STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math. These four fields share an emphasis on innovation, problem-solving, and critical thinking. And together they make up a popular and fast-growing industry.
In Nigeria, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, women make up on average just 22% of the total number of Engineering and Technology university graduates each year.
According to the same source, women make-up roughly a fifth of the total number of people working in the information and communication technology sector.
Women Impacting Nigeria (WIN) is glad to celebrate five Nigerian female techies bridging the gender gap and doing amazing things in the world of STEM.
- ADORA NWODO
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Adora is a first-class graduate in Computer Science from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. She started her software development journey with Neukleos as an intern in 2016.
Adora has lots of volunteer experience with so many organizations including, Andela, Full Stack Developers Lagos, and Microsoft LEAP Apprenticeship.
She is a Software Engineer at Microsoft, where she builds cloud services and High-Value Experiences related to Artificial Intelligence and Mixed Reality. She is also the co-founder of unStack Africa, an open-source meetup for software developers.
2. WENDY OKOLO
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Wendy A. Okolo is a Nigerian-American aerospace research engineer in the Intelligent Systems Division at NASA Ames Research Center She is the first Black woman to obtain a PHD degree in aerospace engineering from University of Texas at Arlington, She is also the Special Emphasis Programs Manager for Women at Ames.
Okolo is a Sub-Project Manager in the Intelligent Systems Division of NASA Ames. She is a research engineer in the Discovery and Systems Health Technology (DaSH).
Okolo says her sisters taught her the sciences with their day-to-day realities. She describes them as her heroes.
3. PROFESSOR FRANCISCA OKEKE
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Professor Francisca Okeke was elected as a fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science, the highest scientific organization in Nigeria. She was inducted into the academy alongside Abba Gumel, a Professor of Mathematical biology and fellow of the African Academy of Sciences
Okeke was the first female professor of physics in the eastern part of Nigeria.
During her time as head of department, she advocated for inclusion of more women in the department, which led to the hiring of three new female faculty members and as dean of the faculty she prioritized employing women in faculty positions in the physical sciences.
She advocates for the wider participation of women and girls in science and technology.
4. OMOWUNMI SADIQ
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Dr. Omowunmi A. Sadik is a Nigerian professor, chemist, and inventor working at Binghamton University. Born in Lagos, Nigeria, her family included a number of scientists, who supported her interests in physics, chemistry, and biology.
She received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Lagos in 1985, and went on to receive her master’s degree in chemistry in 1987.
She has developed microelectrode biosensors sensitive to trace amounts of organic materials, technology which can be used for drug and bomb detection.
In 2012, Dr. Omowunmi co-founded the non-profit Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization.
She is an elected fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2010) and of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (elected 2012). She is also a member of the American Chemical Society.
She is involved with the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Science Foundation, and was part of the National Institutes of Health Study Panel on Instrumentation and Systems Development. She is involved in international collaborations with the UNESCO International Center of Biodynamics in Bucharest, Romania, Ege University in Turkey, and the University of Fukui in Japan.
Dr. Omowunmi is the recipient of several awards including the Nigerian National Order of Merit Award (NNOM)(2016), Jefferson Science Fellow (2017), and the
Australian Merit Award.
5. ADA NDUKA OYOM
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Ada is the founder of She Code Africa, a non-profit organization that empowers young girls and women in Africa with technical skills.
She founded SCA in 2016 and has since impacted over 17,000 women members across 20 African countries with her team, while championing gender diversity in tech through it.
Their goal is to see an Africa where women are equally represented across all career roles in technology. SCA’s mission is to build a community which embodies technical growth, networking, mentorship and visibility among all levels and career roles in technology.
Ada is a self-taught Software developer whose expertise has earned her roles in organizations like Interswitch Group and Switch Innovation Academy. She has volunteer experience with organizations like Google Developers Group and Women Techmakers UNN.