Question

Edris Mohammed

Wondwosen Mengesha

• Location

Atlanta

Atlanta

• Currently working on…

Semiconductors and Optoelectronics.

Ph.D. in nuclear and radiological engineering.

• What time does your day start?

7:00am

Any time depending on the workload.

• With everyone demonizing the nuclear industry, would you consider your field a growth industry, or do you find yourself thinking "Y’know, I would have made an excellent insurance salesman?"

The optoelectronics industry is one of the fastest growing industries. So, I may not have to worry for a while.

I believe nuclear energy is the only way to meet the ever-growing energy demand in "developed countries" in the future. So it is worth pursuing as the profession of interest.

• If you were to give advice to a young graduate student, would you recommend an academic research track or one geared to the private sector?

I believe this depends on individual choices. My personal preference is to work in industry for at least 10 years and then switch to academia. In general, academic positions are harder to get. You have to wait till all the old professors die. Looks like they have no intention of retiring.

It is better to pursue a field in which one has interest and can be productive.

• What is the wimpiest field in all the sciences? i.e. what is the most useless science?

hmmm… journalism? Nay. J

Every science has its own contribution to the benefit of human kind. Therefore, no science is useless.

• Does your lab have chaise lounge chairs and cable TV?

TV.

My lab has all the necessities to run my research comfortably. Cable TV? No.

• With all the hydroelectric potential Ethiopia has, it does not seem likely that nuclear energy will ever play a role there. Do you see nuclear science having any viable application in Ethiopia?

Not nuclear energy. But nuclear science can have a big role in medicine, agriculture, mineral prospecting, non-destructive testing, etc…

• Have you ever in the past, or will you ever in the future use "Hey, babe. I know how to operate them fancy Radiology machines" as a pick up line?

I may consider it though in the future.

No doubt. It’s in my area of specialization.

• What are your impressions of science education in Ethiopia?

Science education is okay, I can also safely say that we have strong Math foundation which we should take advantage of here in the US

Theory.

• What is the most rewarding aspect of your field?

Job satisfaction, the job and, of course, money.

Helping to improve living on earth.

• What does a serious scientist have as a hobby?

Skydiving!

Depends on the scientist.

Well, it depends how you define a virus. In my early days of programming I may have… inadvertently done that. The computer was crashing all the time.

I don’t have that need.

• Do you interact with other Ethiopian scientists? And do you think this networking is important?

Yes, I do. Last year, the centennial American Physical Society meeting was held in Atlanta, and it brought together many Ethiopian physicists and physics graduate students from different states in the US. In that meeting we decided to have a mailing list and to also become members of the Ethiopian Physical Society back home. I believe that networking amongst ourselves as well as physicists back home is important.

I rarely interact. But it might be OK to have a network for several reasons.

• What is the atomic weight of Actinium?

Actinium! Actinium was first discovered by… sorry, it's 227.

Oh! What a tough question. Let’s see Actinium… I better give you a URL for complete description http: //www.fwkc.com /encyclopedia/ low/ articles/ a/ a001000229f.html

• When did you know you really wanted to be a scientist?

I am still a graduate student but I trace the idea back to my undergraduate days at AAU.

Not sure when.

• Do we need more scientists in Ethiopia or more accountants?

We need more scientists and fewer accountants.

I guess we need both.

• Who influenced you the most in shaping your career?

A number of people including some of my professors.

Hard to tell. I guess schools I went to and myself.

• What do you think of this interview?

It's fuserious! Fun/serious.

Don’t know.

• Would you consider being a mentor to young Ethiopians?

Yes, I would love to be a mentor to young Ethiopians.

I was, and would like to be.

• Can one be a pacifist physicist?

Andrei Sakarov, a physicist, won the Nobel peace price, I think.

Sure.

• When are you the most happy?

My second happiest time is when I make things work in the lab.

I don’t know.

• Are the people at MIT a bunch of crybaby weenies?

No, they aren't. But, MIT is the Georgia Tech of the North.

No idea.

• If you won the Pulitzer Prize, what would you say in your acceptance speech?

SiQsik biye aleQsalehu.

Not even in my dreams will I win. I would dream of winning if I were in journalism or related fields.

• What do you miss most about Ethiopia?

I miss Desu-SuQ. But seriously, I miss the people, the beautiful people of my country.

Relatives and friends.

• Do you read SELEDA? (The truth.) And why or why not?

Yes, I do. To check out the personals you recently started.

No. No reason.

• What do you consider has been the greatest stride in science in Ethiopia?

Has there been one? You tell me!

Hard to say. We are still suffering from human and environmental problems tackled by others long time ago.

• Will you ever read SELEDA again?

Yes, actually I will read each section twice. ATenawalehu.

I might, if I find it interesting.

• Why?

Er, the personal ads.

NA

• Thank you for doing this. Is there anything else you want to say?

You are welcome! I say, keep it up, keep up the good work SELEDA editors!

I guess that is all. Thank you.