Keith Cort is a first-generation college student from Georgetown, Guyana who attended Bishop’s High School. During his teenage years, Keith developed a fascination for space exploration, which influenced his academic goals. His goal at Howard was to obtain a Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics, contributing to exploring the vastness of space.
Cort will now move on from Howard and was accepted to pursue a master’s degree in Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) starting in the Fall. He said that his upbringing instilled in him the values of hard work and dedication, and praised his parents for the roles they played in shaping his character.
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At Howard University, he was a member of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), which allowed him to collaborate with his peers to ensure students receive exposure to resources that enhance their engineering knowledge. In his leisure time, he enjoyed going to the gym, playing soccer, and spending time with loved ones.
On September 14, 2023, Cort was one of nine fortunate Guyanese students to meet with Guyana President Mohamad Ifraan Ali on his visit to the campus. Nearly 70 members of the Howard University community – including Howard University President Ben Vinson III, PhD – gathered in Frederick Douglass Memorial Hall to welcome the president.
Cort, who was a junior mechanical engineer major at the time, took immense pride in the moment, expressing that he found representation and inspiration in Ali’s appearance as he and his fellow Guyanese students matriculate at Howard. Â
He said, “Over the last four to five years, you see that significant spike in [Guyanese] interest to come to Howard and that directly links with more and more Guyanese students coming here and being proud and prideful of where they’re coming from, but also recognizing you can go into any space and be amazing.”
Last summer Cort completed the MIT Summer Research Program (MSRP). In a post on Linkedin, he shared that it was “an unforgettable and life-changing experience filled with extraordinary opportunities and enriching experiences.” He interned at the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro) and conducted research on Airframe Advancements for an Electroaerodynamic-propelled Aircraft. He shared that he worked closely with esteemed professor, Dr. Steven Barrett, and brilliant researchers, Dr. Nicolas Gomez-Vega and Dr. Arthur Brown, and was immersed in a world of innovation, problem-solving, and groundbreaking advancements.
