Felicia McInnis Nave Defies Boundaries for Women in STEM - Higher Education

Felicia McInnis Nave Defies Boundaries for Women in STEM - Higher Education: When it comes to the number of women of color in the U.S. pursuing degrees and entering careers in STEM fields, the statistics point to a dearth. But don’t include Felicia McInnis Nave in the national norm. Her status as a chemical engineering professor at the HBCU Prairie View A&M University ranks her among a class of fewer than 12 African-American women in the nation who serve as faculty in this field. In addition, she’s also an administrator, serving as Prairie View’s associate provost and associate vice president for academic affairs.

Nave has been bucking the trends since she was a child, with the support of family, teachers and, later, professors at HBCU Alcorn State University, who encouraged her scientific pursuits as an undergraduate.