Professor Fred Binka advises young research scientists

Professor Fred Binka, the former Vice-Chancellor of University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) and the 2010 Sir Ronald Ross award winner in an interview gave a splendid advice to young research scientists. It was the maiden inaugural lecture of Professor Seth Owusu-Agyei, the director of Institute of Health Research of UHAS. It is worthy to note that, the soon to be Professor Emeritus if not one already was the one who took the then national service personnel out of his comfort zone from which the many unfolding opportunities blessed the hard work of Prof. Owusu-Agyei in Navrongo Health Research Center.

When asked what he would tell young scientists of today, he had this to say. “A few cardinal point one has to look at”. You have to work for everything and Owusu was ready to work for his situation. He was enthusiastic and went through the mill from supervisor through field worker to a director. It never happened in a day. He sacrificed by being away from his family as many did. He had a mentor that he learnt from to prevent him from falling into the pits the experienced had fallen into before. You have to get into networks and keep those links. Those links in difficult times will make life easy for you.
But as you learn the trade you must understand that it must be hardworking. The young these days don’t want to write papers. They are interested in doing the work but they don’t want to translate them into papers. But published papers are the actual products of science. You have to learn how to do that. The first papers don’t come easy. But after a couple, you realize that it’s easy like having a cup of tea.

Then you have to narrow your focus and learn how to build a team. Without a team around you, you cannot have 200 papers to your credit. You work with the network you build around you.
Being focused is paramount and with persistence, you will get there. It is important to get your family to go along with you.

It is refreshing to note that he ended by saying that, once you heed these and with God on your side, the sky will definitely be your limit if not the starting point.