The instructor of engineering and mentorship research makes an impact on students that reaches far beyond the classroom
By Ryan Christiano | Photo by John Michael Simpson
Letitia Hubbard embodies a blend of academic prowess and unwavering dedication to STEM education, combining her expertise with a relentless passion for nurturing young minds.
“She engages with students and colleagues daily and champions the skills necessary for all students to see themselves as engineers and researchers,” says Katie O’Connor, provost and vice chancellor of academic programs at North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics. “Not only does she exceed expectations in the classroom, she does it with incredible integrity and professionalism.”
Born and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, Letitia’s journey into the world of engineering and academia was set in motion early on. “I have always been interested in science, even as a child,” Letitia says. Her formative years in a four-year pre-engineering magnet program at her high school helped set the foundation for the trajectory that lay ahead.
She moved to Durham in 2004 and attended Duke University for her Ph.D. in biomedical engineering, graduating in 2010. After also completing her postdoctoral at Duke, she began to think about next steps.
“I spent a lot of time working with students as a teaching assistant at both the undergraduate level and at the K-12 level [while] at Duke,” Letitia says. “When I came across the job posting at NCSSM for an engineering and research instructor, I did not know much about NCSSM, but it seemed like the perfect fit for me. I love to work with students early in their career trajectories, challenge them and open their eyes to the many possibilities in STEM that they may have never even considered.”
Her nearly nine-year tenure at NCSSM bears witness to a litany of transformative initiatives, from helping to develop the school’s online biomedical engineering course to spearheading groundbreaking research projects – like in 2020, when her team of students and faculty developed an app that used artificial intelligence to discriminate between recyclables and non-recyclables in order to prevent recycling contamination for the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow competition. The project was selected among five national winners, and the accolade came with a $100,000 prize for NCSSM. “Given my early experiences attending a pre-engineering magnet program in high school, working at NCSSM in an engineering department has been truly a full-circle moment,” Letitia says.
Make a difference in your sphere of influence, and your influence may extend further than you ever thought possible. Doing small things with extraordinary passion helps small things to become extraordinary things.
M. Letitia Hubbard
“Her impact on students goes far beyond the classroom,” Katie adds. “She continues giving as a teacher in NCSSM’s summer programs, specifically the Step Up to STEM and the Eastern North Carolina STEM programs, to help ensure equal opportunity for students across North Carolina. I am equally impressed by the time and effort she dedicates as a faculty advisor to the National Society of Black Engineers Jr. club.”
Letitia strives to foster a vibrant culture of innovation, inquiry and inclusivity, and encourages all who are interested in STEM – but women and underrepresented minorities in particular – to stay the course, even if the road ahead seems rough. “Don’t be afraid to try hard things even if you are not good at it at first,” Letitia says. “It can be easy to get discouraged and isolated. … This is compounded for those who cross boundaries and have many different lived experiences and often feel as though they don’t fit in anywhere. It is important … to have good role models who can provide motivation and insight into how to be successful in a STEM field and how to carve out unique opportunities to make an impact.”
Luckily for NCSSM’s engineering students, they don’t have to look far to find one.
What an Honor
Letitia made history in 2022 when she was named a Faculty Fellow by the University of North Carolina System’s Division of Academic Affairs – a first for any NCSSM faculty member. It’s “a competitive process, and one that denotes her exceptional impact on others,” Katie says.
Extracurricular Activities
Outside of work, Letitia enjoys attending shows at the Durham Performing Arts Center and spending time with her husband, Lemuel Hubbard, a lieutenant in the Raleigh Fire Department, and her two children, Lemuel “Alex” Hubbard, 7, and Lance Hubbard, 2.
“They keep me busy, but they have brought so much joy and depth to my life,” Letitia says. “My oldest son, Alex, is active in youth sports including i9 Sports’ youth basketball league, and we love to visit East Regional Library, which is in our neighborhood.”
