Fabulous 50: Dr. Hubert Winston Joins Department of Chemical Engineering

This blog post was contributed by Campbell Dunne, Special Collections Undergraduate Desk Assistant. 

Dr. Hubert Winston began his lengthy career at NC State University in the fall of 1966 as an undergraduate in the Chemical Engineering program. After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemical Engineering in 1970 and 1973 respectively, he went on to be the first African American man to obtain a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from NC State in 1975. 

One of 33 African American students during his time as an undergraduate, Dr. Winston spoke about the comradery he felt with his peers in a 1987 Technician article. He said that it “wasn’t unusual to be the only black [sic] in all of your classes then,” and that “you would never pass a fellow black [sic] student without saying hello … everyone knew each other.” Though he was part of a small minority, he noted that “there might have been one or two situations where [his] race was an issue [but that his] perceptions have not been colored by [his] race; it’s only a peripheral issue” (Technician Black History Special 2/2/1987). 

Dr. Winston also wrote multiple “Lettertorials” in the Technician during his time as an undergraduate. These letters were incredibly insightful and articulated the minority experience at NC State in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Examples of “Lettertorials” can be found in the October 21, 1970 and September 16, 1974 issues. 

In one such “Lettertorial,” Dr. Winston spoke in favor of sustaining the Society of Afro-American Culture (SAAC), founded in 1968. According to an NC State History Department website, SAAC, through demonstrations on campus and outreach activities, sought to “work within the University framework to spawn the idea of black (sic) identity, seek black (sic) representation in official University functions, and to promote the growth of nationally affiliated social fraternities and sororities” on campus. In 1991 the SAAC constitution declared itself as the “Political and Cultural Organization of Black Students at NC State University.”

In an Alumni News piece from 1974 titled “Black Influence: Through Technology,” just before receiving his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Dr. Winston discussed his aspirations to teach. He explained that he’d “like to give black [sic] students interested in science an opportunity to approach a real engineer for information,” mentioning that, at the time, they had “little or no exposure to practicing engineers in [their] circles.”

Upon receiving his Ph.D., Dr. Winston spent the following six years working as a research specialist with the Exxon Production Research Company in Texas before returning to NC State as an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering. Dr. Winston later served as Assistant Dean for Academic Affairs for the College of Engineering.

In this role Dr. Winston helped implement what was called the “Major Undesignated” system, “which allows qualified students to be enrolled in NCSU’s School of Engineering but not assigned to a specific major.” This system is still in operation today – Engineering First-Year (EFY) students must complete certain required courses before having the opportunity to “CODA” (Change of Degree Audit) into a degree program (see the College of Engineering website). Dr. Winston emphasized the importance of admission based on a student’s performance at NC State. He also helped to establish the Benjamin Franklin Scholars Program, and assisted with fundraising for the Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center on Centennial Campus. 

Winston also served on Chancellor Bruce Poulton’s Advisory Council of Afro-American Affairs in 1984 and sat on multiple committees for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers including the Minority Affairs Committee and as co-chairman of “Retaining and Counseling Minorities When They Reach the University” session in 1979.

Dr. Winston is now retired with the distinction of Associate Professor Emeritus. As the first African American faculty member within the College of Engineering, Dr. Winston helped to pave the way for the thousands of African American students who have studied at NC State over the years.

If you are interested in learning more about Dr. Winston’s research, both his Master’s thesis and Doctoral thesis are available upon request through our libraries. To learn more about the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering Department, see the October 4, 2024, Special Collections blog post or the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering historical timeline.