Denzel Ekes

• Patti Grace Smith Fellow, Class of 2023

• Harvard College, Mechanical Engineering, Minor in Astronomy, ‘24

• Host Institution: Hermeus

Born in Nigeria and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, Denzel Ekes is a current student at Harvard College studying Mechanical Engineering with a secondary in Astronomy. At Harvard, Denzel is an active and prominent member in several academic clubs ranging from Students for the Exploration and Development of Space (SEDS) to Harvard Undergraduate Automotive Society (HUAS) where he serves as the Research and Development (R&D) Director. In regards to social organizations, Denzel is also a member of the Black Men’s Forum, which serves to foster a supportive atmosphere of brotherhood among the black masculine identifying community on campus. After college, Denzel plans on pursuing his master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering.

Denzel’s passion for engineering and space originates from the frequent trips to the planetarium that his father would take him when he was young. These trips would serve to inspire him to learn more about the universe and the endless possibilities that lay hidden within it. However, he has always been a hands-on individual and thus decided to incorporate engineering into the mix to allow him to focus on building the technology that would allow humanity to venture further into the deep unknown. His life’s goal is to eventually create his own space tech company that will allow him to invest further into space exploration and possibly establish a second home for humanity amongst the stars. As a Patti Grace Smith Fellow, Denzel looks forward to not only being able to get a headstart within his aerospace career, but also forming new and long lasting connections with the aerospace community as a whole. In addition, he also enjoys making art, baking, longboarding, and video games in his free time.