Larry Summerville, a senior majoring in metallurgical and materials engineering, will go on to compete in a national competition after winning first prize at a regional assembly of the National Society of Black Engineers.

The National Society of Black Engineers is a nonprofit student-governed organization formed to increase the amount of African-American engineers and encourage members to excel academically and succeed in future careers.

Summerville presented his research at the Regional NSBE Assembly in Montgomery to a panel of judges and won first place on his research poster titled “Morphological Evolution and Surface Migration of Gold Films.”

“My research basically presents a theory on how to help electronics in the future,” Summerville said.

Summerville will compete in the national NSBE convention held in Indianapolis, Ind.

“I suggest any engineer join the organization,” Summerville said. “It’s very beneficial to career development as well as networking.”

According to the group’s website, the society was started by two engineering students in 1971. The idea was to improve the recruitment and retention of the engineering program at Purdue University.

“It’s really helped me as an engineer,” Summerville said. “Without it I probably wouldn’t be an engineer today.”

NSBE was recognized as a national organization in 1975 and has grown to over 29,900 members and more than 394 chapters worldwide, including the chapter at The University of Alabama.

“We are a professional organization with meetings geared toward our national mission statement,” Ladonna Perkins, NSBE president and civil engineering student, said.

The motto of Alabama’s NSBE chapter is E.X.E.C.U.T.E., an acronym that stands for empower the mind, excel academically, enable communication, sustain retention, and enhance The University of Alabama.

NSBE hosts various meetings on campus that focus on academics and community outreach.

Engineering is a competitive and growing field at the Capstone.

According to a presentation given by Judy Bonner to the Board of Trustees, the total enrollment in the engineering program at Alabama has increased by 58 percent since 2008, and the college of engineering has granted 50 percent more degrees.

The NSBE gives students and professionals leadership training, global networking, and career placement services.

As a member of the NSBE, Summerville said he was offered a full-time job for Boeing in Seattle, Wash., and also made many contacts.

“I joined because I wanted to be around students striving for the same things I strive for,” Summerville said. “I’ve met people all over the country.”

Perkins said joining the organization helped her branch out and meet people around campus.

“It has really helped me with classes and getting to know people who have had the same classes as me,” Perkins said. “It helped me meet upperclassmen and people that have already gone through the things I’m going through now.”

The society welcomes all types of engineering majors, as well as students majoring in other technical fields.

“Just show up and pay your dues,” Perkins said. “We accept everyone.”