By Bilyamin Abdulmumin, PhD
You will find some highly versatile members whose contributions drive their areas in every place. The Department of Chemical Engineering at ABU Zaria is no exception. I cannot imagine the department without Professor Atta’s services.
Advanced Chemical Reaction Engineering is among the PhD courses that ring the bell in the department, thanks to the delivery methods perfected by Prof.
Prof. designed his class with weekly assignments submitted before each session. Students take turns submitting and answering immediate follow-up questions, ensuring that even those copied must read. Adhering to this weekly activity is a Prof trademark except for unusual circumstances, keeping students engaged throughout the week. The more time one dedicates to a topic, the better one understands it.
There is also a group project where the class is divided into teams. Each team is assigned a research topic to develop into a term paper. This project often includes laboratory work, computational work, or both to publish a paper in a respected journal. Like the weekly assignments, group work is reported biweekly. The group leader makes a presentation, but each member contributes. Though it is challenging for a group of two or three to produce a paper during coursework, the skill that comes with that is priceless.
Then there is the industrial visit. Prof. Atta ensures that students make at least one visit to a process industry, particularly the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), to study chemical reaction units such as Fluid Catalytic Cracking (FCCU) and fixed bed reactors. These academic excursions are vital for complementing student knowledge or, as Prof. puts it, making knowledge functional.
During our visit to the KRPC FCC unit, the chief operator unleashed the practical working principles of the process. At the same time, Prof. Atta facilitated the connection between theory and practice to us. The duo of Prof. and the experienced chief technician, a reservoir of experience, kept us on our toes until we wished to call it a day. A colleague turned to me and whispered, “Whenever a chemical reaction is being discussed, Dr. (then) can never have enough.”
Of course, this rigorous teaching approach doesn’t sit well with every student, but that never makes Prof. Atta take his foot off the gas. I was surprised at the end of the coursework when a colleague, who was in collusion terms with the course, declared, “I now understand modelling and simulation for the first time.” This is another reason one should not be deterred by complaints of those he is supposed to train. Trainees often want to avoid the process and jump to the achievement, so a trainer must stick with his gun; as they say, the end justifies the means.
A conducive environment is a major concern for research students in Nigeria. Simple tools like a weighing balance, pH meter, or glassware can affect and slow down research. To address these small but impactful issues, Prof. prepared a mini lab equipped with all basic and some analytical equipment. This lab includes a working area, a reading area, and lockers for everyone.
One day, an MSc student met me in the lab and, after his observations, declared, “You, Prof. students, are enjoying,” as if he would say I will join you. Still, to my chagrin, he confessed: I couldn’t join Prof. because I wasn’t serious enough to qualify to work with him.
Another major concern for postgraduate students is time. Many suffer from a lack of contact time and engagement with their supervisors. However, with Prof. Atta, the story is different. His office is a Mecca for PG students, with students queuing from morning to evening, each waiting for their turn.
Of course, other significant issues that concern the nation and society pop up and are discussed. As a melting pot, the professor’s office allows free fall for ideas, but primordial affiliation has no place. Such gatherings of students, sometimes Professor colleagues, and visitors from various backgrounds are a rare opportunity not only to get a glimpse into diverse area research and technological trends but also to learn about others’ personal life journeys and ambitions.
The professor’s dedication to academics is exemplary and worthy of emulation by young (and not-so-young) scholars. It will go a long way to facelift postgraduate study in Nigeria.
Bilyamin Abdulmumin, PhD, wrote via bilal4riid13@gmail.com.
