“For me, Black History Month is about bringing black achievements to the forefront,” says Christian Naogban, Senior Quality Manager at E.E. Cruz, a subsidiary of FlatironDragados.
This month, Christian reflects on the value that black inventors and innovators bring to construction and engineering.
Born in Chad, Christian moved to New York City with his family in 1984 as a young student. He wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps and become an engineer, so he studied mechanical engineering at City College of New York.
“I’ve always been passionate about the ‘how’ behind inventions,” he says. “Otis Boykin – inventor of a resistor used in computers, radios and televisions and Philip Emeagwali – a Nigerian inventor behind the supercomputer, are two black inventors whom I greatly admire.”
“When young people are searching for role models, they need to know of the great achievements of Black people in all facets of professional society like engineering, the legal system and the medical field.”
While interning at The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Christian discovered his passion for heavy civil engineering.
He joined E.E. Cruz in 2016, working on numerous high-profile projects including the Forsyth Street Emergency Ventilation Plant, the Canal Street Substation and the 4 Stations Component Repair projects. Christian is now Senior Quality Manager for the 43 Stations project and wants to earn an MBA.
“E.E. Cruz does an outstanding job at fostering a culture of inclusion and belonging,” says Christian. “I am very grateful to work with such an amazing and supportive team at a company that truly values every employee.”
*A supercomputer is among the fastest and most powerful computers in the world. They are used for scientific and engineering applications that require large amounts of computation or data processing.