In a landmark weekend that will pay tribute to African Americans in science, engineering, and technology at the 24th annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards (BEYA) STEM Global Competitiveness Conference ceremony was hosted at the Baltimore Convention Center Feb. 18-20.

The awards ceremony honored Gen. William E. “Kip” Ward, the first commander of US Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, with the BEYA Lifetime Achievement Award. Ward earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Morgan State University and holds a master’s in political science from Penn State. Prior to his current position, Ward served as the deputy commander, Headquarters U.S. European Command in Stuttgart, Germany, among other prestigious staff assignments over the course of 39 years of service to the U.S. Army.

Since Ward was first commissioned into the Army in June 1971, the general has collected several prestigious badges such as the Distinguished Service Medal, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Expert Infantryman’s Badge and the Legion of Merit to name a few.


Among other honorees is Vice Adm. Adam Robinson, Navy surgeon general, who will receive the Medical Officer of the Year Award for his contribution to relief efforts in Haiti.

“As the [recipient of the] Medical Officer of the Year Award, I accept it because we truly are committed to not only our graduate health educated programs, but we’re also very committed to medical research and to the research and development world, those things that will help us and help the people that we serve,” Robinson added. “So I think that this emphasizes our commitment to medical and scientific research.”

Vice Adm. Adam Robinson, Navy surgeon general, received the Medical Officer of the Year Award for his contribution to relief efforts in Haiti.