Dr. K Renee Horton is a compelling, international and inspirational speaker who brings her epic personal story, expertise, and incredible personality to each of her presentations. She is an advocate for diversity and inclusion in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics
(STEM), and works diligently in the community for STEM education and STEM outreach. Renee believes in changing the face of STEM. She is the founder of Unapologetically Being, Inc., a nonprofit for advocacy and mentoring in STEM.
Dr. K. Renee Horton is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and lifelong lover of science and NASA. A graduate of Louisiana State University with a B.S. of Electrical Engineering with a minor in Math in 2002 and a Ph.D. in Material Science with a concentration in Physics, becoming the first African American to graduate from the University of Alabama in 2011 in this area.
' K. Renee Horton, Ph.D.TM
Hearing impaired, black, physicist, mother of three, that's who I am, that's who I be, but that's not everything.
In her day job, she serves as a NASA Airworthiness Deputy for the Electrified Powertrain Flight Demonstrator (EPFD) Project. Throughout her career, Renee has received numerous accolades and awards including the Black Engineer of the Year Trailblazer Award in 2011, a NASA Space Fight Team Award, and a NASA Center Level Appreciation Honor Award in 2019. Renee also serves on the board of Lighthouse Louisiana, whose mission is to empower people with disabilities through services, employment, and advocacy, the board of Families Helping
Families and the board of the New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School.
In 2016, Renee was elected President of the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) as the second woman to hold the office. She has served the physics community abroad as a member of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP) Women in Physics Working Group and currently serves on several advisory boards dedicated to a more diverse inclusion in physics. In 2017, she was elevated to a Fellow in the NSBP, which is the highest honor bestowed upon a member.
Renee was named a 2019 Louisianian of the Year featured in the Louisiana Life magazine. She was honored in a group of nine individuals who stand out in their professions, give back, and represent what’s best about Louisiana. In 2021 Renee was named the Gulf Coast Organization Legacy Award honoree and was inducted into the LSU Alumni Hall of Distinction. In 2022 she served as an Astro Access Ambassador on the charted Zero G flight.