Ufuoma Ovienmhada

I'm

About me

I’m an engineer by education, and remote sensing scientist by training, working to advance the design and application of satellite technology for environmental justice. Currently, I'm a PhD candidate in the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

In my dissertation, I employ a multi-method approach to research the distribution of environmental hazards in carceral landscapes and co-design geospatial technologies to support environmental justice advocacy. Prior to beginning my PhD, I completed a Masters (2020) in the MIT Media Lab. My Masters thesis focused on applying remote sensing, low-cost sensors, drone data and community-centered design techniques to invasive plant species management in West Africa. Before arriving at MIT, I completed a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University (2018).

As a Black daughter of immigrants, I am often few and far in between in the academic spaces I occupy. Because of this experience, I maintain a longstanding commitment to creating more equitable realities for people of color and other marginalized identities in and out of the academy.

Contact me at ufuoma@media.mit.edu .