
DATE: Friday, May 9, 1997                   TAG: 9705090672

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B2   EDITION: FINAL 

                                            LENGTH:  102 lines

MILESTONES

PORTSMOUTH

Willie Bowen, a Portsmouth resident, recently placed second in a national research competition sponsored by the National Society of Black Engineers.

Bowen, who will graduate from Old Dominion University on Saturday with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, advanced to the national Undergraduate Students in Technical Research competition in Boston in March after winning the NSBE regional competition held in Charlotte, N.C.

For both competitions, Bowen presented a research project he has been conducting at ODU that involves fiber optic sensing. He designed a fiber optic couple to which a sensor can be applied to detect vibration and pressure.

This summer Bowen will conduct research at the NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, under the auspices of the Langley Aerospace Research for Summer Scholars program, as part of NASA-Langley's X-33 project, the design of a relaunchable space shuttle. He will continue the research he started in the program last summer, which involves the design of a laser to detect strain and compression on fiber optic cables, which would be imbedded in the shuttle's composite metal structure.

Bowen, an I.C. Norcom High School graduate, served four years in the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of sergeant, and is a veteran of Desert Storm.

At Old Dominion, Bowen served as corresponding secretary for Tau Beta Pi, the national engineering honor society, and was a member of Eta Kappa Nu, the national electrical engineering honor society. He also tutored high school students for the Cooperating Hampton Roads Organization for Minorities in Engineering.

Bowen, 25, plans to attend graduate school in electrical engineering or material science.

NORFOLK

Several Norfolk State University graduates have been selected as distinguished alumni by the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. Among them:

Herman D. Clark Jr., principal of Bowling Park Elementary School in Norfolk; U.S. Army Col. Donald L. g3miles09 Donald L. Porter Porter, an area native; Paula Shaw, assistant vice president for sponsored programs in Norfolk State University's Office of Development; and Robert Scott, an assistant professor in the Norfolk State department of biology. They were honored at the organization's National Conference on Blacks in Higher Education in April.

The award recognizes ``the tremendous contributions that the alumni of the 116 historically black colleges and universities have made in the political, education, military, economic, business, entertainment and social arenas of this country and world,'' said Henry Ponder, chief executive officer and president of the national association.

Clark, a Norfolk native, was named administrator of the year by RedBook Magazine in 1995.

Porter, a native of Norfolk County, is commander of the 2nd Support Center with the 18th Airborne Corps in Fort Bragg, N.C. In 1993, he was named to the Norfolk State University Military Alumni Hall of Fame.

CHESAPEAKE

Angel Thomas of Chesapeake, a sophomore at Old Dominion University, has won the university's Miss Ebony Pageant, which is sponsored by the Hugo A. Owens African-American Cultural Center.

Thomas, a music education major with a vocal emphasis, competed in interview, talent, self-image and evening gown categories. Her winnings included a monetary scholarship, trophy and tiara.

As Miss Ebony, Thomas will attend local school programs and community events and participate in volunteer projects.

VIRGINIA BEACH

Barbara-Marie Green, a Virginia Beach poet, writer, keynote speaker and publisher of the Creative Record of the Performing and Creative Arts and Timely Topics, will be inducted into the Hunter College Hall of Fame today in New York.

Green, who was born in Harlem, earned a bachelor of arts degree in psychology from Hunter College, a master of arts degree in education from City College of New York and studied for a doctorate at New York University.

``Love Pain Hope,'' poetic thoughts by Barbara-Marie Green, which is on its third printing, is joined by ``More Poetic Thoughts'' and has been selected for the Library of Congress Collection.

Green, whose latest poetry book is titled ``Dreams and Memories,'' was named poet-laureate-in-residence of the First Lynnhaven Baptist Church by the Rev. Edgar L. Williams Jr.

Her other honors include Who's Who of the World, Who's Who of America, Who's Who of American Women and Who's Who of Black Americans. She also has been inducted into the African-American Biographies Hall of Fame in Atlanta, is a member of the Virginia Poetry Society and recently was named an associate member of the Academy of American Poets.

SUBMISSIONS

Milestones appears every Friday in the Hampton Roads section. If you have an item to suggest for this column, please call the person listed for your city:

Chesapeake - Deloris Moyler, 547-9761.

Norfolk - Kathryn Darling, 446-2286.

Portsmouth - Debbie Markham, 446-2612.

Suffolk - Shirley Brinkley, 934-7550.

Virginia Beach - Patty Jenkins, 490-7200. ILLUSTRATION: Photos

Willie Bowen

Herman D. Clark Jr.

Donald L. Porter

Angel Thomas

Barbara-Marie Green