This Black History Month, McMaster Engineering presents Rooted Beings — an artistic and informational exhibition that reflects on identity, belonging, and the power of being grounded while shaping the future of engineering.
Created in celebration of Black excellence, presence, and impact within the Faculty of Engineering, Rooted Beings centers the voices of Black engineers across generations. Through visual storytelling and personal reflection, the exhibition invites viewers to consider what it means to be rooted — in community, in lived experience, and in purpose — while navigating spaces of innovation, leadership, and change.
About the exhibition
Rooted Beings brings together illustrated panels and written reflections that highlight the journeys of Black students, alumni, and faculty within McMaster Engineering. Each feature offers a glimpse into how personal history, cultural identity, and community shape the ways engineers learn, lead, and contribute to the world around them.
Rather than offering a single narrative, the exhibition presents many — honouring the diversity of paths, disciplines, and lived realities that exist within Black engineering experiences.
Opening reception
Tuesday, February 10 · 12:00 PM
JHE Lobby
All are welcome to attend.
Exhibition locations
JHE · ETB · ITB
On display throughout February.
What visitors will encounter
Visitors are invited to engage with:
- Visually led exhibition panels that blend artwork with storytelling
- Reflections on identity, community, resilience, and legacy
- An experience designed to encourage pause, recognition, and connection
Rooted Beings is both a celebration and a space for reflection — holding stories with care, intention, and respect.
From the creator
Rooted Beings was created with the people it would touch in mind.
This exhibition was designed to hold stories with care — to reflect Black engineers not as symbols, but as full, complex individuals shaped by history, community, and purpose.
Through visual storytelling, the work invites viewers to see themselves reflected, to recognize familiar truths, and to feel a sense of belonging within engineering spaces.
My hope is that when people encounter this work, they feel seen — held with dignity, beauty, and intention.
Designed by Omoseke Fowode, Creative Lead in Engineering Communications, Faculty of Engineering.
Featured voices from our Black engineering community
Rooted Beings brings together voices from our Black engineering community — spanning students, alumni, faculty, and leaders whose work is grounded in purpose, identity, and impact.
- Tom Wanyama, Associate Professor and Director of the Learning Factory, is reimagining engineering education to centre human dignity, community impact, and real-world needs — from maternal health initiatives to hands-on learning models that connect students to purpose.
- Tolu Falade, co-founder of NSBE McMaster and sustainability leader at Indeed, is embedding environmental responsibility into global business strategy while building pathways for representation, leadership, and long-term impact.
- Howard Shearer, McMaster Engineering alumnus and President & CEO of Hitachi Canada, reflects a global career in energy and industry — demonstrating how technical excellence, leadership, and responsibility can shape systems at scale.
- Jenna Harris, biomedical engineering researcher and PhD student, is advancing point-of-care diagnostic technologies to address gaps in who science is built for, while modelling balance between rigorous research and creative expression.
- Nana Ofori-Opoku, Assistant Professor in Materials Science & Engineering and three-time McMaster graduate, bridges advanced materials research with mentorship and advocacy — expanding who feels welcomed, represented, and empowered in engineering spaces.
- Deyontae (DJ) Patterson, computer engineering student and multidisciplinary artist, moves between labs, stages, and community initiatives — using engineering, music, and collaboration to challenge stereotypes and build creative belonging.
Alongside these featured stories, current Black engineering students share personal reflections on identity, growth, creativity, and belonging through a video installation — forming a living archive of what it means to be rooted at McMaster Engineering today.
Together, these voices honour where we come from, affirm who we are, and imagine what we can build next.