Meet the first black woman to graduate from her engineering degree
Georgina Baker a chemical and nuclear engineer who also goes by the stage name Ginius for her music.
Georgina Baker, 22, has recently made history by graduating with a Masters Degree in Chemical and Nuclear Engineering from the University of Leeds, becoming the first black woman to do so. We had an exclusive interview with Georgina to discuss her story, achievements, and future.
Born and raised in Ghana for half of her life, Georgina discovered her passion for Chemical Engineering after moving to the United Kingdom. Her interest in the nuclear field was cultivated during A-Levels studying nuclear physics. She is now the first black woman to graduate from her degree in Chemical and Nuclear Engineering from the University of Leeds, and the only woman this year. Georgina touches upon the importance of this achievement and what a critical moment it is in black history.
“This milestone is about breaking glass ceilings for black women more so, for a black woman in STEM. It is about encouraging others to venture into STEM, knowing it can be done no matter your background.”
“My nuclear background really surprised most people as the industry does not have a lot of women, let alone black women. I am happy to be directly contributing to change this. I hope to encourage others to navigate uncharted waters, even if that means being the torch which will light hope so others know they can do the same in their chosen fields.”
Georgina believes there are many misconceptions about the nuclear industry, leading to an absence of graduates. “It is not just defence; instead, nuclear technology is crucial for global transport networks such as cargo ship transportation. There are many opportunities in the nuclear industry that people aren’t aware of. I hope to contribute towards changing the narrative of the nuclear industry.”
Sustainability and sustainable development are also topics that Georgina is deeply passionate about. “It is the standards we set and the actions we take now to ensure the next generation is guaranteed some level of excellence, survival, and the opportunity to enjoy the resources that we have today. As more people have become aware of the need for sustainability, we have seen the positive role engineering has played in addressing this. That said, everyone needs to play a role when it comes to sustainable development; engineers can only do so much, it is just as much in the hands of consumers”. Diversity is also an important aspect towards ensuring sustainable development. Georgina discusses that across all industries, and at each level of employment, especially at the senior level, companies should be striving to ensure diversity.
“When our differences are channelled together for the right reasons, it creates a much-needed synergy, providing sustenance of society. As such, it is crucial everyone has the opportunity to contribute towards sustainable development.”
Georgina’s personal background has made her career an interesting journey. She states that general prejudice in society towards minorities can cause people to underestimate what people are capable of achieving. In her experience, this has made it challenging to hold relationships with people in her network due to these preconceived ideas, resulting in an uneven playing field. “Imagine going through 4-5 years of university and never being taught by a black person, that shows a significant amount of work needs to be done in balancing the scales.”
Her upbringing in both Ghana and the UK has taught her to not give up easily. “Seeing the efforts my family put me through school, I simply knew I did not come this far to fail.” She is proud of who she is, and is hopeful that a lot more black women will be inspired by her accomplishment to venture into STEM. She argues that she is only a small piece of the puzzle and is excited to see more minorities venture into engineering fields helping to redefine society and its prejudices. One spokesperson cannot be the norm.
“Our industries need to be a reflection of our society and consumers, and it is crucial to see more under-represented groups making waves.”
Outside of her engineering career, music has been the key to Georgina’s work-life balance. Under the stage name “Ginius”, Georgina has sought for her music to be a reflection of herself. Her music encompasses genres and influences across the African continent, from West African Afro-beats to collaborating with South Africans on the sounds of Amapiano. The core elements of her music are therefore deeply rooted in her heritage.
When asked about her future plans, Georgina intends to become a chartered engineer within the next 5-10 years. However, due to the pandemic, securing an engineering role which leads to becoming chartered has become challenging. She states Supply Chain and Logistics are a strong possibility for her future as well. Here, process and project engineering skills learned during her degree can be applied. Georgina also expressed interest in pursuing a PhD where she can directly contribute towards innovative sustainable technology through research.
Mentorship and doing something that matters for young black girls is high on her list of goals for the future. Currently, Georgina is working on a project with Free the Youth, an NGO dedicated to providing mentorship to Ghanaian youth for future success on a global stage. Overall, Georgina hopes to encourage more women to enrol in STEM as there are exciting opportunities ready to change their lives. Georgina encourages all early-career engineers to continuously push themselves towards excellence. She urges all early-career engineers to “find your passion, find your drive and be committed to your chosen path.” Georgina Baker lives by the words of one of her role-models, Katherine Johnson, “like what you do and then you will do it best.”
When the opportunity arose to move to the United Kingdom, Georgina made a commitment to herself to maximise the opportunity and leave her mark. She has certainly done so with this milestone.