Self-confessed comic addict Osarenkhoe Ogbeide sees beyond the superhero to the scientist. When he’s not developing printable gas sensors, he’s passionate about celebrating the contributions of black scientists throughout history.
Marvel films and comics sparked my interest in science subjects. I realised that lots of the best superheroes had a background in science – Ironman was a genius engineer and Spiderman studied as a biochemist – and they would often use this knowledge to solve problems.
Today I’m a PhD student at the Cambridge Graphene Centre, working on developing the next generation of gas sensors using 2D materials, such as graphene. The real-life applications of the technology include monitoring CO2 in the home and ammonia in industrial settings, but it also has the potential to be used as a medical diagnostic tool. Last year, our group published a paper that explored using gas sensors for personal healthcare monitoring. I helped to develop a tiny sensor to test for ammonia gas concentrations in exhaled breath, as it is an indicator of kidney or bowel disease.
Osarenkhoe working at the Cambridge Graphene Centre. Credit: Lloyd Mann.
While I’ve been in Cambridge, I’ve also been involved in an inspiring initiative called Africans in STEM, which promotes and celebrates the contributions of black individuals to science, technology, engineering and medicine. Greater visibility gives black researchers a chance to network and share ideas, but equally as important, it means that a career in STEM feels more attainable for other young people of African descent.
Many people are unaware of the contributions to society of black scientists and engineers throughout history. For example, did you know that a technology you hold in your hand every day, GPS, was developed from the mathematical modelling of the Earth, programmed by Gladys West?[…]
Continue reading: http://www.eng.cam.ac.uk/news/scientist-who-launched-comic-and-flew-flag-black-history-month
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