Meet Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua: First Black Woman To Hold Ph.D In Cybernetics

Rose-Margaret Ekeng-Itua, a Nigerian Professor of Engineering, has made history as the first black woman to earn a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in cybernetics. She achieved this milestone at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom, under the guidance of her first PhD supervisor, Prof. Kevin Warwick, who is renowned as the world's first human cyborg. Cybernetics is a scientific field that explores the communication of information between computers, electronic devices, and the human brain and nervous system.

Currently, Ekeng-Itua serves as an engineering professor at Ohlone College in Fremont, California, where she has been for six years. She provides leadership in the Engineering and Engineering Technology Departments while balancing her teaching and mentoring duties.

Reflecting on her journey in a recent interview with CoinMarketCap, Ekeng-Itua shared, "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."

 Her Journey

Rose Margaret Ekeng-Itua has strived far beyond excellence and become an inspiration for young girls and women of colour. While it is notoriously well known how unwelcoming the STEM industry is for women and girls, many have continued to fight their way in and inspire others. Ekeng-Itua has not only earned her  Doctorate degree (PhD) to become a symbol of that resilience but also works towards empowering young girls to pursue STEM and related fields. 

Ekeng-Itua's journey started young, when her love and admiration for science beguiled her. Hailing from Cross River in Nigeria, Ekeng-Itua's passion for engineering and technology dates back to her formative years in her homeland. Despite prevailing cultural norms that often discouraged women from pursuing education, especially in male-dominated fields like engineering, she remained firm on her dream, driven by an insatiable curiosity to understand and improve the world around her.

She moved on to pursue her Bachelors degree in Electrical/Electronics Engineering (Telecommunications) from the Federal University of TechnologyOwerri. She then later pursued her Master of Science (MSc) in Mobile and Satellite Communications Engineering from the University of Surrey in England. Her career and love for science and technology worked well together. She then worked under her Ph.D. supervisor, Prof. Kevin Warwick, to obtain her doctorate in the field of cybernetics from the University of Reading in the United Kingdom and create history. 

Endeavours Beyond Academics

Currently, she is serving as an engineering professor at Ohlone College in Fremont, California. Along with that, she also widened her field of study and interest by pursuing a course on disruptive strategies at Harvard University,  which ultimately earned her a Certificate in Disruptive Strategies from the university. She has worked tremendously for women and girls across Africa, Europe and USA to help them pursue STEM and to raise awareness on girl child education. Along with this, she has been voicing her support for the amplification of STEM as a field and at her current Ohlone College she launched the National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education Grant for Smart Advanced Manufacturing Education. 

Her ambition, fire and dedication towards her passion (STEM) have continued to raise awareness, build better futures and help girls and women achieve their potential and dreams.