If you are a scientist looking for innovation opportunities, this article is for you.
If you are not a scientist but are still looking for opportunities, this article is a must read.
As a chemistry expert and teacher, I once had a hard time getting my students to understand the business sense in chemistry.
But I was trying to convince them of something I wasn't sure about myself.
Visit your local university library.
You don't actually have to physically go there.
Just log in to the portal and read the research findings published by scientists.
They put a lot of time, energy and effort into their trade.
But what do they have to show for that?
Their literal works are academic but have little practical impact.
Imagine a graduate student studying pollutants in a local river.
Maybe they will get funding for that…
It will probably cost millions of shillings just to find out how polluted the river is.
So what?
That's the dilemma for scientists like me in a country where education isn't packaged to deliver the value it provides.
But imagine that same student discovering a dangerous contaminant in our drinking water.
What if that person didn't just talk about the problem, but went the extra mile to formulate a solution?
Perhaps he/she is designing a domestic water purifier or a system to treat industrial wastewater.
It looks easy, but it's not.
But that's the whole reason we do science – to solve everyday problems.
That's what the chemistry is all about.
It can help you solve multiple problems only if you use it to do what you need it to do.
water
Due to climate change, water challenges are increasing day by day.
Currently, the frequency of droughts is increasing due to the progress of desertification.
So what does chemistry have to do with tackling this critical climate change problem?
Some contaminants in water are chemical in nature, while others require chemical approaches to remove them.
Maybe a scientist can help. Recover Wastewater from industry is rechanneled and reused.
Chemical technology could help us recycle wastewater in the future, allowing us to enjoy resources that would otherwise be easily disposed of.
energy
The need for affordable energy is a relevant topic today.
Rising fuel prices due to economic conditions and conflicts are creating major problems for those at the bottom of the pyramid.
But chemistry holds the key to solving this problem.
Why?
Renewable energy storage.
Solar, wind, and hydropower are all promising renewable energy sources.
But they all have an Achilles heel.
If produced in excess, storage will be required.
Batteries make this possible.
These chemical devices have served us very efficiently in the 21st century.
However, chemical technology promises to improve them and make them powerful in storing renewable energy.
Think lithium batteries, nickel cadmium batteries, and more recently vanadium redox flow batteries.
These are all devices built on chemical knowledge.
research and commercialization simply The availability of battery materials such as carbon and metals such as iron and titanium makes it an exciting adventure for researchers looking to innovate.
There are other areas of interest in the energy field related to chemistry, such as solar power, hydrogen energy, bioethanol, and biodiesel, to name just a few.
But let's look at another area that's equally worth paying attention to.
food
Since the invention of chemical fertilizers, chemistry has made great strides in food security.
For example, consider developing slow-release fertilizers that provide sufficient nutrients to crops while reducing soil and water contamination.
But chemistry could also create a link between waste and food in a very unique way
For example, consider composting, which converts rotting waste into agricultural nutrients.
Over time, these complex waste products are converted into nutrients that are easier for cells to absorb.
But chemistry could also help reduce water pollution and increase crop yields at the same time.
Nitrogen and phosphorus are the main causes of water body degradation.
But they are also useful agricultural Nutrients available from wastewater for reuse on farms.
Many materials have such potential, but most are still under investigation.
Chemistry can also play an important role in food preservation and food waste valuation.
Finally, chemistry is also important in another important field.
health care
With cases of lifestyle diseases on the rise, chemistry could be useful for early screening.
Taking prostate cancer as an example, its screening is done by monitoring the following levels: prostate Specific antigens – This may take 1-2 days.
Research on how to do real-time detection is ongoing, and chemistry is happening behind the scenes.
But let's also talk about treatment.
Treatment plans for many diseases require large doses of drugs because of their short residence time in the body.
some kind of chemical material It is known to help keep the drug in the body for a longer period of time, allowing patients to recover faster at lower doses.
These are all areas where chemistry can play an important role.
The conclusion is
So this is a word of encouragement for anyone who has studied chemistry or science, or is looking to use science to innovate.
Opportunities exist.
But we need to take initiative to solve Africa's real problems in the following areas:
water
energy
food
health care.
And this list is not definitive.
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