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The Life Scientific

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

The Life Scientific

BBC

Technology, Personal Journals, Society & Culture, Science

4.61.4K Ratings

🗓️ 13 June 2023

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

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.

Transcript

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0:00.0

He's a rule breaker, a trend-setter. He reshaped art and redefined graffiti.

0:07.4

How does he smell?

0:08.4

Like paint.

0:09.4

Has he got any distinction features?

0:10.9

His anonymity.

0:11.9

But who is he?

0:13.2

What's his name?

0:14.2

Banksy.

0:15.0

Apparently, I've met him twice.

0:16.6

The Banksy story.

0:18.1

Banksy's work is always about the human spirit versus the establishment.

0:24.3

Listen on BBC Science.

0:27.3

BBC Sounds.

0:29.8

Music, radio, podcasts.

0:32.0

Hello and welcome to the podcast edition of The Life Scientific.

0:35.4

I'm Jim Alkalili and this is the show where I get to talk with some of the world's leading scientists

0:40.2

and you get to find out what drives them.

0:42.6

So sit back, get comfortable and enjoy the episode.

0:46.1

Hello and welcome to The Life Scientific.

0:48.3

Today I'm at the Cheltenham Science Festival

0:50.6

and more specifically, I'm sitting in front of a lovely, lively-looking audience

0:54.8

in the city's glorious, parabola art centre.

...

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