Biography:Michelle Dickinson
Michelle Dickinson | |
|---|---|
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| Other names | Nanogirl |
| Citizenship | New Zealand/UK |
| Alma mater | Biomedical Engineering and Ceramic and Materials Science and Engineering, Rutgers University |
| Awards | Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Blake Medal |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | nanotechnology, science education |
| Institutions | University of Auckland |
| Thesis | Surface variations affecting human dental enamel studied using nanomechanical and chemical analysis (2005) |
| Website | www |
Michelle Emma Dickinson MNZM, also known as Nanogirl, is a nanotechnologist and science educator based in New Zealand.
Early life and education
Dickinson grew up in Hong Kong, the United States , and the United Kingdom .[1] She had a grandmother from Malta, a grandfather who was English, and a Hong Kong Chinese mother. This may have heightened her awareness of cultural differences.[2] Her father was an English-Maltese soldier.[3]
She displayed skills in computer coding by the time she was eight years old.[4][2] Dickinson completed a Masters' in Engineering at the University of Manchester and a PhD in Biomedical Materials Engineering at Rutgers University.[1][2]
Professional life
Dickinson set up and runs New Zealand's sole nanomechanical testing lab, which conducts research into breaking extremely small materials such as cells.[1]
Dickinson is a senior lecturer in Chemical and Material Engineering at Auckland University, and an associate investigator at the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology.[5]
Nanogirl
Dickinson has said that she used to be painfully shy and afraid of public speaking. On the advice of a speaking coach, she invented the alter-ego "Nanogirl" as a way to overcome her nerves.[6] Initially Dickinson used the name "Nanogirl" to write a science blog, then as it became more popular she started a YouTube channel and began to speak at schools and events.[6] She has regular speaking slots on radio and television and is invited to events such as TED conferences.[2] In December 2016, Dickinson delivered a live, theatrical science experiment show titled “Little Bang, Big Bang” in towns, cities and schools around New Zealand during a 3-week tour of the country.[7]
Charity work
Dickinson co-founded the charity OMGTech in 2014 with Vaughan Rowsell and Rab Heath to provide children of all ages and backgrounds access to learning opportunities about technology.[8] Sessions involve hands-on learning of 3D-printing, coding, robotics and science.[9] The charity also supports teachers in low-decile schools to gain confidence in using technology in their teaching.[1] In October 2016, Dickinson resigned from her position at OMG Tech to concentrate on her Nanogirl activities.[10]
Clothes design
In 2015, Dickinson collaborated with the New Zealand clothing company Icebreaker, a technical designer and a printer to produce a line of dresses featuring science and technology-related designs.[11]
Writer
In 2017, Dickinson wrote No.8 Re-Charged, a book about world-changing innovations from New Zealand.[12] In 2018, she wrote The Kitchen Science Cookbook, a book showcasing science experiments that can be done in the kitchen.[13]
Awards and recognition
- Prime Minister's Science Communication Award, 2014[14]
- New Zealand Association of Scientists' Science Communicators Award, 2014[15]
- Sir Peter Blake Leadership, 2015[1]
- Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to science, 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours[2][16]
- Royal Society of New Zealand's Callaghan Medal, 2015[17]
- New Zealand Women of Influence Award for Innovation and Science, 2016[18]
- One of the Royal Society Te Apārangi's "150 women in 150 words" in 2017, celebrating the contributions of women to knowledge in New Zealand.[19]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Michelle Dickinson MNZM". Sir Peter Blake Trust. http://sirpeterblaketrust.org/posts/2016/02/05/michelle-dickinson.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 "Michelle Dickinson: Scientist, adventurer, charity founder". Inspiring Women. Ministry for Women. 3 August 2015. http://women.govt.nz/inspiring-women/michelle-dickinson.
- ↑ "Michelle Dickinson: "There is a little girl out there, nine weeks old ... she is genetically half mine"". 5 September 2016. http://www.noted.co.nz/currently/profiles/michelle-dickinson-there-is-a-little-girl-out-there-nine-weeks-old-she-is-genetically-half-mine/.
- ↑ "'Nanogirl' Michelle Dickinson wins Blake Leader Award". http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/ED1506/S00136/nanogirl-michelle-dickinson-wins-blake-leader-award.htm.
- ↑ "Dr Michelle Dickinson" (in en-US). http://www.macdiarmid.ac.nz/member/michelle-dickinson/.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "'Nano Girl' to take on TEDx". Stuff.co.nz. http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/gadgets/60113579/nano-girl-to-take-on-tedx.
- ↑ "Making science happen with Nanogirl's 'Big Bang Little Bang' Live Tour". 2 December 2016. https://www.beca.com/about-us/news-and-media/december-2016/making-science-happen-with-nanogirl-s-big-bang-li.
- ↑ "Who Are We". http://www.omgtech.co.nz/who-are-we/.
- ↑ "2015 Callaghan Medal: Nanogirl recognised for exciting young people about science". http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/2015/11/10/2015-callaghan-medal-nanogirl-recognised-for-exciting-young-people-about-science/.
- ↑ "OMGTECH! ANNOUNCES NEW STRUCTURE AND A FRIENDLY FAREWELL TO A CO-FOUNDER" (in en-US). OMGTech!. https://omgtech.co.nz/news/2016/10/10/omgtech-announces-new-structure-and-a-friendly-farewell-to-a-co-founder.
- ↑ "Dresses for Science and Tech loving women!". http://sciblogs.co.nz/nanogirl/2015/05/21/dresses-for-science-and-tech-loving-women/.
- ↑ "No.8 Re-charged by David Downs" (in en). https://www.penguin.co.nz/books/no8-re-charged-9780143772583.
- ↑ "The Kitchen Science Cookbook". https://www.whitcoulls.co.nz/product/the-kitchen-science-cookbook-6348374.
- ↑ "Previous winners". The Prime Minister's Science Prizes. http://www.pmscienceprizes.org.nz/previous-winners/.
- ↑ "New Zealand Association of Scientists Awards 2014". New Zealand Association of Scientists. 10 November 2014. http://www.scientists.org.nz/files/posts/admin/NZASAwardsNov2014-final.pdf.
- ↑ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2015". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 1 June 2015. http://www.dpmc.govt.nz/honours/lists/qb2015-list.
- ↑ "2015 Callaghan Medal: Nanogirl recognised for exciting young people about science". http://www.royalsociety.org.nz/2015/11/10/2015-callaghan-medal-nanogirl-recognised-for-exciting-young-people-about-science/.
- ↑ "Women of Influence winners". http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/women-of-influence/85156493/women-of-influence-winners-announced.
- ↑ "Michelle Dickinson". https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/150th-anniversary/150-women-in-150-words/1968-2017/michelle-dickenson/.
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