Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon is a British computer scientist, mathematician, and social entrepreneur. She was born on July 27, 1990, in London, England, to Nigerian parents.
Imafidon started showing an interest in mathematics at a young age, and by the age of 10, she had passed two GCSEs in Mathematics and Information Technology. At the age of 11, she enrolled in a degree program in Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of East London, becoming one of the youngest students to attend a British university.
She earned a degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Oxford at the age of 20 and went on to earn a master’s degree in mathematics and computer science from the University of Cambridge.
After completing her studies, Dr. Imafidon worked for several tech companies, including Goldman Sachs, Hewlett-Packard, and Deutsche Bank. In 2013, she co-founded Stemettes with the aim of encouraging more girls and young women to pursue careers in STEM. Since then, the organization has inspired thousands of girls through events, hackathons, and mentoring programs.
In 2017, Dr. Imafidon was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for her services to young women and STEM sectors, and in 2020, she was awarded an honorary degree from the University of Bristol. She continues to be an influential figure in the tech industry and a passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion.
Dr. Imafidon is the founder and CEO of Stemettes, a social enterprise that encourages girls and young women to pursue careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Stemettes has reached more than 45,000 girls across Europe through its events and programs.
In 2017, Imafidon was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for her services to young women and STEM sectors. She was also named the most influential woman in tech in the UK by Computer Weekly in 2018.
Dr. Imafidon is a sought-after speaker, and she has spoken at several international conferences, including the Web Summit, SXSW, and the Women of the World Festival. She is also a trustee of the Institute for the Future of Work and a member of the Council of Digital Economy and the Advisory Board of the Girl Guides.
Here are some quotes by Dr. Anne-Marie Imafidon:
- “We need to stop looking at people who work in tech as unicorns or superheroes. They are people who have learned a skill and they are doing a job. Anyone can learn those skills.”
- “We need to get rid of this idea that some people are good at maths and some people aren’t. We’re all capable of understanding it if it’s explained in the right way.”
- “If you can’t see it, you can’t be it. So we need to show girls and women that there are people like them in STEM and that they can succeed in these fields.”
- “Diversity isn’t just a nice-to-have. It’s essential if we want to build products and services that work for everyone.”
- “There’s no such thing as a typical STEM person. Anyone can be a scientist, an engineer, a mathematician, or a technologist. It’s not about who you are, it’s about what you can do.”