Developing Low-Cost Lab Techniques: Q & A With Abraham Badu-Tawiah

Credit: Ohio State University. “I never thought I could make an impact on chemistry and students’ lives. But now, I’m the head of a lab with several Ph.D. and undergraduate students and a postdoctoral researcher; and we’re developing simple, low-cost lab techniques that can be adopted by labs across the world,” says Abraham Badu-Tawiah, Ph.D., the Robert K. Fox Professor of Chemistry at Ohio State University in Columbus. We talked with Dr. Badu-Tawiah about his career progression, research, and advice for students hoping to launch a career in science. Q: How did you get started on the path to a career in science? A: In Ghana, where I grew up, education works differently than in the United States. High school students are assigned subjects to study primarily based on their grades, and once assigned a subject, it’s difficult to switch. I was assigned to math, physics, and chemistry, which put me on a path toward being an engineer. I was happy to be studying science, but after the death of my brother, I wanted to study medicine more than engineering. Very few students from the type of high school I attended qualify to attend college. Of the roughly 500 students I went to high school with, only three of us went on to college. (We’re still friends even now.) Similar to high school, students are assigned the subject they will study in college, and less than 10 percent of students get their preferred subject due to limited opportunities and universities....
Source: Biomedical Beat Blog - National Institute of General Medical Sciences - Category: Research Authors: Tags: Being a Scientist Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmacology Tools and Techniques Profiles Source Type: blogs