I came to the US for a Ph.D in Chemistry in 1999. I took that scholarship absentmindedly, left a dream job at Shell in Mauritius (East Africa) absentmindedly, and moved to Massachusetts, absentmindedly. I mean i would like to address this question to anyone with a sane mind: Why a Ph.D? Here is the answer: A catharsis, a need to get away from the island and to discover new frontiers. Again, i exaggerate and divert...let me do a u-turn.
I remember walking confused during my first year in the chemistry computer lab in Goessman, and saw a fellow graduate student wearing several layers of sweaters. I had been recommended many days before by this fellow`s supervisor to talk to him, and that is, if i ever got to see the bugger. I went to his lab countless times, but finally on that fateful day, i met the 'man with the multiple sweaters'...Uche himself !
Me: Hello are you Uchii?
Uche: You mean Uche
Me: O sorry dude, i got that wrong
Uche: Yep
Me: Anyways, DV told me to talk to you about your work, since i wish to potentially join your lab. Can you give me some insights?
Uche: O we do membrane and polymer supported catalysis and stuff, and it`s pretty cool stuff
Me: That`s it !
Uche: Yep cool, see ya
Me: "blank stare" for at least 15-20 mins
Now a more serious note: Amen
I wanted to write these about Uche since a very long time (I owe him that much) and today is the day. Of all the countless people i have met at UMASS and (to say it boldy) in the US. Uche was made of something else. Synthesized using a different spirit route, a different catalytic alloy. I have been stunned many times, by his ability to be true to his own ideals. Explanation: In the lab i would cut countless corners to get publications, success etc, but our man was always 'the true researcher', the one who would not mind to understand first and enjoy the fruits later. Unlike 99.99% of us out there, Uche to me had an inherent in-born idealistic nature, a constant natural ability to lean towards what is true. I have never witnessed a single day during our time being together for 4 years, when Uche would be bitter or consciously bring someone else down. What I have been constantly trying to grasp with is that the man Uche seems to have been born with a sense of rightneousness, an inviolable character, that I can now safely (now that I am far away on the west coast) claim to have admired during the days working together on the 13th floor, LGRT, flipping Amherst. Many try to be righteous in our day and age, many try to show a sense of hollow leadership and character, but very few are born with it. Very few have it thrust upon them (stole this one line from Shakespeare). Uche has the ‘dharma’ in him. I know that somehow nature will be kind to him, as he is inherently a good man.
