Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)  education is a combination of distinct but related disciplines that are foundational to basic education and the American national interest of global technical leadership.  It is no secret that access to high quality STEM education is not equitably distributed among students across all races. In the community of advocates for equitable STEM and computing education, Dr. Kamau Bobb is creating a buzz. He is the Director of STEM Education Strategy and Research at Google and the founding Senior Director of the Constellations Center for Equity in Computing at Georgia Tech. His assessment of the relationship between American history and STEM education became Dr. Bobb’s inspiration behind opposing the SCOTUS decision on affirmative action.

Dr. Kamau^[a] Bobb is a first generation American born to Guyanese immigrants.  Growing up in the 1970’s and 80’s, he experienced the relationship between academic tracking and race in New York City Public Schools. At the same time he saw the relentless criminalization of Black youth during the Crack epidemic. Those were the seeds of his desire to introduce a more equitable system of STEM education as a path to modern citizenship and an act of justice. 

After a series of academic achievements that include a Ph.D. in Science and Technology Policy from Georgia Tech and an M.S. and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Bobb has set out on a mission to bring equity to STEM education He is creating  a revolutionary approach to STEM education by directly confronting the  structural conditions that shape American life. 

While serving as a Program Officer at the National Science Foundation, Dr. Bobb played a pivotal role in creating a national research agenda to bring more equity and quality to computational education across the country. At the state level, he was the Director of the STEM Initiative of the University System of Georgia trying to improve the opportunities for the nearly 330,000 students in public higher ed institutions across the state.

Staying focused on  his goal, Dr. Bobb will continue to lead the advancement of STEM education emphasizing equitable consideration for Black and Brown students.  In a recent address  at the National Science Foundation Summit on Computing Education, Dr. Bobb said, “At a time when computational skills are foundational to citizenship, and broadening access is under threat, it’s important to stay focused, so I’m excited to be part of that national dialogue.” His mission is clear and his enthusiasm obvious.