An alumnus of University of Cape Coast, UCC, Mr. George Marklin Adjabeng, has challenged students to come out with creative and innovative ideas aimed at solving societal problems.

Mr. Adjabeng, who is the Chief Executive Officer of Ecodyst Limited, a firm based in the US, said this while delivering a lecture on the theme: "Beyond Chemistry: The transition from Chemistry Laboratory to Business and Navigating Global Entrepreneurship".

It was organised by the Department of Chemistry in collaboration with the Institutional Advancement Office as part of the Alumni Seminar Series.

He entreated student entrepreneurs to identify problems confronting society and take giant steps to resolve them rather than throwing up their hands in despair when faced with societal problems. That, according to him, was a stepping stone for them to rack their brains to get solutions to societal problems.

"As students, once you are on campus. one of the things is to identify problems. Anything that is frustrating you is pregnant with solutions", said Mr. Adjabeng.

He continued, "When you imagine an existing idea without knowing it exists, then, it is still an original idea for you to be creative to find solutions to problems."

Mr. Adjabeng, who read chemistry and completed UCC in 2000, advised student entrepreneurs not to enter into business with the mindset of getting rich quickly, but think of satisfying a need in society.

Sharing his life experience on his career progression, Mr. Agyabeng said he encountered difficulties in his untiring efforts to develop EcoChyll lab rotary evaporator, a lab equipment to efficiently and gently remove solvents from both inorganic and organic analytes and polymeric materials.

However, he overcame the enormous odds to develop the equipment, which has intelligent self-cooling condenser technology that is fast and efficient at condensing vapours, including aqueous solvents.

Dr. Agyabeng, who also discovered the cancer drug Tafinlar, used the occasion to encourage student entrepreneurs to take risks and not to give up in their drive to succeed in life. 

He dispelled the popular misconception that chemistry was a difficult programme and advised students to form study groups to facilitate their studies. He appealed to alumni to support the University, which had helped them attain various heights in life.

The chairman of the event, the Dean of the School of Physical Sciences, Prof. Emmanuel K. Essel, in a short address, encouraged young entrepreneurs to preserve to achieve their dreams.

In a welcome address, the Head of the Department of Chemistry, Prof. Atsu Barku, reminded alumni of the University to contribute their quota towards the development of their alma mater. He expressed gratitude to Mr. Adjabeng for his enormous support to the Department.

Prior to the lecture, Mr. George Marklin Adjabeng, who took a departmental tour to the EcoChyll Equipment Room, walked staff and students of the Department through the operations of the EcoChyll lab rotary evaporator, which he donated to the Department in 2021.

The Director of D-Hub, Dr. Keren Naa Arthur, was present at the lecture, as well as the Director of Research, Innovation and Consultancy (DRIC), Prof Frederick Ato Armah and the Dean of the School of Allied Health Sciences, Prof. Desmond Omane-Acheampong.

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC