Neville A. Parker

Biography

Neville A. Parker
1939 -

Neville A. Parker received a B.E. (Civil) degree from The City College of the City University of New York (CCNY) in 1965, and M.E. (Civil) and Ph.D. degrees from Cornell University in 1966 and 1971, respectively.

He was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (1964), served a two-year active duty tour (1970-1971), for which he was awarded the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service, and was decommissioned in 1973, with the rank of Captain.

Neville began his academic career in 1971 when he joined Howard University as an Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering and of Urban Systems Engineering.  At Howard University, he developed both the undergraduate and graduate programs in Transportation Engineering, and together with a colleague in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, co-developed a 2-year master’s program in Urban Systems Engineering with funding support from the Sloan Foundation.  In 1976, he took a 3-year leave of absence as a Senior Fulbright Scholar at the University of Dar es Salaam, United Republic of Tanzania, a leave which extended for 12 years.  At the UDSM, he served as Head of Department of Civil Engineering (1977-1982), and Chief Coordinator of University Teaching and Learning Improvement Program (1982-88).  In 1988 he returned to CCNY as Herbert G. Kayser Professor of Civil Engineering, and began his brief association with Milton Pikarsky, as Associate Director (Academic Affairs) of the CUNY Institute for Transportation Systems.  Upon Milton Pikarsky’s untimely passing in 1989, he was appointed Director. 

Neville’s abiding interest is in “broadening participation” of underrepresented minorities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, a key strategic initiative of the National Science Foundation.  In this regard, he was the Project Director of the Research Careers for Minority Scholars program at CCNY (1989-1997), and is Project Director of the New York City Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation program, a CUNY-wide effort across 16 campuses and the Graduate Center, which includes a Bridge to the Doctorate component.  On the international level, and through a continuing association with the International Road Federation, he has provided specially tailored professional development training for over 300 senior transportation professionals from over 35 countries.

Neville is a member of ASCE, ARTBA, TRB, IRF and the Institution of Engineers Tanzania, among others.  He is a past-President of CUTC.  He is author or co-author of numerous papers in refereed journals, as well a textbook entitled, Essentials of Highway Engineering, sponsored by UNESCO and published by Macmillan, UK (1988).  He is also the recipient of numerous awards and honors, including, Exceptional Achievement Award (IRF, 1991), Black Engineering of the Year – Outstanding Educator Award (Career Communications Group, 1994), Educational Achievement Award (Harlem Week, 1994), Giant in Science Award (Quality Education for Minorities, 1996), and Outstanding Achievement in Education (Association of Dominican Engineers, 2003).  In a Black History month (2006) recognition of New York’s Who’s Who, he was named among the top 25 African-Americans playing a vital role in the fields of education, science and medicine.