U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz named Hampton University President William Harvey Friday as an ambassador for the Minorities in Energy Initiative, The Daily Press reported.
Harvey, top official at the historically Black university in Virginia, will serve as one of several ambassadors for the high-tech initiative. He will join a group that includes 2014 Miss America Nina Davuluri and Bill Richardson, former governor of Mexico, The Daily Press reported.
Hampton University is one of the nation's top historically black universities and a lead in science, technology, engineering and math education, according to the U.S. Energy Department.
Harvey told The Daily Press he hopes to use his new role as ambassador to tout a number of issues. He also hopes to change the face of the Department of Energy workforce.
"There is a dearth of minorities in the work force of the Department of Energy," he said. "We need to do more."
Moniz traveled to Hampton University on Jan. 31 to not only announce Harvey as an ambassador for the Minorities in Energy Initiative, but to also highlight President Obama's State of the Union address and the administration's commitment to making America a magnet for good jobs, business investment and innovation.
"As the President mentioned in the State of the Union, one of the best ways to grow the economy and create jobs is to prepare students with the skills necessary to succeed in our new economy - particularly in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM" Moniz said, according to the energy department. "The work that Hampton University does - both educating the next generation of scientists and engineers and helping to drive cutting edge research and innovation - helps to ensure that the United States remains competitive in today's global economy," Moniz said.
He added that the university's evolution into "a world-class research institution is really a fantastic journey, and it's a journey we need more of," The Daily Press reported.
The Department of Energy currently has 17 national laboratories, making it a science and technology powerhouse. However, there is a need for a really good science and technology workforce, Moniz emphasized in his speech.