Michelle Dickinson
| Michelle Dickinson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1978 |
| Other names | Nanogirl |
| Residence | New Zealand |
| Citizenship | New Zealand/UK |
| Fields | nanotechnology, science education |
| Institutions | University of Auckland |
| Alma mater | Biomedical Engineering and Ceramic and Materials Science and Engineering, Rutgers University |
| Thesis | Surface variations affecting human dental enamel studied using nanomechanical and chemical analysis (2005) |
| Notable awards | Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Blake Medal |
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Website www |
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Michelle Emma Dickinson MNZM (born 1978), also known as Nanogirl, is a nanotechnologist and science educator based in New Zealand.
Dickinson's mother is Hong Kong Chinese and her father was an electrical engineer in the Royal Air Force; as a result the family moved several times during her childhood and Dickinson grew up between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom. She developed a love of science and technology at a young age, learning soldering and computer coding by the time she was eight years old.
Dickinson completed a Masters' in Engineering at the University of Manchester and a PhD in Biomedical Materials Engineering at Rutgers University.
Dickinson set up and runs New Zealand's sole nanomechanical testing lab, which conducts research into breaking extremely small materials such as cells.
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.
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. 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. She has regular speaking slots on radio and television and is invited to events such as TED conferences. 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.
Dickinson co-founded the charity OMG Tech in 2014 with Vaughan Rowsell and Rab Heath to provide children of all ages and backgrounds access to learning opportunities about technology. Sessions involve hands-on learning of 3D-printing, coding, robotics and science. The charity also supports teachers in low-decile schools to gain confidence in using technology in their teaching. In October 2016, Dickinson resigned from her position at OMG Tech to concentrate on her Nanogirl activities.
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