Howard Conyers
Press

Dillard University Names NASA Rocket Scientist & BBQ Historian Dr. Howard Conyers as Mellon Fellow

Media Contact:

Tara G. Cunningham
Director of Communications
tcunningham@dillard.edu
504-816-4204

NEW ORLEANS, LA – Dillard University proudly announces Dr. Howard Conyers as its Mellon Fellow for the Ray Charles Program in African American Material Culture, supported by a generous grant from the Mellon Foundation. His research will explore the legacy of African American barbecue pitmasters through a video series, lecture series, and symposium highlighting their contributions to American barbecue culture.

A distinguished NASA engineer, Dr. Conyers currently serves as the A1 Mechanical Design Lead at Stennis Space Center, overseeing design efforts for RS-25 rocket engine testing. Previously, he was the Principal Investigator and Project Manager for the High Dynamic Range Stereo-X (HiDyRS-X) project. In 2009, at just 27 years old, he earned a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Duke University, becoming one of fewer than 20 African Americans in the country to achieve this distinction. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Bioenvironmental Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University.

Beyond his engineering career, Dr. Conyers is a renowned whole-hog barbecue pitmaster from South Carolina. He hosted Nourish, a PBS digital series exploring food, culture, and science across the American South, which garnered approximately 1.2 million views in its first three episodes. He has also been featured on the Cooking Channel’s Man, Fire, Food and in publications such as Southern Living Daily South, New Orleans Magazine, The Advocate, and The Times-Picayune. Dr. Conyers is the founder of the Black Barbecue Hall of Fame and co-founder of Backyard Distillery.

Dillard University is honored to welcome Dr. Conyers and looks forward to the impact of his research on African American food traditions.

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“Dr. Conyers’ research and body of work documenting the stories of Black pitmasters is vital to preserving barbecue culture and Black foodways. We are looking forward to working with Dr. Conyers to preserve a huge part of American history to be shared with a wider audience,” said Zella Palmer, Chair, Ray Charles Program.

About the Ray Charles Program in African American Material Culture

The mission of the Dillard University Ray Charles Program in African American Material Culture is to research, document, disseminate, preserve, and celebrate African American culture and foodways in the South. New Orleans sits at the historical and cultural intersection of diverse groups with distinct and recognizable pasts. This program aims to understand how African, Caribbean, European, and American cultures coalesced to create a culture that is uniquely African American. The Ray Charles Program takes a deeper look at how African American culture is portrayed and taught in an effort to not only preserve that culture, but allow our students to take ownership of it as well. For more information visit the Ray Charles Program in African American Material Culture.

About Dillard University

Dillard University is a historically Black institution that cultivates leaders who live ethically, think and communicate precisely, and act courageously to make the world a better place. Located in New Orleans, Dillard is a private faith-based liberal arts university that offers 22 majors and two certificate programs. Ranked 5th on 2021 The New York Times Overall Mobility Index and 14th in 2022 by Academic Influence for Best Colleges and Universities by Academic Stewardship, Dillard’s call to future leaders is to Write Your Legacy. Find out more about Louisiana’s oldest HBCU by visiting www.dillard.edu.

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