Contact: Crystal Drake, Office of Strategic Communications
Alabama Congressman Shomari C. Figures recently visited the Tuskegee University campus to learn more about the scholarship, research and community impact coming out of the university, impacting Alabama, the region and the country.
“I enjoyed spending the day with the students and administrators at Tuskegee University and witnessing the cutting-edge STEM initiatives underway on their campus, “said Congressman Figures. “Tuskegee University continues to open doors for the next generation of brilliant scientists, mathematicians, doctors, engineers, and more. It is my honor to represent this historic campus in Congress, and I commend President Brown, the faculty, and staff for their ongoing commitment to advancing academic excellence here in the 2nd District.”
The visit began with one-on-one time during breakfast with students from the 2nd district in the cafeteria in Tompkins Hall.
“Our campus is alive with the Renaissance Era and it was an honor to host Congressman Figures and his staff,” said Dr. Mark A. Brown, President and CEO. “We were very proud to show him how the innovation of our founding leaders, faculty and students is now being reimagined every day with modern tools, technology and tenacity to solve complex problems facing our nation.”
In addition to meetings with faculty, staff and students, the Congressman was introduced to drone and robotic technology being developed by The College of Agriculture and Environment Sciences (CAENS). Congressman Figures spent time with faculty and students to learn more about the transformational interdisciplinary work in food safety, biotechnology, and weather resilient agriculture to decrease food insecurity, diversify crop land use, and train a new generation of agricultural experts. The Congressman operated an “Ag-bot” created by Tuskegee students that has harnessed AI, robotics, and sensor technology to collect soil info and send it directly back to farmers’ handheld devices, significantly increasing the speed and accuracy of disease detection.
Congressman Figures also received a tutorial from faculty inside a T-1 flight simulator, available to all Tuskegee students, and primarily used to train young women and men enrolled in Tuskegee’s Aviation Science Degree Program and Aerospace Engineering students.
As the tour continued, Dr. Brown pointed out and shared the history of Kenney Hall, originally built as the John A. Andrew Hospital, a teaching hospital for the campus, and, for many years, the only hospital in the area serving African-American citizens. Kenney is now home to the National Center for Bioethics in Research and Health Care at Tuskegee University where Tuskegee students and faculty continue to engage with academic, medical, and community institutions nationwide and globally to ensure that bioethical inquiry and practice remain grounded in community empowerment, historical awareness, and the global quest for ethical integrity in health care and research.
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