Nike Folayan facts for kids

Dr. Nike Folayan, born in 1978, is a super smart engineer! She helps design communication systems, like those used in phones and the internet. She also started an important group called the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK). This group works to get more people from different backgrounds involved in engineering in the UK. She's a real leader and helps make sure everyone has a chance to become an engineer.

Becoming an Engineer

Her School Journey

Nike Folayan studied electronic engineering at the University of Kent. She earned a special degree called an MEng there. Later, she went to the University of Sheffield. Here, she got her PhD, which is the highest university degree. Her PhD research was about designing antennas, which are like the parts of a radio that send and receive signals.

Working as an Engineer

After finishing her studies, Dr. Folayan started working as a Communications Engineer at a company called Mott MacDonald. She helped design radio systems for tunnels. She also worked on important communication systems like CCTV (security cameras) and public address systems (like the speakers you hear announcements from).

In 2013, she joined another company called Parsons Brinckerhoff. Here, she was a Systems Integration Consultant. This means she helped make sure different parts of big projects worked together smoothly. She worked on huge projects like CrossRail and the upgrade of Victoria Station. In 2016, she became an Associate Director at WSP. She led teams working on communications and control systems for railways.

Championing Diversity

Awards and Recognition

Dr. Folayan is known for her amazing work and leadership. In 2008, she won the Precious Award for being an "Inspiring Leader within the Workplace." This award recognized her ability to motivate and guide others.

In 2012, she was featured in the "Powerlist." This list names Britain’s 100 most influential people of African and Caribbean heritage. This shows how important her work is in the UK. She also gave a main speech at a big conference for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) in 2014.

Helping Others in STEM

Dr. Folayan is very active in helping young people and different groups get into engineering. She is a trustee at the Engineering Development Trust. This group helps young people learn about engineering careers. She is also part of diversity groups for the Science Council and Transport for London. These groups work to make sure people from all backgrounds have opportunities.

She helped create a plan for diversity for the Royal Academy of Engineering. In 2017, she spoke at a conference called "9% is Not Enough." This conference highlighted the need for more women and diverse people in engineering.

The Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers

Starting AFBE-UK

Dr. Nike Folayan and her brother, Ollie Folayan, started a very important organization in 2007. It's called the Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK). They are still the leaders of this group.

AFBE-UK works to encourage more people from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds to become engineers. They want to make sure everyone has a fair chance to succeed in this exciting field.

Making a Difference

In 2011, a government minister named Vince Cable attended an AFBE-UK event. He praised AFBE-UK for bringing people together in engineering. He said they do an "excellent job" of helping young people start careers in science and technology.

In 2012, AFBE-UK launched a video campaign called "Making Engineering Hot." This campaign aimed to show how cool and exciting engineering can be, especially to the BME community. In 2016, Dr. Folayan helped organize "Transition." This event brought together university students from London. They took part in workshops to improve their job skills. They practiced interviews and solved engineering challenges. This helped them get ready for their future careers.