Space scientist Maggie Aderin-Pocock: ‘I was underestimated as a child. I want to tell kids to reach for the stars’

The Sky at Night presenter on science, school and Star TrekBorn in London in 1968 to Nigerian parents, Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a scientist and presenter of The Sky at Night. She trained as a physicist – graduating from Imperial College London with a PhD in 1994, and working for the Ministry of Defence on landmine detection and missile warning systems. She has since designed a host of space instruments, become the first Black woman to win a gold medal in the Physics News Award and in 2013 took o ver fromPatrick Moore as a co-host of the BBC ’s long-running astronomy show. Aderin-Pocock is one of the panellists for theNational Trust ’s Time + Space Award, a new initiative to give 16- to 25-year-olds the resources to explore ideas.This was my Nigerian passport photo. I was quite excited to have my picture taken and my sister was, too. We were wearing Ladybird dresses from Woolworths. Mine was green with a collar and hers was red. I remember I was quite envious of hers.Continue reading...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Life and style Family Space Science Source Type: news