„Research did not exist where I grew up“

My biggest privilege as scientist is to be able to impart knowledge to others and pay it forward in numerous ways.

The biggest surprise of my career as a researcher was that I ever became a scientist at all. I did not grow up thinking of such a career. Research did not and still does not exist where I grew up: words like researcher and scientist were unheard of during my childhood.

I studied chemistry because I was deeply inspired by my sixth-form (high-school equivalent) chemistry teacher in the UK, who went above and beyond to inspire and motivate me. In fact, I was a student who was rather behind her peers, having just arrived to the UK and not having had an all-round proper education previously. I thus became determined against all odds to try to become a good chemist and an educator like her, who can help many students down the line.

Which is the secret of your biggest success as a researcher? Being unafraid of failure and going out of one’s comfort zone.

A talent I’d like to have is being a professional artist.

This is the ideal morning for me: Coffee and shower before anything else.

The best advice I ever got is from my late boss and P

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