Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock DBE

Dame Margaret Ebunoluwa Aderin-Pocock DBE ; born 9 March 1968) is a British space scientist and science educator. She is an honorary research associate of University College London’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, and has been the chancellor of the University of Leicester since 1 March 2023. Since February 2014, she has co-presented the long-running astronomy television programme The Sky at Night with Chris Lintott. In 2020 she was awarded the Institute of Physics William Thomson, Lord Kelvin Medal and Prize for her public engagement in physics. She is the first black woman to win a gold medal in the Physics News Award and she served as the president of the British Science Association from 2021 to 2022.

Margaret Ebunoluwa Aderin was born in London on 9 March 1968 to Nigerian parents, Caroline Philips and Justus Adebayo Aderin, and was raised in Camden, London. Her middle name Ebunoluwa comes from the Yoruba words “ebun” meaning “gift” and Oluwa meaning “God”, which is also a variant form of the word “Oluwabunmi” or “Olubunmi”, meaning “gift of God” in Yoruba. She attended La Sainte Union Convent School in North London. She is dyslexic. As a child, when she told a teacher she wanted to be an astronaut, it was suggested she try nursing, “because that’s scientific, too”. She gained A-Levels in maths, physics, chemistry, and biology.

She studied at Imperial College London, graduated with a BSc in physics in 1990, and completed her PhD in mechanical engineering under the supervision of Hugh Spikes in 1994. Her research investigated the development of an ultra-thin film measurement system using spectroscopy and interferometry to the 2.5 nm level. This involved improving the optical performance and the mechanical design of the system, as well as the development of control and image processing software. Other techniques at the time could only operate to the micron level with much poorer resolution. This development work resulted in the instrument being sold by an Imperial College University spin-off company, PCS Instruments.

This is a proven fact that everyone should pursue their dreams, male or female, and in whatever capacity or profession. Being told by your teacher that your aspirations should be ignored instead of being nurtured and encouraged was a very poor example of an educator who is supposed to try and bring out the best in each individual.

This is an individual who stands out in her field, for many reasons, but certainly as the first black female in UK in this profession. She is to be applauded for her dedication and endeavour, but also for being a role model for other youngsters, especially from the black communities.

Source: Wikipedia