Maggie Aderin-Pocock

Margaret Ebunoluwa Aderin-Pocock MBE is a British space scientist and science educator. Since February 2014, she has co-presented the long-running astronomy television programme The Sky at Night with Chris Lintott. In 2020 she was awarded the Institute of Physics William Thomson, Lord Kelvin Medal and Prize for her public engagement in physics.

About Maggie Aderin-Pocock in brief

Summary Maggie Aderin-PocockMargaret Ebunoluwa Aderin-Pocock MBE is a British space scientist and science educator. She is an honorary research associate of University College London’s Department of Physics and Astronomy. Since February 2014, she has co-presented the long-running astronomy television programme The Sky at Night with Chris Lintott. In 2020 she was awarded the Institute of Physics William Thomson, Lord Kelvin Medal and Prize for her public engagement in physics. She has dyslexia and, as a child, when she told a teacher she wanted to be an astronaut, it was suggested she try nursing, \”because that’s scientific, too\”. She gained four A-Levels in maths, physics, chemistry, and biology.

She studied at Imperial College London, graduated with a BSc in physics in 1990, and completed her PhD in mechanical engineering under the supervision of Hugh Spikes in 1994. Her research investigated the development of an ultra-thin film measurement system using spectroscopy and interferometry to the 2. 5 nm level. She was the lead scientist at Astrium, where she managed observation instruments on a satellite, measuring wind speeds to help the investigation of climate change. She also runs her own company, Science Innovation Ltd, which engages children and adults all over the world with the wonders of space science.