News and Events

The Center for Regional and Rural Connected Communities (CR2C2) had the distinct honor of participating in the 2024 Advancing Minorities' Interest in Engineering (AMIE) Annual Conference, hosted by North Carolina A&T State University College of Engineering. The event took place from September 15th through September 17th at the Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons Hotel/Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, North Carolina.

This year’s theme, “Engineering Tomorrow: Harnessing Future Trends for Innovation”, embraced change through innovation, disruption, and transformation. The conference brought together the Council of Engineering Deans of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), students, industry professionals, and leaders from top corporations and government agencies to explore the future of engineering. Prominent speakers, including Dr. Stephanie Luster-Teasley Pass, Dean of N.C. A&T's College of Engineering, shared insights into the evolving engineering landscape.

CR2C2 was thrilled to offer roughly 40 attendees a unique, hands-on experience at our transportation facility. Guests explored cutting-edge transportation technologies and had the exciting opportunity to experience autonomous vehicles in action. This interactive demo allowed participants to witness firsthand the potential of autonomous transportation solutions.

In addition to the demonstration, Drs. Maranda McBride and Ali Karimoddini delivered a compelling talk on the technological and human factor considerations for the Design and Deployment of Shared Autonomous Vehicles. Their presentation sparked meaningful discussions about the future of mobility, demonstrating that a combination of technological breakthroughs and human-focused design is key to making shared autonomous vehicles a reality.

About AMIE

Advancing Minorities' Interest in Engineering (AMIE) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to expanding corporate and government partnerships with the 17 ABET-accredited Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Schools of Engineering. AMIE's mission is to support programs that attract, educate, graduate, and place underrepresented minority students in engineering and computer science careers.

Though these 17 HBCU engineering programs represent less than 3% of all engineering schools in the U.S., they are responsible for producing over 30% of all African American engineers in the country. AMIE plays a critical role in fostering the next generation of diverse engineers, helping to bridge the gap in representation within the engineering and technology sectors.