At just nine years old, Adeola Olubamiji would stand before two portraits hanging on the wall of her family home in Nigeria, images of her uncles, one a nuclear physicist and the other a clinical professor.
Findings by Diaspora Nigeria revealed that her father had echoed in her ears, a daily mantra saying: “If you focus, you can earn scholarships like them.”
Looking up at those portraits, she made a bold promise: “I’ll get my PhD, and my picture will hang here too, but I’ll be in the United States.”
That childhood dream, nurtured in the heart of Ibadan, eventually turned into reality. In 2017, Olubamiji made history when she became the first Black person to earn a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.
Today, she is an internationally respected technologist and trailblazer in the field of 3D printing, with a career that includes leadership roles at industry giants like Cummins and Desktop Metal.
But behind the accolades and innovation is a story of resilience, sacrifice and purpose. Born as the youngest of five children, she experienced hardship early.
To support her family, she sold pepper on the streets of Ibadan by the age of 10. Her mother’s belief in hard work and dignity in labor became the compass that guided her.
Determined to break the cycle of poverty, Olubamiji pursued a degree in Physics from Olabisi Onabanjo University.
But her sights were always set beyond Nigeria. Inspired by one of her uncles, she initially aspired to follow his path in Physics, but her curiosity eventually led her to biomedical engineering, a field then unavailable in Nigerian universities.
“I didn’t want to make bombs,” she explained. “That’s how I discovered biomedical engineering. Since it wasn’t available back home, I had to find opportunities abroad.”
She earned her master’s degree in Finland, and then her doctorate in Canada.
Along the way, she became captivated by the possibilities of Industry 4.0, a new wave of technological advancement that includes artificial intelligence, blockchain, and 3D printing.
“When the concept of Industry 4.0 was announced in 2011, I knew it would change everything,” she said.
“I chose to focus on 3D printing because it was still emerging. I wanted to be a part of building the future.”
Her work in the field has been revolutionary. From developing laser-printed stainless steel parts to creating innovative solutions for healthcare and manufacturing, Olubamiji has made lasting contributions.
Her expertise led to recognition as one of the 150 Black Women Making Canada Better in 2017, and later as one of L’Oréal Paris’s Women of Worth in 2019.
In the United States, she was named among the 27 Influential Women in Manufacturing and a STEP Ahead Honoree by the Manufacturing Institute.
Beyond her technical achievements, Olubamiji is on a mission to make STEM more inclusive.
In response to the outpouring of messages after a viral social media post about her life, she founded STEMHub Foundation, a nonprofit that mentors and empowers Black youth and early career professionals in science and technology.
“We started with weekend STEM programs in Ontario,” she said.
“Soon, community centers began reaching out. The idea grew from there. If young people don’t see someone who looks like them in these roles, it’s hard to imagine themselves there.”
The foundation has reached hundreds of youth with hands-on activities, mentorship programs and career guidance. Her message is simple yet profound: representation matters.
Today, Dr. Olubamiji holds the position of Director of Additive Manufacturing Solutions at Desktop Metal. She also serves on the board of Health Science & Innovation in Indianapolis and runs D-Tech Centrix, a consulting firm that supports students and professionals navigating careers in STEM.
