Science Is Our Super Power — Celebrating Women in STEM
Mirjana Pović is a Serbian astrophysicist who works on galaxy formation and evolution at the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute. She was the inaugural laureate of Nature — Estée Lauder Inspiring Science Award.
Mirjana studied physics at the University of Belgrade, where she got awarded a full scholarship. In 2004 she was awarded a summer scholarship to study astrophysics at Durham University. She earned her doctoral degree at the University of La Laguna, working with the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC).
Pović works on the formation and evolution of galaxies. To study these galaxies, Pović uses planetary surveys such as the Advanced Large Homogeneous Area Medium-Band Redshift Astronomical (ALHAMBRA) to investigate the star formation rate, as well as mass-metallicity. She is an affiliated researcher at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía. Pović joined the Association of Women Researchers and Technologists in 2013.
In 2016 Pović joined the Entoto Observatory and Research Centre in Ethiopia. She believes that astronomy and space science will be eminent for Africa to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. She has been involved with the Ethiopian Space Science and Technology Institute (ESSTI) since it was established. She is a Professor of Physics and Head of the Department of Astronomy. She was responsible for training the first generation of postgraduate astronomy students in astronomy, including Ethiopia, Tanzania, Rwanda, and Uganda. There are over 100 members of staff, but only 5 with doctorates. She is the only woman and only European member of the team.
Dr. Mirjana Pović believes that scientists should spend more time connecting to the developing world. One of Mirjana’s most influential contributions to young women in STEM is that she leads science clubs and lecture series for secondary-school girls in Ethiopia.
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