Needless to say, Tracy’s and Calvin’s approach has worked.  As he enters his doctoral program, Myles has a plan in place. 

“Part of how I decided the direction I want to go is determining what has the broadest range of impact on people’s lives,” Myles says. “I picked systems and controls. The whole aspect of systems and controls is that you are modeling how things work.  Regardless of what I’m engineering, whether it’s spacecraft mechanical systems, jet engines, or something else, I want it to have a positive impact on communities. I want to use technology and my engineering skills to enhance the quality of life for families and communities.”

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