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 super cool scientist from New Zealand. She is an expert in nanotechnology, which is the study of really, really tiny things. She also loves to teach people about science in fun ways!
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Growing Up and Learning
Michelle Dickinson lived in many places as a kid. She grew up in Hong Kong, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Her family has roots from different countries.
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. This means she learned how to use engineering to help with medical problems.
In 2018, Michelle married Joe Davis. They have twin children together.
Michelle's Science Work
Michelle Dickinson used to be a senior lecturer at Auckland University. She taught Chemical and Material Engineering there from 2009 to 2018. She also worked at the MacDiarmid Institute, studying advanced materials.
Sharing Science with Everyone
Michelle created her famous character, "Nanogirl," to help her feel more confident when speaking. At first, Nanogirl was just a science blog. But it became so popular that Michelle started a YouTube channel. She began visiting schools and speaking at events.
She often talks about science on radio and TV. She has even been invited to speak at big events like TED conferences. In 2016, Michelle toured New Zealand with a live science show. It was called "Little Bang, Big Bang" and was full of exciting experiments.
In 2014, Michelle won two big awards for sharing science. These were the Prime Minister's Science Communication Award and 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 the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.
Nanogirl Labs: Making STEM Fun
In 2016, Michelle and her husband Joe Davis started a company called Nanogirl Labs. Their goal was to make STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths) education exciting. They wanted to help more young people learn about these subjects.
The company offered many educational services and products. It also received some public funding to help with its projects. In 2024, Nanogirl Labs faced financial challenges. This was due to changes in funding and the rising cost of living. Because of this, the company had to close down.
Helping Others with Tech
Michelle also helped start a charity called OMGTech in 2014. She co-founded it with Vaughan Rowsell and Rab Heath. OMGTech aimed to give all children a chance to learn about technology.
The charity held hands-on sessions. Kids could learn about 3D printing, coding, robotics, and other science topics. OMGTech also helped teachers in schools learn to use technology. Michelle left OMGTech in 2016 to focus on her Nanogirl activities.
Science-Inspired Clothes
In 2015, Michelle worked with a New Zealand clothing company called Icebreaker. They created a special line of dresses. These dresses had cool designs inspired by science and technology.
Writing Books
Michelle has written some great books. In 2017, she wrote No.8 Re-Charged. This book is about amazing innovations that came from New Zealand. In 2018, she wrote The Kitchen Science Cookbook. This book shows fun science experiments you can do right in your kitchen!
Awards and Special Recognition
Michelle Dickinson has received many awards for her work:
- 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 services to science, 2015
- 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.
