Shini Somara: Why is engineering for you?
Ayo Sokale: I lived part of my childhood in a different country where I saw infrastructure making things better. To me engineering was almost ‘godlike’ in its power to transform people’s lives. I want to be a person who can help people in such an impactful way.
SS: Were you aware of being in a minority as a Woman of Colour in Engineering?
AS: When I was younger, I had never thought about it, because I grew up in a country where I was the ethnic majority. But then I moved to the UK, where I was the first black girl in my school. That was when I started becoming aware of race. But at that point, I was already invested in engineering and was determined to be an engineer. I believe engineering is for people who are interested in solving problems, and this is not exclusionary.
SS: How have you dealt with being different?
AS: I used to accept people’s prejudice against me. Yet in endeavouring to make everyone else feel...