Under construction: Laying the groundwork for Ethiopia's first materials science graduate program

摘要

In Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, cranes and concrete define the landscape. But so do the tin shacks that house both shops and families. They multiply to fill every crevice of the massive city as citizens of Africa's second most populous country migrate from farmland to city center. Many hope the cranes will lift Ethiopia into the prosperity of a middle-income country. Buildings and public works won't accomplish that alone, however. "We need to utilize our resources to make new materials to improve our lives," says Hagos Tsefay. A chemistry student at Addis Ababa University (AAU), he is also one of the members of the small materials science graduate program.