“I say reach for the stars no matter what your stars are. But have a big, crazy, powerful dream,” she said.
Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock has been named a ‘Barbie Role Model' because of her passion for getting girls interested in STEM, so the space scientist is being honored with her very own doll.
Her list of qualifications is long. She is an astronomer known for space research, chancellor of the UK’s University of Leicester, author, and host of BBC television program, “The Sky at Night."
Dr. Aderin-Pocock’s miniature comes as part of Barbie’s new initiative to honor women in STEM.
“One of the things that I find quite interesting is, if I introduce myself as a space scientist, some people do a bit of a double-take,” Dr. Aderin-Pocock told reporters. “They’re surprised that a Black female is a space scientist, because we do often have these stereotypical images of what people do and I like to smash those stereotypes whenever I get the opportunity.”
Dr. Aderin-Pocock’s miniature comes as part of Barbie’s new initiative to honor women in STEM. A new marine biologist doll joins the veterinarian, scientist, astronaut, and doctor line-up.
"As a child growing up I played with Barbie, and I play with Barbie with my daughter as well. But when I was growing up the Barbies didn’t look anything like me, so to have one that is actually me was just so exciting,” she said.
A star-covered dress and a crown of black and purple braids on the doll mimic this former president of the British Science Association.
Dr. Aderin-Pocock says the idea of space travel inspired her to literally reach for the stars. And she encourages all young people to aim for the heavens;
“I say reach for the stars no matter what your stars are. But have a big, crazy, powerful dream,” she said.
