As Nigerians continue to react to the lack of funding in the educational sector, particularly in the areas of scientific research, Mr. Alex Adaka, a doctoral student and researcher at Kent State University, USA, has raised significant concerns.
He points out that the low funding of Nigeria’s educational sector has a significant drawback for its technological and economic advancement.
According to him, inadequate funding hinders the ability of Nigerian research institutions to purchase the necessary scientific equipment for conducting experiments, and these limitations affect their capacity to compete globally.
Mr. Adaka, a physicist and material scientist with expertise in soft matter, particularly liquid crystal research, highlighted the importance of scientific research for nation-building.
Mr. Adaka emphasises that the lack of scientific research hinders Nigeria’s growth and underutilizes the potential of its young people.
These young minds could drive the country’s technological advancements, but the lack of resources and funding for research has hindered their development and progress, putting them at a disadvantage compared to their counterparts in Western and other developed countries.
He stresses the urgent need for the federal and state governments to allocate more funds to educational institutions in their annual budgets. Additionally, he calls for private establishments to support scientific research in Nigeria’s higher institutions.
With cooperation among the federal government, state governments, and private institutions, challenges such as health issues, technological advancement, agricultural problems, and environmental concerns, among other hindrances preventing the country from developing, will be a thing of the past.
This will lead to creating new institutions of research that will lead to cutting-edge studies and contribute to global scientific knowledge, fostering new industries, creating jobs, and attracting foreign investments.
Mr. Adaka graduated from the University of Benin in 2006, and his early educational success laid the foundation for his ongoing involvement in innovative projects and commitment to academic excellence.
As a researcher, he focuses on developing state-of-the-art material characterization approaches and techniques for ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal materials. His work aims to enhance the performance of electro-optical devices, semiconductor chips, sensors, and smart materials for electronic displays.
Currently, as a research assistant at Kent State University, Mr. Adaka dedicates his efforts to academia and the development of next-generation displays and advanced photonic devices. His work primarily involves utilising ferroelectric nematic liquid crystal technologies.
Mr. Adaka remains at the forefront of scientific research in the fields of physics and material science. He has authored a number of scientific publications in top journals, actively participates in seminars and conferences, and engages in research collaboration both within and outside the United States.
His research goal is to develop new electro-optical devices that will improve people’s lives and make them better.
As Nigerians advocate for better funding of the educational system and research institutions, Mr Adaka’s insight emphasises the need for adequate funding for nation-building.
His expertise and dedication to scientific advancement highlight the untapped potential that can be unleashed through proper investment in research and development.
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