Robotics engineer: Josephina Muntuumo

“We are super-intelligent individuals with skills in design, coding, electronics and mechanical aptitude to teach robots to perform various activities, making life easier and more exciting!”

These are the words of robotics engineer Josephina Muntuumo, who said she was fuelled to pursue this career by “an innate curiosity and a love of adventure”. A robotics engineer is a professional who designs, builds, tests and maintains robots and robotic systems.

Robotics engineers contribute to any aspect of a robot, from initial design to writing control software. You’ll evaluate robotic systems, make any necessary improvements and perform tests to ensure robots function correctly and meet industry standards before people use them, she explained.

Muntuumo and her colleagues apply principles of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science and other disciplines to create machines that can perform tasks autonomously or semi-autonomously.

In 2011, she graduated from the University of Namibia with a bachelor's degree in computer science. Thereafter, she continued her studies and obtained a master's degree in computer science from the University of Science and Technology in 2019.

Robotics engineering is growing rapidly. According to Coursera, the robotics industry is forecast to grow at an annual growth rate of 28% between 2021 and 2030, a rate higher than average

Muntuumo said Professor Anicia Peters’ “unflinching faith” in her boosted her confidence as a woman navigating a technical field.

“My great interest in science fiction films like ‘Terminator’ stimulated my imagination throughout my childhood years. My advice to aspiring robotic engineers is to go for it!”