AI Trailblazer and Former NASA Engineer Takes Helm at Spelman College

(MSNow) By Britt Miller- Spelman College has a new leading lady.

The Atlanta institution, ranked the nation’s No. 1 HBCU by U.S. News & World Report, has appointed Dr. Ayanna Howard as its 12th president.

Dr. Howard joins Spelman from The Ohio State University College of Engineering, where she became the first woman to serve as dean in 2021.

A renowned roboticist, author, former NASA engineer and educator, Dr. Howard has built a career at the intersection of technology, innovation and education. Her groundbreaking work has earned her numerous accolades, including being named to Forbes’ America’s Top 50 Women in Tech list.

She also co-founded Zyrobotics, a company that develops therapeutic and educational products for children with special needs.

Before officially assuming her duties on Aug. 1, Dr. Howard sat down with Know Your Value’s Britt Miller for a candid conversation about upholding Spelman’s legacy, shaping future generations and the pivotal role of Black women in the age of artificial intelligence.

“I will say AI has left the train station, in fact, in some cases it’s like a bullet train, and I don’t think that we as a society have really grappled with what that means,” said Dr. Howard. “I always think that the way that we can make sure that we are relevant as humans is to tap into those liberal arts, tap into the humanities, tap into the creativeness, tap into the ethics, tap into the human judgment. It’s actually the one thing that makes us relevant in this age of AI, and Spelman is ideally positioned to lead that conversation.”

But Dr. Howard says too often, Black women are being left out of conversations about the future.

“I think when I look at this world that we have, the world is ever changing, but the opportunities for Black women are being diminished, hindered, and in some cases entirely eliminated,” she said. “You add that with … AI disrupting all the jobs and workforce, and we do not know, we have no idea what that’s going to lead to … No one knows how to do it yet, but I think we can do it here at Spelman.”

When asked what she’s most looking forward to in her new role, Dr. Howard pointed to the students — calling them her inspiration