A Baloch scientist from Balochistan has created a significant impression at the Cambridge Graphene Centre of the famed Cambridge University with his innovation skills and knowledge of science.
Dr Yarjan Abdul Samad, born in Buleda, a remote area of Balochistan, belongs to a working class family, now 34, had studied at a public school in Buleda and two small schools in Lyari as well. He finished his intermediate from a Science College in Karachi and graduated with a degree in Metallurgy and Materials Engineering from the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology.
Dr Samad’s father never went to school but was determined to inspire his children to work hard and improve.
However, the ever-determined boy from Balochistan received his first break when he was awarded a scholarship from Abu Dhabi for both masters and PhD, during which he completed research work at several prestigious institutions.
Now a senior research scientist and teaching fellow at the prestigious Cambridge University, Dr Yarjan shows that his story speaks of resilience and determination of how a boy from an ordinary background used hard work to become a successful scientist.
Having joined Cambridge University as a scientist in 2016 right after his PhD, Dr Samad was later promoted to the position of senior research scientist and teaching fellow.
He has since worked on Graphene for Space Applications along with other scientists from the UK, Belgium, and Italy, in collaboration with the European Space Agency, Leonardo, and the French Space Agency’s (CNES) subsidiary, Novespace, The News report said.
In an interview with Geo News, Dr Samad credited his parents for his success. “My parents were determined for our education and did everything for us. My teachers, mentors, and friends have a big role in my making and I am thankful to all of them.”
Dr Samad explained that his main work in Cambridge was on “materials”.
“We work on the materials and devices which are used in projects cooling in Space,” he said.
Of the upcoming projects, he said he was working with fellow scientists to make enabling materials and sensors to understand tissue repair and wound healing in space, water splitting on the surface of moon into hydrogen and oxygen so that oxygen is used for breathing and hydrogen is used as a fuel for further explorations from there onwards.
In a video interview with the Voice Of Balochistan, Dr Yarjan said he feels proud and believes that his background and the grit defines his character and work.