Dr. Christine Mann Darden Hidden Figures Writer To Visit The Pee Dee Region

In recognition of Women’s History Month, the Minerva Center Foundation, along with its collaborating partners, will sponsor a virtual visit to the greater Florence community from Dr. Christine Mann Darden on Monday, March 7th and Tuesday, 8th.

Dr. Darden is a Congressional Gold Medalist, Aerospace Engineer and featured researcher in the New York Times bestseller, Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race (2018) by Margo Lee Shetterly. As an American mathematician, data analyst, and aeronautical engineer, she devoted much of her forty-year career to advancing the field of aerodynamics at NASA, including the researching of supersonic flight and sonic booms. After nearly four decades of service, Dr. Darden retired from the NASA Langley Research Center, as a member of Senior Executive Service.
On Monday, March 7th, Dr. Darden will be the featured speaker and lecturer in a Zoom presentation which will also have an audience of STEM educators from Florence 1 Schools, Darlington Schools, Francis Marion University and Florence-Darlington Technical College. A replay of this session will be available for educators at their institutions.
“We are excited about Dr. Darden’s virtual visit to our community,” said Jeannette Glenn, Chairperson of Minerva Center Foundation's Board of Directors. “Our purpose in engaging her is to promote cultural awareness of the significant historical contributions she made in the creation of our country’s aerospace program and to encourage, as well as nurture an appreciation of STEM in post-high school students, secondary students and the community at-large in the Florence and Darlington areas.”

Dr. Darden is also scheduled to participate in a virtual program hosted by Francis Marion University African American Faculty and Staff Coalition in the Chapman Auditorium from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. on March 7th. Faculty, staff, students, local business leaders, engineers, program sponsors, and the community at large are all invited to attend. Dr. Darden will discuss her professional journey which led her to NASA and beyond. The program will feature a virtual presentation with a moderator entertaining questions for Dr. Darden from the audience. COVID-19 protocols will be in place and a mask required.

Glenn explained that in addition to Dr. Darden’s STEM presentation for educators, she will also virtually interact with students at the elementary, middle, and high school levels on Tuesday, March 8th.
“Through the reading of the children’s edition of Hidden Figures," Dr. Darden will make her influence known among our young learners,” said Glenn. “At the middle-level, Dr. Darden will interact with eighth-grade students, some of whom are currently reading the young readers edition of Hidden Figures as they study the Civil Rights Movement. She will also be engaged with high school students who are taking STEM-track program courses such as Computer Programming and Aerospace Engineering,” added Glenn.
“Because of the generosity and support from business and community contributors, we are able to provide students, teachers, and corporations that employ professionals who work in the STEM field a rare opportunity to have this experience hearing directly from Dr. Darden,” said Glenn.

Partnering with the Minerva Center Foundation are Francis Marion University, the FMU African American Faculty and Staff Coalition, Florence-Darlington Technical College, Florence 1 Schools, Darlington County School District and the Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce.
Recordings for all sessions will be available for viewing on the following websites: hhtps://www.fmarion.edu/aafsc/; www.f1s.org; www.dcsdschools.org; www.minervacenterfoundation.com. For more information about Dr. Darden’s visit to the Florence area or to support this effort, contact Jeannette Glenn (minervacenterfoundation@gmail.com).