Lukman Olalekan Afolabi is from Nigeria. As an early-career researcher, he has expertise in biochemistry, molecular biology, and immunology. His research focuses on how the immune system reacts during tumorigenesis (emphasis on innate immunity). He seeks to devote his efforts to translational research and clinical trial design to create an opportunity for cancer patients to not only survive but thrive.
In 2017, he was searching for PhD admission in a number of countries. Before coming to SIAT, he did some online research about the Institute and the many wonderful things that are happening here, and he quickly decided that he wanted to be a part of the SIAT community.
Dr. Samuel Oluwarotimi, a fellow Nigerian introduced to Lukman by a friend who joined SIAT in 2015 as a doctoral candidate and is now an Associate Professor at the Institute, recommended him to his current Professor Wan Xiaochun.
During his early days at SIAT, he faced many challenges, as most foreign students do when they arrive for the first time in a new country, culture, and way of life.
"When I first arrived here, the most obvious challenge was the language barrier, as I didn't know a single Chinese word prior to my arrival at China's borders," said Lukman, "the next challenge was the cultural shock; adjusting to a new culture can be challenging at first. But I was able to overcome many of these obstacles because I had the mindset that I would make my PhD admission work no matter what," said Lukman.
Nowadays, there were a few things he thought could have been handled better to help international students settle into the institute and gain a better understanding of their new community.
He was organizing an online pre-resumption orientation for incoming international students about what to expect in China; also, a welcome orientation for new students in the same week of resumption, as well as an exchange of words of advice from senior international students, would go a long way toward settling in the new students.
"Another significant challenge I encountered was using some of the laboratory equipment and the prerequisite skills for my field," said Lukman. There were a number of Chinese students who could teach him these skills or how to use the equipment, but they would frequently say, "Sorry, I can’t teach you because my English is poor."
He had to remind them that it is not their English proficiency that is being evaluated, but rather the knowledge they wish to impart. He also had to write down the names of those pieces of equipment and their specifications so that he could look them up on their official website.
To supplement what he learned from his Chinese lab colleagues, he had to read several technical papers, attend webinars, and receive online training. Slowly but steadily, he became acquainted with all of the skills and how to properly operate the equipment, and his experiments progressed.
It is worth mentioning that SIAT's management has consistently attempted to improve how things are done, particularly in terms of improving students' welfare and research experience at the institute. These conscientious efforts have resulted in a significant improvement in the overall international student experience over the years.
"The entire SIAT environment is always inspiring and challenges you to strive for excellence on a daily basis," said Lukman, "The presence of state-of-the-art research facilities, renowned professionals, and continuous academic and welfare support from the tutors and institute management are just a few of the many reasons SIAT has become a very popular study destination for many students (local and international)."
Lukman's ambition is to enhance his research skills through collaborative studies and build an illustrious academic research career at one of the world's finest institutions.
He also has over nine years of academic and research experience in biochemistry and molecular biology, and has spearheaded several research projects both at home and abroad.
"As a final note, I have some words of advice to my fellow international students: develop your language skills, learn about the Chinese culture, build support networks (research and social), get your supervisor on your side, and remember that your studies should be more than just a learning experience but also an enjoyable one, If things don't go as planned, don't give up just yet; try to fix it and remember that time always brings change," said Lukman.
