Anne-Marie Imafidon

MMathCompSci Maths and Computer Science 2006
Honorary Fellow
MBE

Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon is a prodigy in every sense of the word. She grew up in east London and, aged 11, was the youngest girl ever to pass A-level computing. She was 17 when she arrived in Oxford to start her studies and was just 20 years old when she received her Master’s degree.

Since then she has forged an enviable CV, including positions at various large financial institutions and accumulated honorary degrees from several universities and an Honorary Fellowship from Keble.

In 2013, shocked by the lack of access for young women wanting to take up careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, she co-founded Stemettes, an award-winning social enterprise aimed at inspiring and promoting the next generation of women and breaking down social stereotypes.

She set up workshops, mentoring schemes and events and since its inception, Stemettes has helped over 40,000 young women across Europe to realise their STEM potential and become part of Anne-Marie’s vision for a more diverse and balanced science and tech community. Her championing work earned her an MBE in 2017 and a place on the Forbes List of The World’s Top 50 Women in Tech 2018.

By championing innovation and raising awareness of diversity and inclusion, she herself has become a role model. She is still aiming high and hopes to reach two million people by 2025. She says, “Don’t expect the next generation to live in your world. Give them confidence and the tools to move forward, and they will design the world they need to live in themselves.”