US-based Nigerian engineer, Oluwami Dosunmu-Ogunbi, has made history by becoming the first black woman in the history of the University of Michigan, United States, to earn a doctorate (PhD) in Robotics.

Robotics entails the interdisciplinary study, design practice, construction, operation, and the utilization of robots. In mechanical engineering, robotics involves the construction of a robot’s physical attributes, while in computer science, it entails robotic automation algorithms.

A daughter of American immigrant parents, Oluwami was excited about her achievement and proudly said: “I am the first Black woman to get a PhD in Robotics at the University of Michigan.”

“I do not stand here on my own two feet alone. None of us got here by our individual merit alone, whether it be teacher, friends, family, mentors, or role models, we each have one or multiple people to whom we are grateful for making this moment possible.”

The Robotic Engineer said she would not only love to be remembered as the first black woman in the University of Michigan’s history to bag a PhD, but also as an individual who used her knowledge to empower others.

 “A Michigan Engineer is one who does not just provide scientific and technological leadership, but is also one who is intellectually curious, socially conscious, creates collaborative solutions to societal problems, and promotes an inclusive and innovative community of service for the common good,” she said.

“We each have a solemn duty to make positive contributions to the world. Well, my reasons for becoming an engineer were initially frivolous, but they eventually moved into something more meaningful. I want to have a positive impact on the world.”

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Oluwami highlighted her several achievements on her website noting: “I was awarded the Intersectional Advocacy Award in recognition for my dedication to honoring and advocating for the intersectional nature of students’ many identities through involvement and activities.”

“I spoke at the College of Engineering Graduate Student Commencement at the University of Michigan on May 1, 2024.

“I presented a poster at the Midwestern Robotics Workshop in Chicago on April 18, 2024.

“I was awarded the Intersectional Advocacy Award in recognition for my dedication to honoring and advocating for the intersectional nature of students’ many identities through involvement and activities.

“I had the opportunity to inspire a group of high school girls from “Girls Who Code” by telling them about my PhD journey.

“I represented Michigan Robotics at the Robotic and Intelligent Systems Expo (RISE) at Purdue University on March 30, 2024,” she added.

Nigerians are synonymous with attaining remarkable height in academics across the globe.