Born on 20 October 1949 in Atlanta, Georgia, Sekazi Kauze Mtingwa is a research physicist and physics professor whose work has enabled discoveries in particle accelerators. Mtingwa earned his BS in physics and mathematics at MIT in 1971 and his MA and PhD in physics at Princeton University in 1976. He did postdoctoral work at the University of Rochester, the University of Maryland at College Park, and Fermilab. From 1980 to 1988 Mtingwa worked as a research physicist at Fermilab, where he helped develop a theory of particle beam dynamics called intrabeam scattering. He also worked on the design and construction of accelerator systems that were used in the discovery of the top quark and other exotic particles. From 1988 to 1991 he worked at Argonne National Laboratory, where he provided the mathematical proof for plasma wakefield acceleration. After his stint at the two national labs, Mtingwa decided to work at a historically black college or university; since then, he has held faculty positions at both North Carolina A&T State University and Morgan State University. He has also served as a visiting professor at MIT and Harvard University. In addition to his work in research and academia, Mtingwa has been involved in several national and international initiatives. He is a founder of the African Laser Centre and a cofounder of Triangle Science, Education & Economic Development, a consulting company that supports underrepresented groups in STEM fields. Mtingwa is a cofounder and former president of the National Society of Black Physicists and a fellow of both the American Physical Society and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. (Photo credit: Argonne National Laboratory)
