Martina Chukwuma-Ezike | |
---|---|
Lord Rector of the University of Aberdeen | |
In office January 2022 –December 2024 | |
Preceded by | Maggie Chapman |
Succeeded by | Iona Fyfe |
Personal details | |
Born | 1981 (age 43–44) Nigeria |
Spouse | Uchenna Chukwuma-Ezike |
Alma mater | University of Calabar (BSc) University of Aberdeen (MBA) |
Occupation | Charity Executive |
Martina Chukwuma-Ezike FRSA (born 1981) is the founder and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation,Scotland's only dedicated asthma charity. [1] In 2021,she was elected as the Rector of the University of Aberdeen,the first black person to hold the position. [2] She was installed as Rector in 2022. [3]
Martina Chukwuma-Ezike was born in Nigeria in 1981 and grew up in Cross River State. [4] She first completed a diploma at the University of Calabar in Social Works,from 1999 to 2001,going on to study for a degree in sociology in 2002,graduating in 2005 with a B.Sc. [5]
After briefly working for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation,in 2008 she moved to the United Kingdom,where the following year she attained an MBA from the University of Aberdeen. [6]
Suffering from a severe form of asthma, [7] known as brittle asthma,which made studying difficult for her,Chukwuma-Ezike noticed the lack of suitable support available in the Northeast of Britain,which led to her decision to found a charity separate from Asthma UK in 2009 –Asthma and Allergy Foundation,Scotland's only asthma charity, [8] of which she is chief executive. [9]
In 2021,Chukwuma-Ezike was elected rector of the University of Aberdeen and became the first person of colour to hold the post. [10] [8]