K. Renee Horton

K. Renee Horton, Ph.D. is a renowned advocate for full inclusion in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and a leading voice in STEM education and outreach. As the founder of Unapologetically Being, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to advocacy and mentoring in STEM, she travels the globe inspiring both personal and systemic change to reshape the face of STEM fields.

A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Horton earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from Louisiana State University and a Ph.D. in Materials Science with a concentration in Physics from the University of Alabama, becoming the first African American to earn that distinction from the institution. She currently serves as a NASA Chief Engineer for the Subsonic Flight Demonstrator Project and the GoSwift Project at Armstrong Flight Research Center.

Her career is marked by numerous prestigious honors, including the Black Engineer of the Year Trailblazer Award, the NASA Space Flight Team Award, and the NASA Center Accommodation Award. In 2019, she was named Louisianian of the Year and inducted into the LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction. In 2016, she was elected President of the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP), only the second woman to hold the position, and was elevated to NSBP Fellow the following year. In 2024, she was named a Sigma Pi Sigma Honorary Fellow.

Beyond her professional achievements, Horton is a dedicated community leader, serving on multiple boards and mentoring through a variety of programs. She is also the author of the Horton Explores the Universe children’s book series, with the latest installment released in 2023.