Black History Month - Lawrence Chukwuka Edomwonyi-Otu

Meet Lawrence Edomwonyi-Otu - Head of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department and Associate Professor at Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria.

Lawrence joined UCL as a doctoral candidate in November 2011 and was awarded his PhD in July 2015. His work focused on the ThAMeS Multiphase Laboratories.

For Black History Month, we asked Lawrence to answer the following questions:

What was the biggest challenge that you faced? 

“Funding for my graduate studies (MSc and PhD) was the greatest challenge I had to face. When I decided to start a career in academia, I was faced with the grim challenge of funding. Although I was married with children, I did not have a regular job and my extended family was poor. It was like a dream that will never happen. I was resolute, though, and with the support of my wife, I managed to get a scholarship for my MSc. The success of my MSc boosted my morale and prompted me to search for funding sources for my Doctoral studies. This dream materialised when I was offered the highly contested Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF) scholarship for overseas studies at UCL. I was the first of only two scholars from my state from over 70 candidates.

What are you most proud of?

“On my return from UK I had to persuade my department to form a new research group. I am very proud that I was able to lead it and supervise new research students.

What quote inspires you? 

“One of my favourite quotes says “continuity and exposure is the mother of excellence”, and this played out during my doctoral studies at UCL. My children, students and mentees will always hear this from me.