#5 Michael Ramsey
The Power List 2021
Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Professor of Applied Physical Sciences and Minnie N. Goldby Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA
Advice? Analytical Chemistry is an applied science. Try to use your training to identify unmet chemical or biochemical measurement problems that can have a societal impact if successfully addressed. The time horizon for achieving success should be relatively short term early in your career; before tenure if you are in an academic setting. Later in your career you should consider projects that have longer time horizons, maybe a decade out. I also believe that analytical chemists should patent the concepts they develop and consider spinning out companies to produce products that address societal needs. The return on investment to the taxpayers who support academic work is quite tangible in these cases and turning one’s research into products is very emotionally rewarding.
