Nigerian Professor Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua has become the first black woman to earn a Ph.D in Cybernetics, a field of study that explores the communication of information in machines and electronic equipment about the human brain and nervous system.
According to Vanguard, Ekeng-Itua, a multi-award-winning professor of engineering with over 20 years of experience in STEM education, achieved this milestone from the University of Reading in the UK, under the supervision of Prof. Kevin Warwick, a renowned expert in the field.
Despite facing numerous challenges as a woman of color in a male-dominated field, Ekeng-Itua remained determined to succeed, driven by her passion for innovation and her desire to create positive change.
Her achievement is a testament to her hard work and dedication, and serves as an inspiration to women and girls around the world who may doubt their capabilities in STEM fields.
Ekeng-Itua’s fascination with technology began in her childhood in Nigeria, where she was encouraged to pursue her interests in Mathematics and Physics.
She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering and a master’s degree in Mobile and Satellite Communications Engineering in the UK.
Speaking about her achievement, Ekeng-Itua said, “Every challenge became fuel for my determination. I realized that my success would not only open doors for myself but would serve as an example for other women and girls who might otherwise doubt their capabilities.”
“I am a Dreamer-Doer-Thinker, so I always had dreams, but my dreams were not necessarily focused on being ‘great’, but more on how I could be a positive change agent, and how to create initiatives, programs and technologies that will impact the world positively.
“I am human-centric in my approach to making positive change hence, the field of Cybernetics gave me that opportunity as Cybernetics is centered on purposeful design of technologies for society and humans.
“This has always been my passion, and pursuing my passion and the dream to disrupt some societal misnomers propelled me to being the first black woman to earn a doctorate degree in Cybernetics. Being the first in anything is always retrospective, for me, the initial focus is always creating positively transformative impact.”
The female scholar further said her passion for Mathematics and Physics at an early age informed her choice of career.
“I wanted to pursue a career that would give me the opportunity for creativity, innovation, collaboration, and positive impact in communities”, she added.
“It was also born from my wish at the age of nine to create platforms that connected the world to foster global unity for progress and appreciative understanding of global cultures. At that young age, I noticed a huge disconnect in what the Global North thought they knew about Africa which I call the Global South.”
Ekeng-Itua’s research in Cybernetics focuses on the purposeful design of technologies for society and humans, and she hopes to continue creating initiatives and programs that positively impact the world.
