Michelle Dickinson | |
---|---|
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.
Dickinson grew up in Hong Kong, the USA, 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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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]
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