By Tiffany James
Some people stare at the stars and dream. Morgan is designing how we’ll navigate them.
When she first joined Black Girls Code (BGC) at the age of seven, Morgan was a bright-eyed learner with a growing curiosity for how things work, especially through code. Nearly a decade later, the 17-year-old high school junior has been named a 2025 Next Nobel Scholar, one of just four students selected worldwide.
“I’ve always been passionate about understanding how things work,” she says. “Especially when it comes to science, technology, and systems that can improve our lives.”
Morgan’s winning proposed research reimagines deep space travel. “My research explores how quantum computing can improve aerospace navigation,” she says. “Specifically, how quantum algorithms can process spatial data faster with more precision than traditional systems.”
Her curiosity of the topic sparked after watching a NASA documentary on Youtube about the limitations of current deep space navigation. She started thinking: What would it take to go further, faster — and safer? That question led her to quantum mechanics and big-idea problem solving. What she found was more than fascination — it was fuel for innovation.
Morgan’s mother, Tangy Franks, recalls discovering BGC at a tech conference in Oakland when Morgan was just six. “I walked into a room filled with Black girls building apps, writing code, collaborating, and uplifting one another,” Franks says. “That moment struck a chord in me. I knew without a doubt that this was the space I wanted for Morgan—a space where her passion for tech would be nurtured and her identity would be celebrated.”
That early decision changed everything. Franks has watched as her once quiet and observant little girl transformed into a bold young woman who speaks with power and purpose. Morgan was all in from that moment forward, coding every weekend, joining hackathons, even presenting her team’s work at public showcases.
“One of my proudest moments came during a BGC Hackathon [where] Morgan had to present her team’s project in front of a panel,” Franks says. “I watched in awe as she stood tall explaining their work with precision and pride. The judges were clearly impressed, but what moved me the most was the way her peers looked at her. She had become a leader.”
Since those early days, Morgan’s confidence has flourished. Whether it’s AP courses, STEM competitions, or national research opportunities, she boldly meets every challenge head-on. “BGC planted the seed that made this possible, and now she’s blooming in every direction,” Franks says.
For Morgan, that hackathon holds immense significance, as one of her most inspiring experiences with BGC. “My team developed a prototype app for social impact, and it was the first time I felt like a real tech innovator.”
Morgan’s selection as a Next Nobel Scholar isn’t just a personal milestone — it’s part of a broader movement toward equity in research. Launched by Indigo Research, the Next Nobel Scholarship program responds to a staggering truth: only 6% of Nobel Prize winners have been women. This scholarship aims to close the gap by offering mentorship, publishing support, and academic credit to promising young women and nonbinary scholars with innovative ideas.
Morgan is now one of those rising changemakers. She will receive a $7,000 scholarship to pursue original, publishable research with guidance from professors at top institutions like Columbia, Oxford, and Stanford, and the opportunity to present her work at the Indigo Academic Conference.
“I'm most excited about the mentorship and the networking opportunities,” Morgan says. Knowing that curiosity needs fuel, she looks forward to being surrounded by experts and innovators who are making real-world impact and learning from the diverse perspectives of other scholars to further develop her skills and sharpen her research. “When you’re a Black girl in tech, it’s not just about skill. It’s about overcoming barriers. This scholarship creates a space where I feel like I belong.”
From Bay Area hackathons to NASA design challenges and summer camps in D.C., Morgan has remained rooted in the BGC community throughout her formative years and tech journey, even after moving across the country. Why? BGC allows her to keep adapting, get exposure to tech, and grow with a supportive tech community of peers and mentors that look like her.
“BGC gave me permission to dream out loud,” she says. “They taught me that tech isn’t for a specific type of person — it’s for anyone with vision and passion. BGC helped me grow my voice, trust my creativity, and push past imposter syndrome”
Coding, for Morgan, is joy. But so are books, art, and youth activism. She’s a leader on youth councils focused on equity and justice and a problem-solver in and out of the classroom. She embodies the multidimensional brilliance BGC aims to uplift. As for advice to other girls just starting out in tech, Morgan puts it plainly: “Start small, but dream big. Don’t be afraid to fail. And most of all take up space. Your ideas could change the world.”
We couldn't be prouder to be part of Morgan’s journey. And we have no doubt this is just the beginning.
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Tiffany James is Brand Voice & Content Senior Writer with Black Girls Code.
