Category: Black History Month (UK)

Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock DBE (born 1968) is a British-Nigerian space scientist, engineer, and science communicator who works to make space and science more accessible. She was born in London to Nigerian parents and faced challenges with dyslexia and academics early on. Her determination helped her earn a PhD in mechanical engineering from Imperial College London. Aderin-Pocock has played a key role in major scientific projects, including improving the Gemini telescope’s optical systems and creating observation tools for the European Space Agency.

In addition to her research, she supports diversity in STEM and co-presents the BBC’s long-running astronomy show The Sky at Night. Through her company, Science Innovation Ltd, she has inspired more than half a million young people, especially girls and those from underrepresented backgrounds, to think about careers in science. She received an MBE in 2009 and a DBE in 2023. Dame Maggie Aderin-Pocock continues to break barriers as one of Britain’s top science communicators, encouraging inclusion, innovation, and curiosity in science.

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