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The Life Scientific: Anne-Marie Imafidon on fighting for diversity and equality in science

Anne-Marie Imafidon on fighting for diversity and equality in science

BBC Radio 4 - The Life Scientific, Anne-Marie Imafidon on fighting for diversity and equality in science

Jim Al-Khalili speaks to Anne-Marie Imafidon about championing girls in STEM.

From Cheltenham Science Festival, Jim Al-Khalili speaks to former child prodigy Anne-Marie Imafidon about encouraging girls into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM).

Anne-Marie Imafidon passed her computing A-Level at the age of 11 and by 16, was accepted to the University of Oxford to study Maths and Computer Science.

She's used to the 'child prodigy' label that's followed her throughout her career, but that doesn't mean she's had an easy ride. 

It was a combination of personal experience and the discovery that the number of women working in the STEM sectors - Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics - was in free-fall that inspired Anne-Marie to found Stemettes: a not-for-profit social enterprise introducing girls to STEM ideas and careers in fun and accessible ways. It's now in its tenth year and still growing,  while Anne-Marie has received an MBE, enjoyed a successful stint as the numbers guru on the TV series Countdown, and is the current President of the British Science Association.

In conversation in front of an audience at the 2023 Cheltenham Science Festival, she tells Jim Al-Khalili about her quest for equality and diversity across the scientific community - and explains why she thinks everyone has the potential to be a 'child prodigy', given the right opportunity...

Produced by Lucy Taylor.

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Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to leading scientists about their life and work, finding out what inspires them and asking what their discoveries might do for us in the future.

Professor Jim Al-Khalili talks to leading scientists about their life and work, finding out what inspires and motivates them and asking what their discoveries might do for us in the future

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