Nigerian engineering professor Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua has carved a place in history after reportedly becoming the first Black woman to earn a doctoral degree in Cybernetics from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom.
Now a professor of engineering at Ohlone College in Fremont, California, Ekeng-Itua has dedicated her career to advancing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education while promoting Africa’s contributions to innovation and technological development.
Her passion for changing perceptions about Africa dates back to her childhood. Between the ages of five and 10, she lived in the West, where she attended schools as one of the few students of African heritage.
Recalling those early experiences, she said many of her classmates held inaccurate views of Africa.
“This was a complete contradiction to the Africa I knew, so I began sharing stories with my friends about the Africa I knew, steeped in wisdom and ancestral civilization.”
