Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson Serves as the Honorary Host for the 21st Annual Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Science and Technology Brain Trust

Students watched presentations and asked panelists questions about STEM careers

Dallas, TX – (Friday, September 20, 2013) –  Today Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson served as the honorary host of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation’s (CBCF) 21st Annual Science and Technology Brain Trust during the 43rd Annual Legislative Conference (ALC) at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The panel discussion ran from 9:00 a.m. – noon, and was live-streamed via the NASA website.

“For 21 years, I have worked diligently to expand opportunities for young people of color,” said Congresswoman Johnson. “It is important that young people are exposed to the resources and role models in science, technology, engineering, and math fields, so that we can continue to cultivate the young minds that will soon lead our nation. I am so delighted that all of you have come to this panel discussion to engage with these extraordinary panelists and learn more about careers in STEM.”

As the first female and first African American Ranking Member on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee, Congresswoman Johnson founded the Brain Trust in order to identify opportunities for youth to believe in what they can achieve by being exposed to positive examples.

Panelists include Dr. Bernard Harris, first African American to perform a spacewalk and medical doctor; Dr. Roosevelt Y. Johnson, Deputy Associate Administrator for Education with NASA; Mr. Fred Humphries, Microsoft Corp. VP US Government Affairs; Mr. Ray Dempsey, BP VP Public Affairs; Mr. Harold Strong, AP Developer – University of North Texas; Dr. Scott Edwards, Harvard University Professor of Biology; Mr. Barrington Irving, Aviator; Dr. Karina Edmonds, Cal Tech and former U.S. Department of Energy Technology Transfer Coordinator; Dr. Nerma Frazier, U.S. Department of Energy; Ms. Francessca Spencer Vasquez, Oracle; Dr. Gregory Primus, Former NFL Player and Orthopedic Surgeon; Mr. Adam Conner, Facebook; Ms. Megan Smith, VP of Google X; Mr. Beck Pringle, National Education Association; Moderator – Lesli Foster, WUSA9 News.

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U.S. Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson is the highest-ranking Texan on the House Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure and a Ranking member of the Science Committee. She represents the 30th Congressional District of Texas, which includes Downtown Dallas, Fair Park, Kessler Park, Old East Dallas, Pleasant Grove, South Dallas & South Oak Cliff; all of Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville, Hutchins, Lancaster & Wilmer and parts of Ferris, Glenn Heights, South Grand Prairie, Oak Lawn, Ovilla, Uptown/Victory Park and West Dallas.