ENGINEERING WHILE BLACK: CENTERING LIVED REALITIES TO DISRUPT DESIGN AND BUILD BLACK FUTURES

Abstract

This dissertation, Engineering While Black: Centering Lived Realities to Disrupt Design and Build Black Futures examines the manifestations of anti-Blackness within engineering spaces and explores how the lived experiences of Black professionals in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) can serve as a radical foundation for inclusive, culturally responsive design. Utilizing a phenomenological-narrative hybrid methodology, this study amplifies the voices of Black engineers, designers, scientists, and technologists to understand how identity, culture, and systemic barriers intersect in their professional journeys. Findings are organized into three core themes: (1) Identity Formation and Black Cultural. Representation, which explores the complex definitions of Blackness and the erasure of cultural expression in STEM; (2) Pathways into STEM and Systemic Barriers, which highlights institutional exclusion, bias in design practices, and the burden of representation; and (3) Addressing Community Issues, Mentorship, and Legacy, which illustrates how Black professionals design with their communities in mind, positioning their work as both resistance and restoration. A key contribution of this dissertation is the development of the Black-Centered Design Process. This framework intentionally prioritizes Black cultural knowledge and lived experiences in engineering design to challenge Eurocentric norms and foster equity-based innovation.Additionally, this work broadens the theoretical applications of Afrofuturism, Critical Race Theory, and Designing Black Futures by anchoring them in practical, real-world design interventions. By framing Black identity not as a variable to control but as a critical lens through which we can reimagine STEM, this dissertation offers transformative insights for engineering educators, human-centered designers, and policymakers. It demands inclusion and disruption—and charts a bold course for building Black futures through liberatory design.