Source; meetmentors.org
Dr. Angela Tabiri is currently an AIMS-Google AI Postdoctoral fellow at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences in Accra, Ghana. She is also the Founder and Lead at Femafricmaths – a charity that inspires young girls to take up careers in mathematics and related fields.
The Eye to See and Connect
In November 2013, Dr. Ulrich Krahmer, popularly known as Uli, was my professor at the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences (AIMS) in Accra, Ghana. In the course of time, I saw Uli was passionate about mathematics, and that got me connected to him. I became interested in learning more about the courses he taught, so I usually went to him to ask questions after class, and during tutorials. It was through these questioning moments that I decided to choose him as the supervisor for my masters’ dissertation, and later, as my Ph.D. supervisor. Uli then became my mentor!.
The Ear to Hear and Shift
At the time of studying for my master’s degree, I wasn’t sure of my career path in the future. Meeting my mentor helped me to go in the right direction. He encouraged me to enroll in another postgraduate program after my master’s degree in order to see if I enjoyed research enough to study for a Ph.D. in mathematics. It was during this postgraduate program that I realized I wanted a career in academia.
The Mind to Learn and Grow
My mentor infected me with his passion for mathematics. He taught me the importance of networking with colleagues, superiors at school, and conference participants. He often said ”this is important for your future job applications and project collaborations”. I also learned the importance of paying attention to details when working on proofs and writing for publication. Currently, he supports me in Femafricmaths‘ outreach projects to promote the teaching of mathematics in fun ways and the promotion of female African mathematicians.
Angela’s Ph.D. graduation at Glasgow University.
The Heart to Appreciate and Praise
This mentoring relationship has opened up a lot of opportunities for me. It has immensely helped me to develop my research and transferable skills. I now know what career path to take, at least for the next few years. With the network I have built from my mentor’s network, I know people in our field of research. I am currently collaborating with some of his colleagues, and I’m looking forward to other future collaborations.
The Tongue to Pray and Advise
I pray our readers to find a ‘Uli’ who will support them in their career … A Uli who will spot the talent in them and encourage them to go to places where their talents will be shaped … A Uli who will look out for them even when the journey gets challenging.
