No Sitter, No Problem: Ghanaian scholar defends PhD carrying a baby on her back

In a compelling display of resilience and determination, Dr Loretta Bortey Kubate, a Ghanaian scholar based in the UK, turned a challenging situation into a triumphant moment. Faced with the absence of childcare on the day of her PhD thesis defence at Birmingham City University, and with her husband occupied with an unmissable exam, Dr Kubate made the bold decision to bring her baby along to the presentation.

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In a heartfelt Facebook post, she recounted: “Riddle riddle…What do you do when you have a baby to care for, and a project to pitch on the same day hubby has an exam to take on a foreign land with no family around? You tie him up and say, let’s do this, baby.”

Her determination paid off, as she not only successfully defended her thesis but also received the Best PhD Thesis Pitch Award. Reflecting on her achievement, she wrote: ''And this is how I won the best PhD thesis pitch award. This is how I showed up with my baby till I got the title Doctor added to my name.”

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Dr Kubate's story has resonated with many, serving as an inspiration to mothers striving to balance parenthood with personal ambitions.

She offered words of encouragement: “Like I have said many times, it will be hard, sometimes it seems impossible. Motherhood is the most reasonable excuse to abandon your dreams. But change the narrative. If you could go through hours of labour, there’s absolutely nothing you cannot do.”

Beyond her academic accomplishments, Dr Kubate is an AI and Machine Learning Engineer whose research focuses on developing predictive models to enhance health and safety in the built environment. She is also the founder of a foundation in Ghana aimed at motivating young girls to pursue careers in STEM fields. Her dedication to diversity and inclusion in STEM has earned her the Sir Lenny Henry Award for Diversity and Inclusion.

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Dr Loretta Bortey Kubate's journey exemplifies the power of perseverance and the importance of challenging societal norms to achieve one's goals.

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