Nigerian American Woman Breaks Record at University of Michigan, Earns PhD in Robotics
Wami began her academic journey at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with honors in 2017
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Oluwami (Wami) Dosunmu-Ogunbi, a Nigerian American, has made history as the first black woman to earn a PhD in Robotics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Wami, the daughter of Nigerian immigrants, completed her doctorate in Robotics, an accomplishment she views as an opportunity to use her engineering skills to improve lives.
Wami began her academic journey at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering with honors in 2017. She then proceeded to the University of Michigan, where she earned a Master's in Mechanical Engineering and another Master's in Robotics.
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Despite facing challenges, including failing her qualifying exams and nearly giving up during the pandemic, Wami persevered with the support of her mentors. Professors Chad Jenkins and Jessy Grizzle played crucial roles in guiding her through her doctoral studies.
Her doctoral research focused on controls with applications in bipedal locomotion, resulting in the development of a new stair-climbing controller for bipedal walking robots. Wami also demonstrated a passion for effectively communicating complex engineering and robotics concepts to a broad audience.
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In addition to her academic achievements, Wami was an active community builder in robotics at the University of Michigan. She received an MLK Spirit Award from the College of Engineering for her mentoring and inspiration, and she was named an outreach ambassador by the Robotics program for three years. She was also a runner-up in the College of Engineering’s three-minute thesis competition.
Wami's groundbreaking achievement not only marks a significant personal milestone but also serves as an inspiration to many in the field of engineering and robotics.
