Oluwabukola Omotola (Nigeria)

PhD Student in Biology

 

Originally from Lagos, Bukola was studying Medicine at the University of Ilorin in Nigeria when she decided to apply to finish her bachelor's in the United States. She was frustrated by the lack of equipment, training and specialization available in Nigeria. A cousin of hers attended Mississippi State, so Bukola focused on Mississippi and ended up earning a bachelor's in Biology from the Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, Mississippi.

 

After graduation, she got a job in a biology lab on campus. At a job-related conference, Bukola interacted with UK faculty from the College of Medicine and became interested in doing a research degree at UK. Initially intending to pursue only a Master's in Biology, Bukola is now continuing for a PhD in Biology.

 

Bukola notes the friendliness of people in Lexington in general and of her department in specific. "I thought there would be competition, but that's not how it is in my department," she said. "I expected my interview to be like The Hunger Games, a fight to the death, but everyone was fun and dressed casually." She also notes the willingness of colleagues and professors to share. "Currently there's a technique I don't know, and a post-doc was supposed to teach me, but they have a lot on their plate right now," she said. "So I asked another professor, hey, I heard you know this technique, could you teach me? He said yeah sure, just set up a time and let me know."

 

Bukola hopes to one day attend medical school after she finishes her PhD.