Hey people,

I had a short chat with Exciton yesterday, and this made me quickly realise that Nairaland may have far more active researchers in the shadows than is apparent. I'm particularly interested in knowing scientists in the fields of physics, materials sciences, nanotechnology, electrical engineering and chemistry.

I think this community is grossly underrepresented in Nigeria, so to most, we are virtually non-existent. I want to do something about this starting from now. If we have a unified platform with which to interact with each other, we can find people with similar interests as us, we may be able to discuss our subjects of interest, find new solutions and ultimately, prepare formidable research grant proposals to interested agencies to solve problems that are peculiar to Nigeria. I'm sure you'll agree with me that we've had enough of drooling over technologies developed in other countries, to solve the problems of other people. Time to start solving our own problems. Before any of this can be done though, it will be helpful to make each other's acquaintances, and know what we all do.

I will start with myself:
I am specialised in the growth and characterisation of inorganic semiconductor materials for light harvesting. My specific interest is in the development of highly efficient deep UV LEDs based on III-Nitride material systems, and the commercial applications and benefits of this research spans many fields, including medicine (sterilization, germicidal irradiation, efficient containment of Psoriasis etc), energy harvesting (water splitting), Agriculture (artificial greenhouses for precise climatic management of food crops), Efficient visible lighting (secondary excitation of wavelength dependent devices for dynamic white light control), space equipment management: believe it or not, but in space, the lack of atmosphere exposes space equipment to a constant barrage of ionic charging from high energy photons and other cosmic particles. These can significantly affect the results from highly sensitive measuring devices. For instance, the LIGO project which won the 2017 Nobel Physics prize cannot yet be deployed to space because of this problem. In order to surmount it, we need highly efficient UV sources to rid the space equipment of these charged particles by UV irradiation. The current solutions are bulky, unsustainable and expensive.

UV Applications

I'll leave the creative minds to come up with many more applications. My primary goal is to solve or contribute to the solution of the efficiency problems with UV LEDs and allow others take advantage of this solution.

Anyway, enough about my research. I'd like to know more about yours??

Seun, Lalasticlala, Mynd44 help with your moderators super powers please. I promise, I will formally acknowledge Nairaland if anything tangible comes out of this!

Username = lalasticlala Password 1 = snake Password 2= Tonto dike Password 3 = boobs Password 4 = cleavage

I could remember the moment Johnydon22, Teempakguy, SirWere and Cloudgoddess became less active, the Science Section became ghost town!

Thanks for trying to revive it, AgentOfAllah. This shoud be interesting.

I know you're a genius in the field of Physics [definitely encompassing Astronomy and Cosmology, and some interdisciplinary branches too, I presume]. There's this Science Section Library started by Johnydon22 but abandoned along the way. Can you carry on with it? I know you do not have much time for nairaland, so it's okay if you can't. I'm just fascinated by the idea.

adepeter2027:
Username = lalasticlala
Password 1 = snake
Password 2= Tonto dike
Password 3 = boobs
Password 4 = cleavage

I have a new password proposition for Lala:
Password 5 = Science.
What's great about it, it doesn't eliminate the others. What say ye, sir Lala?

AlmiqhteeAllah:
I could remember the moment Johnydon22, Teempakguy, SirWere and Cloudgoddess became less active, the Science Section became ghost town!

Thanks for trying to revive it, AgentOfAllah. This shoud be interesting.

I know you're a genius in the field of Physics [definitely encompassing Astronomy and Cosmology, and some interdisciplinary branches too, I presume]. There's this Science Section Library started by Johnydon22 but abandoned along the way. Can you carry on with it? I know you do not have much time for nairaland, so it's okay if you can't. I'm just fascinated by the idea.

Yeah I checked Johnnydon's thread and it's apparently closed. I don't understand why it was closed.

AgentOfAllah:

Yeah I checked Johnnydon's thread and it's apparently closed. I don't understand why it was closed.

Nairaland is a commercial forum, and profit is the priority. It would definitely always pander to the taste of the MAJORITY.

Stuff like this will just be relegated to the background as noise. They'll always remain on the periphery.

AlmiqhteeAllah:
Nairaland is a commercial forum, and profit is the priority. It would definitely always pander to the taste of the MAJORITY.

Stuff like this will just be relegated to the background as noise. They'll always remain on the periphery.

If it's about the economics of it, then there are evident long term benefits for Nairaland. For instance, we could acknowledge Nairaland in our scientific publications, which will increase its exposure to the rest of the world. Not by much, but every little counts, right? Also, if we are able to invent something that may become a commercial success, we'll make lots of ads on this very platform... However, I'm convinced Seun is not all Machiavellian. I'm sure that deep down, he's got a deep appreciation for science for the sake of it.

Nice stuff guys.

I'm an electrical engineer and really have interest in going into research. But now, I'm in the process of having a grasp of the fundamental things that were taught theoretically in school and relating them with real life problems. I have a mini lab at home where I perform little experiments. I have passion for electronic circuit designs but unlike most Nigerian circuit designers who only base their design around a black box model, I am interested in understanding the basics, the ideas and philosophies behind how every circuit or circuit segment works.

For now, I can come up with any circuit design centered around a black box model, but I'm not satisfied with that.

Sometimes I look at nairaland and wish some people visit this section like they visit romance, celebrity and politics section. Yet this same people will be quick to scream how backward Africa is.

Please anyone whose passion matches mine shouldn't hesitate to quote me.

AgentOfAllah:

If it's about the economics of it, then there are evident long term benefits for Nairaland. For instance, we could acknowledge Nairaland in our scientific publications, which will increase its exposure to the rest of the world. Not by much, but every little counts, right? Also, if we are able to invent something that may become a commercial success, we'll make lots of ads on this very platform... However, I'm convinced Seun is not all Machiavellian. I'm sure that deep down, he's got a deep appreciation for science for the sake of it.

True. You may be right.

chemystery:
Nice stuff guys.

I'm an electrical engineer and really have interest in going into research. But now, I'm in the process of having a grasp of the fundamental things that were taught theoretically in school and relating them with real life problems. I have a mini lab at home where I perform little experiments. I have passion for electronic circuit designs but unlike most Nigerian circuit designers who only base their design around a black box model, I am interested in understanding the basics, the ideas and philosophies behind how every circuit or circuit segment works.

For now, I can come up with any circuit design centered around a black box model, but I'm not satisfied with that.

You even have a mini lab! Wow! This is very admirable Chem!
Many of the components in a typical electrical/electronic circuit system are fundamentally quantum mechanical systems. Your circuits will begin to make mad sense when approached from a QM perspective. There is a book, "Electrical Properties of Matter" by D. Walsh and F. Schubert (I think). It puts things in perspective. I'll check later if I have the e-copy, then I can share it with you. Even if I don't, please feel free to openly discuss anything about your circuits here. If not me, someone else with better experience might have useful insights for you.
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Just Checked. It's "Electrical Properties of Materials" by D. Walsh (At least I got something right..haha) and L. Solymar. Unfortunately, I don't have the e-Copy.

Great job AgentOfAllah! We need a good thread for science to help one another as well as to ignite a passion in others.

I guess making nice layman explanation threads for how cool stuff like luminescence works would draw people and get us into front page!

I'm sure there's more of us science guys on nairaland. I know some guy was working on Li-Fi research.

AgentOfAllah:

You even have a mini lab! Wow! This is very admirable Chem!
Many of the components in a typical electrical/electronic circuit system are fundamentally quantum mechanical systems. Your circuits will begin to make mad sense when approached from a QM perspective. There is a book, "Electrical Properties of Matter" by D. Walsh and F. Schubert (I think). It puts things in perspective. I'll check later if I have the e-copy, then I can share it with you. Even if I don't, please feel free to openly discuss anything about your circuits here. If not me, someone else with better experience might have useful insights for you.
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Just Checked. It's "Electrical Properties of Materials" by D. Walsh (At least I got something right..haha) and L. Solymar. Unfortunately, I don't have the e-Copy.

That's a very nice book you recommended to explain the basic solid state physics behind conductivity and all that.

But for a good foundation in electronic circuits for an engineer, I think Foundations of Analog and Digital Electronic Curcuits by A.Agarwal and J.Lang would be great for you. I used this when I needed basic electonics knowledge. Everyone rates The Art of Electronics as the best but I think it's not for a newbie.

Source for books? "Libgen" is heaven for the poor african who can't afford to buy books

AgentOfAllah:

You even have a mini lab! Wow! This is very admirable Chem!
Many of the components in a typical electrical/electronic circuit system are fundamentally quantum mechanical systems. Your circuits will begin to make mad sense when approached from a QM perspective. There is a book, "Electrical Properties of Matter" by D. Walsh and F. Schubert (I think). It puts things in perspective. I'll check later if I have the e-copy, then I can share it with you. Even if I don't, please feel free to openly discuss anything about your circuits here. If not me, someone else with better experience might have useful insights for you.
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Just Checked. It's "Electrical Properties of Materials" by D. Walsh (At least I got something right..haha) and L. Solymar. Unfortunately, I don't have the e-Copy.

Lol, yes o. Just a mini home lab. I spend most of my cash on electronics and magic. For now, the most advance equipment I have is my oscilloscope. Stuffs like function generators, logic probes, rework station, PCB milling machine, etc are still on my to-buy list.

Wow, thanks a lot for this book. I'm going to download it right away. This the type of thread I'm looking for. Please let's keep the fire burning.

Exciton:
Great job AgentOfAllah! We need a good thread for science to help one another as well as to ignite a passion in others.

I guess making nice layman explanation threads for how cool stuff like luminescence works would draw people and get us into front page!

Oh this is a great suggestion! I will try to make something up this weekend. I hope I remember.
Actually, let's create a common heading series for different physical phenomena, and then anyone who feels like explaining anyone of the phenomena can then make a thread with the common heading and specific subheading.

I suggest a common heading name: "How does it work series: {Insert specific heading}"
e.g. "How does it work series: Luminescence"

I'm sure there's more of us science guys on nairaland. I know some guy was working on Li-Fi research.

Please mention this person if you remember their moniker. The more the merrier!

Exciton:


That's a very nice book you recommended to explain the basic solid state physics behind conductivity and all that.

But for a good foundation in electronic circuits for an engineer, I think Foundations of Analog and Digital Electronic Curcuits by A.Agarwal and J.Lang would be great for you. I used this when I needed basic electonics knowledge. Everyone rates The Art of Electronics as the best but I think it's not for a newbie.

Source for books? "Libgen" is heaven for the poor african who can't afford to buy books

The art of electronics remains my best book so far. But one thing I've learnt is that you can't learn a concept intuitively just from one book.

For instance, the concept of cascode and bootstrapping was difficult to understand when I read it first from the art of electronics. But coming back to it after reading explanations from other sources made me understand those concept very well. It also made me understand the authors method of explaining a concept.

Thanks for the book you shared above. I'm also adding that to my library right away.

Exciton:


That's a very nice book you recommended to explain the basic solid state physics behind conductivity and all that.

But for a good foundation in electronic circuits for an engineer, I think Foundations of Analog and Digital Electronic Curcuits by A.Agarwal and J.Lang would be great for you. I used this when I needed basic electonics knowledge. Everyone rates The Art of Electronics as the best but I think it's not for a newbie.

Source for books? "Libgen" is heaven for the poor african who can't afford to buy books

Just read a few snippets from Foundations of ADEC. It's a great book and simplifies concepts related to electrical circuits. However, I think it is based on the black box model, which Chemystery seems already well versed in.

Either ways, these are fantastic suggestions. For the fundamentals, check Solymer and Walsh, and for black-box refinement, Agarwal and Lang.

AgentOfAllah:

Oh this is a great suggestion! I will try to make something up this weekend. I hope I remember.
Actually, let's create a common heading series for different physical phenomena, and then anyone who feels like explaining anyone of the phenomena can then make a thread with the common heading and specific subheading.

I suggest a common heading name: "How does it work series: {Insert specific heading}"
e.g. "How does it work series: Luminescence"


Please mention this person if you remember their moniker. The more the merrier!

Yeah sure. I agree with the title series. Although I'm currently very busy, I'll like to be part of this. At least I should be able to create time during weekends.

Unfortunately, I can't remember his moniker. I wish I did. Anyways, I'm sure more will discover this thread over time.

AgentOfAllah:

Just read a few snippets from Foundations of ADEC. It's a great book and simplifies concepts related to electrical circuits. However, I think it is based on the black box model, which Chemystery seems already well versed in.

Either ways, these are fantastic suggestions. For the fundamentals, check Solymer and Walsh, and for black-box refinement, Agarwal and Lang.

Yeah. It's definitely a black box model based book. And you're right, Solymar for a basic introduction to solid state physics to explain why materials have different electrical properties. But not much deeper than that, since most electrical engineers working at the macroscale level of circuits and stuff don't really need stuff like quantum transport theory as electron transport at macro-scale surely isn't ballistic and scattering reigns supreme.

At best, he can read more on some semiconductor physics for the physics of transistors, heterejunctions and the likes.

Hello everyone AgentofAllah Exciton Chemystery

I am an independent researcher in theoretical/mathematical physics, with interests in Cold Fusion and Quantum computers.

Interesting thread here!

I'm not much of a researcher but an Engineer looking at the different future tech and how they can affect us as a nation.

Quick question, y'all into research, how do you do it? Just books or you conduct experiments?

AlmiqhteeAllah:
I could remember the moment Johnydon22, Teempakguy, SirWere and Cloudgoddess became less active, the Science Section became ghost town!

Thanks for trying to revive it, AgentOfAllah. This shoud be interesting.

I know you're a genius in the field of Physics [definitely encompassing Astronomy and Cosmology, and some interdisciplinary branches too, I presume]. There's this Science Section Library started by Johnydon22 but abandoned along the way. Can you carry on with it? I know you do not have much time for nairaland, so it's okay if you can't. I'm just fascinated by the idea.

Jonnydon22, spends more time now in the Religious section and politics; Teempakguy, busy with his sci blog, SirWere, no idea where he currently is, cloudgoddess, no idea who she is...

Feraz:
Interesting thread here!

I'm not much of a researcher but an Engineer looking at the different future tech and how they can affect us as a nation.

Quick question, y'all into research, how do you do it? Just books or you conduct experiments?

Experiments keh? I'm not in their field, bro. I'm just an enthusiast.

Jonnydon22, spends more time now in the Religious section and politics; Teempakguy, busy with his sci blog, SirWere, no idea where he currently is, cloudgoddess, no idea who she is...

Johnydon no longer has time for nairaland. He's got a lot on his hands.

SirWere has deactivated

Cloudgoddess is well-known for her expositions on evolution/biology.

darkhorizon:
Hello everyone AgentofAllah Exciton Chemystery

I am an independent researcher in theoretical/mathematical physics, with interests in Cold Fusion and Quantum computers.

Wow! I'm jealous! Not of your topics, but that you're an independent researcher. It is the best! Devoid of all the compulsions and commitments that come with sponsored research. Although, it is quite difficult to find the funding as an independent. In your case, though, unless you're doing high speed computing, I don't think funding is much of an issue.

Not very sure about cold fusion, largely because of my own ignorance (I apologise). Maybe you can do a "How it works series on it sometime". As for quantum computing, it is definitely an imminent phenomenon whose impact would be far reaching, so that's a great choice of interest.

Question:
(1) As in independent, have you ever had to communicate your findings to the research community, like say in journal or conference papers. If so, how challenging is it to get reviewers/editors interested in your work?

Feraz:
Interesting thread here!

I'm not much of a researcher but an Engineer looking at the different future tech and how they can affect us as a nation.

Quick question, y'all into research, how do you do it? Just books or you conduct experiments?

I'm an experimentalist, mostly.

AgentOfAllah:


Wow! I'm jealous! Not of your topics, but that you're an independent researcher. It is the best! Devoid of all the compulsions and commitments that come with sponsored research. Although, it is quite difficult to find the funding as an independent. In your case, though, unless you're doing high speed computing, I don't think funding is much of an issue.

Not very sure about cold fusion, largely because of my own ignorance (I apologise). Maybe you can do a "How it works series on it sometime". As for quantum computing, it is definitely an imminent phenomenon whose impact would be far reaching, so that's a great choice of interest.

Question:
(1) As in independent, have you ever had to communicate your findings to the research community, like say in journal or conference papers. If so, how challenging is it to get reviewers/editors interested in your work?

I am kind of a newbie researcher, so I will not be able to answer your question to satisfaction unfortunately.

hi all, I like the initiative of this thread. Am a Biochemist and i have spent over 5years in private research with one of my lecturer in trying to understand the mechanism on how some molecular machines (lol, i mean enzymes) work when undergoing oxidative stress. Quite a lot of financial investment and result is trickling in slowly.

I also have some background in computer programming, - Aspx, javascript, python. I also got some recent interest in automation and controlling physical objects with raspberry pi/python (especially in remote or time based or sensor triggered control of external objects)

I hope someday i will apply computation in understanding how enzymes evolve as well as how to create custom protein which can perform predetermined functions.

I'll be keenly following this thread, in as much as I'll love to contribute here, I'm just an undergrad of engineering physics still doing doing the peripherals of physics(L1) I've learnt myself even before coming to school, I wish I could present my own researches here to but unfortunately now isn't the time, but in future, I'll definitely.

Good work guys, I've got a lot to learn from y'all.

darkhorizon:


I am kind of a newbie researcher, so I will not be able to answer your question to satisfaction unfortunately.

You needn't worry! No answer you give will cause me dissatisfaction. I was just curious, in case I become an independent researcher myself. I want to know how challenging my life would be

ufumes:
hi all, I like the initiative of this thread. Am a Biochemist and i have spent over 5years in private research with one of my lecturer in trying to understand the mechanism on how some molecular machines (lol, i mean enzymes) work when undergoing oxidative stress. Quite a lot of financial investment and result is trickling in slowly.

I also have some background in computer programming, - Aspx, javascript, python. I also got some recent interest in automation and controlling physical objects with raspberry pi/python (especially in remote or time based or sensor triggered control of external objects)

I hope someday i will apply computation in understanding how enzymes evolve as well as how to create custom protein which can perform predetermined functions.

Wow, that's really nice! Not really sure if you'd find this useful. I watched a panel discussion once that included some brilliant guys in your field. Heard of Tom Knight and Drew Endy? Knight owns a company that builds DNAs from scratch. They recently modified proteins in some yeast cells to recreate the scent of rose flowers so as to mass produce the scent without being at the mercy of non-harvest seasons. This obviously has applications in the perfume industry. Is this related with your work in any way?

I found the panel discussion really cool!

Here's the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU_pfCtSWF4

I want to learn physics, i use to hate physics during my high school days now I'm in love with physics.

I need a physics teacher.

AgentOfAllah:



Here's the video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU_pfCtSWF4

This is bae


They recently modified proteins in some yeast cells to recreate the scent of rose flowers so as to mass produce the scent without being at the mercy of non-harvest seasons. This obviously has applications in the perfume industry. Is this related with your work in any way?

BaEnki:
I'll be keenly following this thread, in as much as I'll love to contribute here, I'm just an undergrad of engineering physics still doing doing the peripherals of physics(L1) I've learnt myself even before coming to school, I wish I could present my own researches here to but unfortunately now isn't the time, but in future, I'll definitely.

Good work guys, I've got a lot to learn from y'all.

Do you mind stating your field of research, you don't need to write in verbatim