Nigerian Professor Becomes First Black Woman to Acquire Ph.D in Cybernetics (Photo)

 

Professor Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua, a Nigerian female scholar has made history by becoming the first black woman to earn a doctorate degree (Ph.D) in Cybernetics in the world.

 

Cybernetics is the scientific study of how information is communicated in machines and pieces of electronic equipment in comparison with how information is communicated in the brain and nervous system.

 

Ekeng-Itua is a pioneer educator, administrator and engineer championing leading roles in Science Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) challenges in Africa, and paving the way for the African youth, especially girls. 

 

She earned the premiering degree from the University of Reading in the UK under the supervision her first Ph.D supervisor Prof. Kevin Warwick and the first human Cyborg in the world.

 

Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua is a multi-award-winning professor of engineering with over 20 years of experience in Engineering and STEM Education cutting across the USA, Europe and Africa, leading the creation of innovative programmes in STEM, whose fascination with technology took root in her childhood in Nigeria. 

 

Surrounded by a culture that often-discouraged girls from pursuing scientific fields, she found her passion in understanding how things worked and the potential for innovation. 

 

Her thirst for knowledge led her to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering, followed by a master’s degree in Mobile and Satellite Communications Engineering in the United Kingdom. 

 

Driven by ambition and a relentless desire to break boundaries, she went on to make history by earning her doctorate in Cybernetics.

 

Despite facing extra-layered challenges as a woman of color in a male-dominated field, gender biases and a lack of readily available role models, she refused to let these obstacles define her. 

 

Speaking about challenges encountered in achieving success in a recent interview, Ekeng-Itua said, “Every challenge became fuel for my determination. I realised 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.”

 

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.