Ngalula Mubenga

Mubenga was born in Kinshasa and is the daughter of a United Nations diplomat. She grew up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, France, Senegal and in the United States. At the age of seventeen she was hospitalised with appendicitis, and needed surgery, but the city had run out of power. This experience inspired Mubenga to become an electronic engineer.[1] Mubenga studied electronic engineering at the University of Toledo and graduated in 2005. She has three kids and a husband. Her master's research considered hybrid vehicles that included hydrogen fuel cells.[2] In 2011 she became a licensed engineer.[3] Her doctoral research, also at the University of Toledo, involved the development of a bilevel equaliser, and was the first to combine an active and low-cost passive equaliser.[1][4] The equaliser could be used to extend the battery life of lithium-ion batteries.[1][5]

Her research considers sustainable energy. After earning her doctorate she was appointed as an Assistant Professor at the University of Toledo.[1]

Mubenga founded the SMIN Power Group in 2011, which develops renewable energy solutions for people in Africa.[3] Alongside their work in engineering, SMIN provides financial support to African students who study science and work on initiatives to tackle climate change.[3] See www.SminPowerGroup.com

To compliment these scholarships, Mubenga launched the STEM DRC initiative, which looks to encourage African young people to become inspired by science and engineering.[6][7] See www.StemDRC.org