April 03, 2017

I believe that we should start encouraging them early (from elementary school years). With proper encouragement and early guidance, along with involvement in science projects, one can really propel students to move along this career path. Also, it’s important to be flexible and take up new challenges. For instance, at the university, there are many ... Read the full interview here>>

February 22, 2017

Talk to people and try to get as much experience you can (ex. through programs like the WISEST summer program where high school students can gain lab experiences). Often times, you aren’t sure of the possibilities and specialities that exist (high school breaks things down into broad subjects – multiple disciplines exist in just Chemistry, for instance!). But, disciplines can come together between departments as well; for instance, ... Read the full interview here >>

December 05, 2016

To be honest, I was actually very bad at math in grade school. I remember during math class when we had to recite the timetable, I would use a small cheat sheet in my table drawer so then I could follow with the class. For this reason, I wanted to improve my mathematical skills and decided to study harder. This was an important turning point because mathematics is a strong skillset to have in order to be a proficient chemist. I also recollect having a post-secondary teacher who taught in an unstructured, unique way: he would not take notes or give conventional lectures, but instead, would challenge us to ... Read the full interview here>>

November 08, 2016

I think that improving scientific communication could be improved from the primary to high school level. But, the bigger problem is that the field is very plight. It’s a job that’s not well supported by governments in many parts of the world in comparison to fields like the energy sector. For that reason, many people forgo science since they cannot picture a financially dependent career emerging from it. We could try to find the best candidates and the most motivated people, and enhance science communication to create ... Read the full interview here>>

October 03, 2016

Indulge in curiosity and ask questions. People often ask whether my subdiscipline is all about memorizing: that is not what’s relevant. Although it is important to have the foundational knowledge before really indulging in science, a good scientist is someone who has the ability to ask interesting questions and to discover new things. We should foster this in our youths: it could be anything from looking at species in your backyard to turning... Read the full interview here>>