Maggie Aderin Pocock

Margaret Ebunoluwa "Maggie" Aderin-Pocock, MBE (born 9 March 1968) is an scientist. Astro physicist . She is a research fellow in UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies and an Honorary Research Associate in UCL Department of Physics and Astronomy. Since February 2014, she has co-presented the long-running astronomy TV programme The Sky at Night, alongside Chris Lintott.

Aderin-Pocock has worked on many projects, from private industry to government contracts to academic research. She began in the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency on missile warning systems. She then worked on hand-held instruments to detect landmines. Aderin-Pocock moved back to Imperial College London in 1999 with a fellowship from the Science and Technology Facilities Council to work with the group developing a high-resolution spectrograph for the Gemini telescope in Chile, which probes the heart of stars by converting the starlight gathered by huge telescopes into the spectrum of colours, and then analyses them to work out what's happening billions of miles away.

She was the lead scientist for the optical instrumentation group for Astrium. She is working on and managing the observation instruments for the Aeolus satellite, which will measure wind speeds to help the investigation of climate change. She is also a pioneering figure in communicating science to the public, specifically school children, and also runs her own company, Science Innovation Ltd, which engages children and adults all over the world with the wonders of space science. Aderin-Pocock is committed to inspiring new generations of astronauts, engineers and scientists and she has spoken to about 25,000 children, many of them at inner-city schools telling them how and why she is a scientist, busting myths about careers, class and gender. Through this Aderin-Pocock conducts "Tours of the Universe", a scheme she set up to engage school children and adults around the world in the wonders of space. She also helps encourage scientific endeavours of young people by being a celebrity judge at the National Science + Engineering Competition. The finals of this competition are held at The Big Bang Fair in March each year to reward young people who have achieved excellence in a science, technology, engineering or maths project.

Aderin-Pocock was the scientific consultant for the 2009 mini-series Paradox, and also appeared on Doctor Who Confidential. In February 2011 she presented Do We Really Need the Moon? on BBC 2. She also presented In Orbit: How Satellites Rule Our World on BBC 2 on 26 March 2012.

Since 2006, Aderin-Pocock has served as a research fellow at UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies, supported by a Science in Society fellowship 2010-2013 funded by Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC). She previously held two other fellowships related to science communication, including science and society fellowships 2006-2008 Particle Physics and Astronomy Research Council (PPARC) and 2008-2010 (STFC). Also in 2006, she was one of six 'Women of Outstanding Achievement' winners with GetSET Women.

In 2009, she was appointed an MBE for her services to science and education. She also was awarded an honorary doctorate from Staffordshire University in 2009 for contributions to the field of science education.