This memorial article, by Tasha R. Inniss, Ph.D. (Originally published by the American Mathematical Society) focuses on two African American women mathematicians/statisticians who not only had an enormous impact on her life, but who also played pivotal roles in diversifying the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. The first, Dr. Shirley Mathis McBay (May 4, 1935–November 27, 2021), was one of her mentors, and the second, Dr. Dionne Lynnette Price (August 29, 1971–February 22, 2024), was her best friend.
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Shirley Mathis McBay, PhD was the dean for student affairs at MIT in the 1980s where she started the Quality Education for Minorities (QEM) Project to determine ways to increase minority participation in higher education. She authored “Education that Works: An Action Plan for the Education of Minorities”. She left MIT in 1990 to found the QEM Network (https://qem.org/) and served as its president until 2016. In an interview with Dr. Zerotti Woods for the article he wrote on Dr. McBay for the AMS Notices, she shared that her goal for establishing the QEM Network was “to implement the recommendations of the [1990] study”. Since its founding, the QEM Network has achieved Dr. McBay’s goal and has helped to shape the STEM landscape, particularly as it relates to federal funding to support historically underrepresented faculty in STEM and minority-serving institutions (MSIs).
Dionne Lynnette Price, PhD, at the time of her passing, was the deputy director of the Office of Biostatistics in the Office of Translational Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research at the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Dionne’s decision to work at the FDA as a statistician was driven by her desire to combine her love of teaching, her aspiration to apply her skills to real-world problems, and her unwavering determination to create meaningful impact in the lives of others.”Footnote1 She spent her entire career at the FDA where she rose through the ranks and made significant contributions both at the FDA and in the global statistics community. Dr. Price was an active member of the American Statistical Association (ASA), consistent attendee at the annual diversity workshop during the Joint Statistical Meetings (JSM), and faithful participant during the Fostering Diversity in Biostatistics meetings of the Eastern North American Region (ENAR) International Biometric Society. In an interview at the 2019 JSM Diversity & Leadership Conference, Dr. Price spoke about the value of the diversity workshop, saying “We get to impact everyone and build our pipeline so that we will have a bright future.”
I wanted to write this joint memorial not just because they were both important people in my life, but also because I met both of these phenomenal women at the same time during the David and Lucile Packard Foundation HBCU Graduate Scholars Program conference. In 1993, “Dee,” as those who were close to her affectionately called her, and I were each awarded a Packard graduate scholarship. We became Packard Graduate Scholars after we both completed our undergraduate degrees in mathematics from Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs); Dee from Norfolk State University and I from Xavier University of Louisiana. Dr. McBay was on the Advisory Committee for the program along with HBCU presidents such as the president of my alma mater, Dr. Norman C. Francis, as well as two president emeriti of Morehouse College, Dr. Hugh Gloster and Dr. Walter E. Massey. Every summer, the Packard Foundation would fly all Packard HBCU Graduate Scholars to Monterey, California, for the annual conference. The Foundation selected and supported graduate scholars from 1992 to 2002.
Dr. McBay along with other members of the Advisory Board had a keen interest in our experiences as Black students at Research I institutions. What was ascertained was that those of us who majored in mathematics at HBCUs and then pursued advanced degrees at highly ranked research-focused institutions experienced a more challenging road to our PhDs because we were perceived to be less prepared. The perception of our talent and ability to do mathematical research as Black women was at times disheartening, but we prevailed due to the mentorship and fierce advocacy we received from individuals such as Dr. McBay and because of the powerful network we had as Packard Graduate Scholars. Our experiences bring to mind the quote of Dr. Evelyn Boyd Granville, who was “an internationally recognized mathematician, computer scientist, scientist/engineer, scholar, educator, mentor, and pioneer/barrier breaker …”.
“I always smile when I hear that women cannot excel in mathematics.” — Dr. Evelyn Boyd Granville, 2nd African American woman to earn a PhD in Mathematics
In addition to being among the small number of African American women who earned doctoral degrees in the mathematical sciences, Dr. McBay and Dr. Price shared other parallels in their narratives and trajectories. They both graduated summa cum laude from their undergraduate HBCU institutions and were the first African Americans to earn a PhD in their field from their graduate institutions.
Dr. McBay graduated from Paine College with a BA degree in Chemistry in 1954 at the age of 19. In 1966, she became the first African American to earn a PhD from the University of Georgia (UGA) in any field and the first woman to earn a doctorate in mathematics.
Dr. Price graduated from Norfolk State University as valedictorian with a BS degree in mathematics in 1993 and was the first African American to earn a doctoral degree in Biostatistics from Emory University in 2001.
They were both honorees on Mathematically Gifted & Black, a website highlighting the careers of Black mathematicians. The website was begun by four Black women mathematicians (Dr. Erica Graham, Dr. Raegen Higgins, Dr. Candice Price, and Dr. Shelby Wilson) who are phenomenal in their own right. I am sure they would also make Dr. Granville smile as they exemplify women excelling in mathematics.
In January 2023, Dr. Price became the 118th, and first African American, president of the ASA. She took this role very seriously and served in excellence as she did with everything in her career and professional life. Every month, she would write a column, President’s Corner, for the AMSTAT News. In the February 2023 issue, she stated “There are still settings in which bias has the potential to negatively affect the careers and professional development of members. Thus, embracing JEDI [justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion] is embracing the intellect of all”.
Her parents, niece, and I, along with the ASA executive director, Ron Wasserstein, sat in the front row in amazement at the brilliant speech she delivered. In it she was not only able to pay homage to statistical scholars who were giants in the field, but also to honor those individuals who shaped her life and career trajectory in a STEM field. It was motivating as well as informative. She made great use of many types of media, including beginning with the Mission Impossible music since the title of her address was “Our Mission in Action: Past, Present, and Future.” In her ASA presidential address, Dr. Price stated the following: “my vision of our future is one that has 1) a rich pipeline of students in statistics and data science, 2) increased awareness and visibility of our community and our many efforts, and 3) ensuring our future leaders are prepared to lead with statistics”.
It was such a compelling address that both her niece and I wanted to jump up to give her a standing ovation.
Dr. McBay and Dr. Price were proud graduates of HBCUs. Dr. McBay also worked at an HBCU, Spelman College, between 1967 and 1975. Spelman is only one of two HBCUs for Black women and has been the number one HBCU as reported by US News & World Report 4 for 18 years in a row. According to Infobrief NCSES, produced by the National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics (NCSES),Footnote2 Spelman College is listed as second to Howard University as top US baccalaureate-origin institution of Black or African American doctorate recipients, which includes males, between 2010 and 2020. This is remarkable since Howard, classified as an R2 doctoral university, has more than four times the student enrollment of Spelman, which is classified as a Baccaulareate college with an arts and sciences focus. When the data was disaggregated for males and females by RTI International, Spelman is ranked number one for producing African American female doctorate recipients.
Dr. Price loved her alma mater and had enormous pride at having been a DNIMASFootnote3 5 Scholar. I recall her saying frequently to me “Behold, the Green and Gold.” We both felt strongly that our time and training at NSU (for Dee) and XULA (for me) really prepared us to be scholars and leaders. Our professors held high standards, but also instilled confidence in us to be able to pursue and persist to the finish line of doctorates in the mathematical sciences. Our trajectories and achievements are due to our supportive families, our encouraging mentors/professors, and our impactful HBCU experiences.
In a communication written for the February 2024 AMS Notices entitled “Making Journeys of Black Mathematicians,” the filmmaker Csicsery, stated, “I quickly learned that [HBCUs] were an integral part of the story for many African-American mathematicians.” He went on to say, “Several scholars mentioned that Black students with undergraduate backgrounds at an HBCU earn more PhDs in mathematics than those who completed their undergraduate studies at predominantly white institutions (PWIs)” 4.
In the tribute written by Spelman College after Dr. McBay’s passing 15, Dr. Sylvia Bozeman is quoted as saying,
It was also my good fortune, as I determined later, to be jointly interviewed by Dr. Shirley McBay, and Dr. Etta Falconer, chairperson of the Department of Mathematics [in 1974]. During my interview it became apparent that these two women were on a mission, determined to increase the number of African American women in science and mathematics, beginning with Spelman College.
This was precisely the case! In the Spelman College Archives, there is an article written by Dr. McBay, which is stamped as being received by the Office of the President on March 10, 1976 9. In this article, she begins by providing all the statistics that reflect the “Black Underrepresentation in Science,” both from a national perspective and a Spelman perspective. She outlines the “identified barriers,” lists “strategies to remove barriers,” and provides “evidence of success.” What is incredibly remarkable is that in 1976, Dr. McBay had created a comprehensive strategic plan for increasing participation of women and students of color in STEM, that was not only applicable for Spelman, but for the nation. The strategies that she outlined are still relevant today and perhaps served as the roadmap for her work at MIT on the QEM Project and her vision for the QEM Network. The QEM Network has been impactful not only on HBCUs, but other MSIs, including tribal colleges. QEM is most known for the QEM workshops that were organized by Dr. McBay for faculty and institutional teams from MSIs to participate in intensive sessions designed to assist in developing competitive proposals for funding opportunities at the National Science Foundation. In addition, the QEM Network has produced numerous reports that describe their work and beneficial resources.
Dr. Shirley M. McBay and Dr. Dionne L. Price were pioneers, trailblazers, mentors, and leaders who made significant impacts in the mathematical sciences community. Because of their influence in changing the face of STEM, their contributions are being recognized in momentous ways. On October 7, 2022, the University of Georgia dedicated the library they renamed in honor of Shirley Mathis McBay, PhD.
On April 26, 2024, the FDA held a memorial service for Dr. Price and announced the establishment of the “Dionne Price Memorial Award” by the FDA Statistical Association. The announcement stated that “this prestigious award aims to preserve Dionne’s legacy in a meaningful manner, and to recognize statisticians who have made significant contributions to advancing statistical methodologies in regulatory science.” ASA has also launched the “Dionne Price Public Lecture Series,” which will “showcase rising stars in statistics and data science.” Additionally, Norfolk State University has established the “Dr. Dionne Price Scholarship,” which accepts funds to support students following in Dee’s footsteps.
The legacy of these phenomenal women will be cemented for generations to come!
These Black women are true inspirations for me. I am both honored and humbled that I had the opportunity to interact with, learn from, be mentored by, and to share in decades-long friendships with them. Their presence here on earth is deeply missed. I will forever cherish their memories. I marvel at their lifelong commitments to and lasting legacies for diversifying STEM. They loved mathematics and statistics, understood the importance of mentorship, and had a strong commitment to increasing the representation in mathematics, and STEM more broadly.
In the March 2024 President’s Corner in AMSTAT NEWS 5, current ASA President, Dr. Ghosh-Dastidar, shared the words of former ASA President, Dr. Kathy Ensor, who introduced Dr. Price before her presidential address at JSM 2023:
Dionne Price’s journey as a leader has been defined by her passion for creating impactful change in the lives of others. Dionne has an innate ability to bring people together, empowering them to collaborate towards a common goal. Her inclusive approach ensures that diverse voices are heard. Beyond her role as ASA president, she continues to be a source of inspiration [emphasis by author] to countless individuals, mentoring and nurturing emerging leaders. Her commitment to empowering the next generation of change makers ensures a sustainable legacy of progress that will endure far beyond her tenure.
Though Dr. Price and Dr. McBay may have approached diversifying STEM in different ways, they were both committed to opening doors and ensuring that STEM professionals and leaders are reflective of this nation as a whole. It is indeed their legacy and lifelong inspiration.
“We will always have STEM with us. Some things will drop out of the public eye and go away, but there will always be science, engineering, and technology. And there will always, always be mathematics [emphasis by author].” — Katherine Johnson, NASA Research Mathematician
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This article was originally published on the American Mathematical Society's website on December 31, 2024. It is reprinted here with permission. The content remains unchanged except for formatting adjustments for this website.
Citation: First published in Notices Amer. Math. Soc. 71 (December 2024), published by the American Mathematical Society. ©2024 American Mathematical Society.
Editor's Note: References can be found in the original article print
