Awards go to bioinformatics pioneer Rhonda Harrison (’98, ’04) and astronaut Bob Hines (’97)
Recognizing their impact on their professions and communities, Dean ad interim Elise Morgan conferred the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award on two College of Engineering alumni in a fall ceremony at Boston University’s Robotics and Autonomous Systems Teaching & Innovation Center (RASTIC).
“Rhonda Harrison and Bob Hines exemplify the college’s mission of developing Societal Engineers,” Morgan told an audience of about 100 members of the BU ENG community. “They have not only excelled in their fields but have also made a profound impact on BU and society as a whole.”
Harrison (ENG’98, ’04, GRS’04) was the first woman and the first Black person to earn a PhD in bioinformatics in the U.S., and she has accomplished a great deal since. Harrison helped to establish the field of multiomics, which has transformed how scientists predict protein-protein interactions and their links to disease. She developed the first fruit fly genetic database and contributed to the ENCODE project, which mapped the human genome.
At MIT, Harrison worked on AI-guided precision medicine and helped develop technologies that are now widely used in genomics research and drug development. As founder of Biopharmix, she has supported drug discovery teams and continues to drive innovation in biotech.
Beyond Harrison’s professional achievements, said Morgan, “She is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion, using her experiences to break barriers and help the next generation overcome the same hurdles. She continues to inspire others by fostering diversity in STEM workplaces and mentoring students.”
Hines (ENG’97) is a NASA astronaut who has orbited the Earth on the International Space Station (ISS). After earning his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from BU, Hines joined the U.S. Air Force, flew 76 combat missions in the Middle East, earned a master’s degree, and became a research pilot, flying test planes such as a C-9 jet modified to fly a parabola.
In 2017, NASA accepted Hines into the astronaut program. After five years of rigorous training, he piloted NASA’s SpaceX Crew Dragon craft, with three crewmates aboard, 250 miles up to the ISS. There, the team monitored 250 science experiments in microgravity, robotics, hydroponics, and other fields.
“Bob connected with the BU community in a memorable way—broadcasting live from the International Space Station while wearing his BU Terriers jersey,” said Morgan. “Bob’s journey from BU to the ISS has undoubtedly sparked new dreams in the next generation of engineers and scientists.”
Following the presentation of the awards, Morgan and Tye Brady (ENG’90) held a “fireside chat” and Q&A on the future of robotics. Brady is chief technologist at Amazon Robotics and a member of the ENG Dean’s Advisory Board.
Attendees then met with student leaders, who presented posters and answered alums’ questions about their research projects. Student clubs represented at the event included BU Gliding & Soaring, BU Mars Rover Club, BU Rocket Propulsion Group, Terrier Motorsport, BU Unmanned Vehicles, BU Baja, and the BU chapters of the Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and Society of Women Engineers.
