Michelle Dickinson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michelle Dickinson
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| Other names | Nanogirl |
| Citizenship | New Zealand/UK |
| Alma mater | Biomedical Engineering and Ceramic and Materials Science and Engineering, Rutgers University |
| Awards | Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, Blake Medal |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | nanotechnology, science education |
| Thesis | Surface variations affecting human dental enamel studied using nanomechanical and chemical analysis (2005) |
Michelle Emma Dickinson, also known as Nanogirl, is a scientist who works with tiny materials called nanotechnology. She is also a science educator based in New Zealand. She is well-known for making science fun and easy to understand for everyone.
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Early life and education
Michelle grew up in different places. She lived in Hong Kong, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Her family background is quite diverse. Her grandmother was from Malta, and her grandfather was English. Her mother was Hong Kong Chinese, and her father was English-Maltese.
She was very good with computers from a young age. By the time she was eight, she was already skilled at computer coding. Michelle studied engineering at the University of Manchester. She then earned her PhD in Biomedical Materials Engineering from Rutgers University.
In 2018, Michelle married a businessman named Joe Davis. They have twin children together.
Professional life
From 2009 to 2018, Michelle was a senior lecturer at Auckland University. She taught Chemical and Material Engineering there. She also worked as a researcher at the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology.
Making science fun
Michelle created a special character called "Nanogirl." She did this to help her feel less nervous when speaking in public. At first, Nanogirl was just a name for Michelle's science blog. As the blog became popular, she started a YouTube channel. She also began visiting schools and speaking at events.
Michelle often talks about science on radio and television shows. She has also been invited to speak at big events like TED conferences. In December 2016, she toured New Zealand for three weeks. During this tour, she performed a live science show called “Little Bang, Big Bang.” She visited many towns, cities, and schools.
In 2014, Michelle won two important awards. She received the Prime Minister's Science Communication Award. She also won the New Zealand Association of Scientists' Science Communicators Award. During the COVID-19 pandemic in New Zealand, she helped share important science information. She even joined a discussion with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
Nanogirl Labs company
In 2016, Michelle and her husband, Joe Davis, started a company called Nanogirl Labs. This company was a social enterprise. Its main goal was to encourage learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Nanogirl Labs earned money from its educational services and products. It also received public funding to help with its projects. However, the company faced financial problems. In 2024, it closed down. This was due to cuts in government funding, less sponsorship, and the rising cost of living.
Helping others with technology
In 2014, Michelle helped start a charity called OMGTech. She co-founded it with Vaughan Rowsell and Rab Heath. The charity's aim was to give children of all ages and backgrounds a chance to learn about technology.
The charity held hands-on sessions. Kids could learn about 3D-printing, coding, robotics, and science. OMGTech also helped teachers in schools with fewer resources. It gave them confidence to use technology in their lessons. In October 2016, Michelle left OMGTech. She wanted to focus more on her Nanogirl activities.
Designing clothes
In 2015, Michelle worked with a New Zealand clothing company called Icebreaker. They created a special line of dresses. These dresses featured designs related to science and technology.
Writing books
Michelle has also written several books. In 2017, she wrote No.8 Re-Charged. This book was about amazing innovations that came from New Zealand. In 2018, she wrote The Kitchen Science Cookbook. This book showed fun science experiments that kids could do in their own kitchens.
Awards and recognition
- Prime Minister's Science Communication Award, 2014
- New Zealand Association of Scientists' Science Communicators Award, 2014
- Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award, 2015
- Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her work in science, 2015 Queen's Birthday Honours
- Royal Society of New Zealand's Callaghan Medal, 2015
- New Zealand Women of Influence Award for Innovation and Science, 2016
- Recognized as one of the Royal Society Te Apārangi's "150 women in 150 words" in 2017. This celebrated women's contributions to knowledge in New Zealand.
