Saluting our Sisters in STEM | Black History Month 2023
The theme of Black History Month for 2023 is ‘Saluting our Sisters’ which emphasises the vital role black women have played in shaping history, inspiring change, and building communities. This year’s celebration will highlight trailblazing black women who have made incredible contributions to literature, music, fashion, sport, business, politics, academia, social and health care, and more. Here at Morson we’re focusing on the incredible black women contributing to the field of STEM.
Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock: Inspiring the next generation of astronauts
Dr. Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a British space scientist, science educator, and science communicator. She was born in London, in 1968 and grew up in Twickenham. She was inspired to study space after watching the TV series “Star Trek” as a child, which led her to pursue a career in the field.
Dr. Aderin-Pocock earned a degree in physics from Imperial College London in 1990 and went on to complete a PhD in mechanical engineering there in 1994. Her doctoral research focused on developing new techniques for imaging spacecraft structures, which she later applied to space telescope design.
She believes that:
Science can be a great equalizer. It doesn’t matter where you come from or what your background is, if you have the curiosity and the passion to explore, you can make a contribution to science.
After completing her PhD, Dr. Aderin-Pocock worked in the aerospace industry, designing instruments and systems for space missions. She later transitioned to a career in science communication and education, using her expertise in space science to inspire and engage young people in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields. Appearing on television as Dr Maggie, she has presented the BBCs The Sky at Night, Stargazing on CBeebies with Chris Jarvis, and Out of This World on CBBC with her daughter Lauren. Her enthusiasm and expertise inspire audiences wherever she appears
Dr. Aderin-Pocock has also written books bringing the solar system to life for both children and adults. Her published works include:
- Dr. Maggie’s Grand Tour of the Solar System
- Am I Made of Stardust?
- StarFinder for Beginners
- The Sky at Night: Book of the Moon - A Guide to Our Closest Neighbour
Dr. Aderin-Pocock has received numerous awards and honors for her work in science communication and education. In 2009, she was awarded an MBE for services to science and education. In 2013, she was named one of the UK’s top 100 most powerful women by the BBC’s Woman’s Hour program. Then in 2020, she was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society, the UK’s most prestigious scientific organization. Earlier this year she was honoured with her very own Barbie doll as part of the Barbie role-models series.
Dr Maggie has said:
I want to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators, and show them that anything is possible if you follow your passion and work hard.
And we believe that she is a wonderful role model for young people wanting to explore the fascinating world of aerospace.
Dr. Samantha Tross: A Visionary in Orthopaedic Surgery
Dr. Samantha Tross, is a renowned British consultant surgeon and a trailblazer in orthopaedic surgery. Born in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1968 Dr. Tross has broken records and barriers, becoming the first Black female orthopaedic surgeon in the UK in 2005 and earning consistent recognition in the Powerlist as one of the most influential Black Britons.
I don’t know if it was because I witnessed a lot of death when I was young or because my mum was a nurse, but apparently, at age seven, I told my father I wanted to be surgeon.
Currently serving as a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon at Cromwell Hospital, specialising in hip and knee surgery. Here Doctor Tross not only became the first woman in Europe to perform a Mako robotic hip surgery in 2018, but also works passionately to promote surgery as a career for women and under-represented minorities through various charities and organisations.
To young Black women aspiring to join the surgical field, Dr. Tross offers words of encouragement and empowerment, urging them to choose a career that aligns with their strengths, seek mentorship, build a strong support network, and bolster their self-confidence to overcome any negativity they might encounter. She emphasises that a career in surgery is not just attainable but wonderfully rewarding.
Dr Tross is also a founding member and Trustee of the British Association of Black Surgeons. The charity seeks to address and mitigate the differential attainment of Black surgeons compared to their counterparts. It aims to foster education, mentoring, equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging within the surgical landscape.
On top of all that Dr Tross is an Educational Supervisor, Faculty Group Leader and Director of Core Surgical Training for her hospital, overseeing the training of junior doctors in her Trust. She is an Associate Editor of the Journal of Medical Case Reports, Examiner for Imperial Medical School exams and recipient of a Black British Business STEM Award for her work promoting science and medical careers to her community. Miss Tross regularly presents at Orthopaedic conferences and is an Associate Professor In Orthopaedics for the University of the Caribbean.
Dr. Samantha Tross’s enduring commitment to her profession, advocacy for diversity and inclusion in surgery, and her groundbreaking achievements in orthopaedic surgery inspires countless individuals to break barriers and pursue their passions in the medical field.
Chi Onwurah – Bringing tech expertise to parliament
Chi Onwurah is the Labour MP for Newcastle upon Tyne Central and currently in the role of Shadow Minister (Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy). With a background spanning 20 years in the tech sector before her entry into Parliament, Chi considers herself a “tech evangelist”. Passionate about the potential of technology to improve lives, she has always advocated for its benefits in her role as an MP. However, she is acutely aware of the disparities in the tech industry. Chi firmly believes that for science and technology to truly benefit everyone, it must be representative of the entirety of society.
As an MP, I often say that Parliament is the most diverse working environment I’ve ever been in. That surprises people – until I say I worked as an engineer for two decades before! As an engineer, I was almost always the only black woman in the room.
Born in 1965 in Newcastle to a British mother and Nigerian father, she grew up in Kenton and went to Kenton School before studying Electrical Engineering in London. She has had a career in engineering since graduating from Imperial College in 1987. Chi spent over two decades working as a chartered electrical engineer where she built and designed networks in the private and public sector in the UK, France, Nigeria, Denmark, US and Singapore. During this time, she studied for an MBA from Manchester Business School and gained Chartered Engineering status. As an engineer, she specialised in building out infrastructure in new markets and standardising wholesale Ethernet access before becoming Newcastles first Black MP in 2010
“Those who aren’t in a minority underestimate just how tiring, how disabling and how disempowering it can be, to be the only person of colour, the only woman, the only northerner, the only working-class person in the room.”
Chi acts as chair the APPG for Diversity and Inclusion in STEM, which works to identify the reasons for the lack of diversity and inclusion in STEM and ways in which to address it. She believes that Diversity and inclusion need to be at the heart of our STEM education, employment practices, policy development and digital economy.
One of the reasons for the gender pay gap is that STEM jobs pay better! They are also projected to be created at twice the rate of other jobs over the next five years. So it is essential that they are open to everyone, and benefit from the talents of everyone.
Black History month this year provides the opportunity to reflect on the incredible achievements of Black British women, whose voices and achievements are so often overlooked. At Morson, we are committed to improving the diversity of our company and building inclusive cultures every day. We believe that diversity promotes innovation by bringing multiple perspectives to discussions and decisions. We are proud to offer ED&I consultancy services to companies who share this point of view.
