ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Tameka Barrentine, computer scientist in the Software Engineering and Qualification Environments Department at Sandia National Laboratories, was named “Modern-Day Technology Leader” during the 23rd annual National Black Engineer of the Year Award (BEYA) Global Competitiveness Conference held Feb. 20 in Baltimore, Md.
Modern-Day Technology Leaders are men and women of color who are demonstrating outstanding performance and help shape the future course of engineering science and technology. The leaders are innovators who demonstrate excellence in science, engineering, or technology; leadership in workplaces and communities; outstanding work as role models and mentors; and commitment to recruiting and retaining minorities in the nation’s science and technology enterprises.
The annual conference, held during Black History Month, is sponsored by Lockheed Martin, Council of Engineering Deans of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and US Black Engineer & Information Technology magazine.
Barrentine, who was nominated for the honor by her manager Ellen Lemen, was presented a certificate of recognition during the Modern-Day Technology Leadership Luncheon.
Barrentine has a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Bennett College in Greensboro, N.C., and a master’s degree in human computer interaction from Carnegie Mellon in Pittsburgh, Pa. An eight-year employee of Sandia, Barrentine’s job is to help redesign software and other technologies to be more user-friendly. She has been instrumental, Lemen says, in conducting computer usability research on vital Sandia management assurance websites, conducting testing and redesigning the sites for better operability.
Barrentine is a regional officer of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) and the advisor of the Albuquerque middle and high school NSBE chapter. She serves as a mentor to young people, encouraging them to go to college and study math and science. She also recruits for Sandia at Carnegie Mellon, serves as co-coordinator of the Hands-On Minds-On Technology program at Sandia, and is a member of the Sandia Black Leadership Committee.