Marlon D. Ridley, B.S.E.E.
Math and Science Coordinator, and Graduate Affiliate

The University of Memphis
216 Manning Hall
Memphis, TN 38125

Phone: 901-678-3116
Fax: 901-678-4733
mridley@memphis.edu

In 2006-2007, Marlon D. Ridley will be providing ACT and SAT tutoring as an integral part of ACE Academy. Ridley, a native of Nashville, TN, received a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering in the fall of 2003 from The University of Memphis. Currently, he works as a research assistant in the Department of Physics’ Biomaterials Industry / University Center for Biosurfaces (IUCB-NSF) laboratory. His original research on biomaterials has taken him around the world, from Australia to Italy, and across the country to present his work. There are many research projects that have nourished his experience and technical knowledge; he has worked with institutions such as Los Alamos National Laboratory, the University of North Carolina (Greensboro), Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, as well as with corporations such as Wright Medical Technologies, Zimmer, and Smith & Nephew.

As an undergraduate, Mr. Ridley was a McNair Scholar (a TRIO program) and he currently holds a Tennessee Board of Regents Graduate Minority Fellowship. As further evidence of his leadership and organizational skills, he holds various regional positions with The National Society of Black Engineers and is the Society For Biomaterials National Student Secretary. At the Benjamin Hooks Institute, Mr. Ridley continues to expand his already develops strong mathematical and science outreach programs. He is dedicated to counseling high school students and re-creating the same types of opportunities that were made available to him during his formative educational years, a delicate stage. “I am extremely proud of the time I spend in the community and the strong influence I have in generating future scientist and engineers,” asserted Marlon in an interview.

In the past two years he has raised funds and prepared over fifty students to participate in math and science competitions in Nashville, TN, Louisville, KY, Washington, D.C., and Boston, MA, where two students placed 3rd nationally and another student placed 2nd. These students have been exposed to, or participated in, programs sponsored by The National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), Caterpillar, IBM, the Central Intelligence Agency, the National Science Foundation Laboratories, Wright Medical Technologies, the Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (TLSAP), the Memphis and Shelby County Science Fair, the Yale College of Engineering and the Microsoft Windows and Howard University Media Player Skins Competition. In 2005, Marlon was named the Undergraduate Tutor of the Year by Memphis City Schools.

Under the tutelage of Mr. Marlon Ridley, a graduate student in Physics at the University of Memphis and the Hooks Institute’s Math and Science Specialist, Keith Hammond, Michael Ridley, Darrell Sneed, Nicholas Reed, Gabrielle Williams, and Chaquita Williams--all Melrose High School students and students of Deborah McCarroll--competed in the National Society of Black Engineers’ (NSBE) National Robotics Competition March 28 – April 1 in Pittsburgh, PA and Microsoft Windows Media Skin Competition. When they returned home, the Melrose students were on "Good Morning Memphis."

The Melrose High Chapter has more than 30 students with 10 students competing at regional and national engineering competitions annually. All 2006 graduating seniors who were in the National Society of Black Engineers Pre-College Curriculum at Melrose will be attending a 4-year college or university this fall. Many other Melrose students will be pursuing their degrees in various fields from accounting, mass communications and music. Even students that have chosen fields outside of engineering are integrating technology and electronics into their curriculum. They see the importance of including technology in their future professions. Mr. Ridley’s efforts to expose these students to successful black engineers and large companies that employ young brilliant people of color has significantly influenced their definitions of success.