Throughout February, our university joins our Nation to honor African Americans' contributions, history, excellence, and culture in the United States. Chief Information Officer Doug Foster recently sat down with Assistant Professor Forest Agostinelli from the College of Engineering and Computing to discuss his technology experience and what Black History Month means to him.
Q: Can you tell us about an early experience that influenced your career?
A: My mom was a secretary at the electrical engineering and computer science department at Catholic University in Washington D.C. and she would occasionally take me to the department where the professors, and I specifically remember Professor Charles Nguyen, would show me the labs. When I saw the labs at six years old, I said, "this is what I want to do."
Q: How has your career shaped your understanding of the world, and vice versa?
A: I got into research because, besides for curiosity and knowledge itself, I wanted to create new technology for public good. We want to use research for food, medicine, education, etc. Being a part of higher education through public institutions such as USC and UCI, where I did my Ph.D., has allowed me to recognize just how much of a public endeavor research is. Much of research is funded by the public; therefore, we have a responsibility to the public. Research does not just have to be passively observed. The public has the ability to determine the path that research takes.
Q: How has a mentor impacted your life, your career?
A: My entire family has been a positive impact on my life and career. In addition to them, Mr. Bennett, who organized a chess club in D.C., taught me how to think multiple steps ahead. Ms. Linda Brooks, the director of the youth choir at church, encouraged my passion for music. In my undergraduate program, Professor Bruce Weide and Professor Paolo Bucci gave me the confidence to do research. In my master's program, the research practices of Professor Benjamin Kuipers gave me a model for how to ensure one’s research is used for the benefit of the people. There are several more wonderful people and I simply cannot list them all. Like they say, “it takes a village!”
Q: What do you think about when you hear "Black History Month?"
A: My view is that Black history is an integral part of history and we should work towards accounts of this history that are not relegated to a single month. If we do not include Black history at other times, or just de-emphasize it in anticipation of February, then we are simply left with an inaccurate account of history.
Q: Is there a specific black man or woman in technology that inspires you?
A: Yes, my mom would always hang up pictures of inspirational people. In particular, Mae Jemison had a big impact on me. She was the first black female astronaut in space. When she was little, she always had big hopes for her future, but her teachers would act as if it was silly. She had this quote, "Don't be limited by other people's limited imagination," and that always stuck with me.
Q: What advice do you have for black college students looking to pursue a career in computer science and engineering?
A: One is that I find computer science very fulfilling and exciting, and I hope that others have a similar experience. You get the chance to satisfy your curiosity, learn from knowledgeable people, and think of how you can use what you are learning for the public good. Just go into it knowing there may be challenges, prepare yourself for them, but don't let them define you. Have perseverance and surround yourself with people who value learning and who re-energize you. Don't hesitate to reach out to professors like myself for advice and, when you succeed, be there for the next generation.