Nigeria trip was fun (and exhausting)
This past summer, I was in Ibadan, Nigeria to help pull off a workshop on molecular techniques. This was a training session for scientists in this country, with a particular emphasis on helping build much needed science infrastructure (in this case trained personnel).
In any event, here is a small photo album of the trip, as well as a Harper’s List inspired collection of facts I collected this time around.
Some points to consider.
Number of Pipettemans available to us – 24;
Number of computers available to us – 20;
Length of workshop – 2 weeks;
Actual number of days with working internet – 1;
Number of Nobel Laureates once residing in Ibadan – 1 (Wole Soyinka);
His discipline – literature, drama, poetry;
Approximate noise level of a theatrical performance in a small auditorium – 75 – 85dB;
Highest recorded noise level in the operating theatres of the University College Hospital in Ibadan – 74-89dB;
Number of medical/graduate student/scientist clients at our workshop – 24;
Approximate price of science graduate student tuition (per year) at the University of Ibadan – US$450;
Tuition for a foreign student – US$3,000;
Amount of stipend received by graduate student – US$0;
Funds for scientific supplies for graduate student – US$0 (students actually often have to buy their own reagents);
Price of standard room at the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (or IITA – where we stayed) – US$100 per night.;
Cost of cell phone call from my telephone to home – $3 per minute;
Cost of cell phone call from local phone to home – 12c per minute;
Number of Tennis Courts at the IITA – 2;
Price of a soda pop at the IITA – US$1;
Percentage of Nigeria’s population of 150 million living on less than $1 per day – 50%
In case, you’re totally confused what this is all about, this trip is my third to Nigeria to help with a developing science infrastructure project. You can read about my first trip here.
