Maggie Aderin-Pockcok DBE

Commissioner of the UK Government Race & Ethnic Disparities Commission & Chancellor of the University of Leicester

Maggie Aderin-Pockcok’s Biography:

Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock DBE is best known as an inspiring space scientist, award-winning science communicator and long-standing presenter of the BBC’s The Sky at Night. As a speaker, she has addressed more than 350,000 people globally, motivating new generations to pursue STEM careers. Her warm, dynamic presenting style and her ability to translate complex scientific ideas into meaningful, engaging stories have made her one of the UK’s most trusted voices in public science engagement.

Maggie’s early career began after graduating from Imperial College London with a degree in Physics and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. She joined the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency as a systems scientist, working on advanced aircraft missile-warning systems for the UK Ministry of Defence. She later managed major defence projects, including the development of pioneering handheld landmine-detection instruments, demonstrating early on her exceptional technical leadership and passion for applying science to real-world challenges.

She went on to manage the build of the high-resolution optical spectrograph for the Gemini telescope in Chile, before becoming Lead Optical Scientist at EADS Defence and Space. Maggie contributed to the James Webb Space Telescope—the world’s largest and most complex space telescope—and founded her own company, Science Innovation Ltd., dedicated to public engagement and STEM outreach. Her achievements have been recognised worldwide: from her MBE in 2009 to the Lord Kelvin Medal in 2020 and her 2025 election as an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering.

Beyond engineering and research, Maggie is a prominent broadcaster, presenting The Sky at Night, CBeebies Stargazing, and In Orbit, and appearing across UK television, from House of Games to Morning Live. She is President of the British Science Association and serves on multiple prestigious boards, including the Science Museum Advisory Board and the STFC. As an author of bestselling science books for adults and children, including ‘The Sky at Night: The Art of Stargazing’ and ‘Am I Made of Stardust?’ Maggie continues to reshape how the public understands space, science and the universe.

Why Hire Maggie Aderin-Pockcok?

Maggie is hired as a speaker for her rare ability to bridge cutting-edge science with human curiosity, motivation and storytelling. Her talks, including her TEDx talk ‘The Dawn of a New Space Era‘ and ‘The Power of Dreams‘, inspire audiences of all ages, blending personal resilience, space exploration, engineering insight and a passion for diversity in STEM. She energises conferences, empowers young people and delivers memorable, thought-provoking keynotes grounded in expertise and warmth.

Maggie Aderin-Pockcok’s Career Highlights:

Below showcases Maggie Aderin-Pockcok’s inspirational career throughout the science, engineering and public services industry:

• 2025 – Elected Honorary Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (HonFREng)
• 2022 – Appointed Vice-President of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama
• 2021 – Served as President of the British Science Association
• 2020 – Awarded the William Thomson, Lord Kelvin Medal and Prize (Institute of Physics)
• 2018 – Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Leicester
• 2017 – Honorary Doctor of Science, Loughborough University
• 2014 – Honorary Doctor of Science, University of Bath
• 2012 – Featured in UK Powerlist: Top 100 Most Influential Black People
• 2011 – Winner of the Women in Film & Television “New Talent” Award
• 2009 – Awarded MBE for Services to Science Education; Honorary Doctor of Science, Staffordshire University