It is astonishing to see the time it is taking for a new technology to appear and be adapted in a generational timeline


Adam Aberra Challa was born in 1991 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a Master’s degree in structural engineering from the Addis Ababa Institute of Technology, Addis Ababa University. At the moment Adam Challa is preparing his PhD in Biomaterials and Biocomposites at the Center of Polymer Systems, Tomas Bata University in Zlin, under the supervision of doc. Nabanita Saha and prof. Ing. Petr Saha. We met during his studies at the Institute of Experimental Morphology, Pathology and Anthropology with a Museum at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences in Sofia, where he is specializing under the “Erasmus +” program. Apart from engineering, and material sciences, Adam enjoys the art of public speaking since his days as a member of Toastmasters International. He also believes in volunteering and spent some years as a servant leader while he was a Rotarian. In his regular life, he loves music, green nature, rivers & streams and connecting with people.

You were born and raised in Ethiopia, you are doing your doctorate in the Czech Republic. How big was this step for you? Why did you choose the University in Zlin?

I went to the Czech Republic for the purpose of doing my PhD. But it is also for a simpler reason, because my brothers were there. My two brothers were living in Prague at the time and highlighted the opportunities of studying in the country. Thus, I applied for the Czech government scholarship that Ethiopia was eligible for and I was selected. The university on the scholarship list that had the field that I was looking for was in Zlin, hence why I currently study there. The whole process took around a year and, one day after our new year, I found myself in beautiful Prague. It was quite a big change for me because it was my first time in Europe and a higher educational step in my life. But I am thankful that it got smoothed out because of the family I have there. I now study Biomaterials and Biocomposites at the Tomas Bata University in Zlin.

You have a MSc degree in structural engineering, but your PhD is in the field of bone tissue engineering. How and why did you decide to switch, how did tissue engineering attract you?

Structural engineering is a field that deals with the appropriate use of materials and design methods for various kinds of structures. After I did my master’s thesis on enhancing the properties of concrete with additives, I wanted to explore more on the nano-structure of materials. My aim was to do my PhD on nanotechnology. But as a coincidence, the available spot in the research team of my selection was on bone tissue engineering. Thus, I researched a bit about it and found that it has some similarities with the structural engineering aspects that I am familiar with but in a totally different aspect. Moreover, the fact that tissue engineering delves into material sciences, biochemistry, engineering and various medical applications, fascinated me.

Tell us something more about your country. What are the things you would like people to know about Ethiopia.

Ethiopia is a country of many; many people, many ethnicities, much history, many attractions, etc… Most of these are either widely known or can easily be found. What I would like people to understand about my country is the high level of attention its people give to togetherness. In times of happiness people gather, as in the 1000+ guests for normal weddings. In times of sadness, people convene, as in the hundreds who will visit a funeral home every day for weeks. In times of need, people come together, as in the social union called ‘Eder’ which will help its members financially and socially.

What problem is your dissertation devoted to?

My dissertation is focused on building a scaffold for bone tissue engineering. There are millions of people globally that suffer from bone trauma, osteoporosis and other damages related to bone. Part of these cases can be treated with scaffolds that help the tissues to regenerate. However, the perfect scaffold doesn’t yet exist in terms of expected requirements and sourcing of materials. Hence innovations in this sector continue to be necessary. I focus on synthesizing scaffold materials from sustainable sources, mainly, biomass. Supplemented with necessary reinforcements and stimulants, my research is aimed at fabricating a viable tissue scaffold that not only meets the required needs but also organically degrades in the body at the desired time.

You have already been in Bulgaria for two and a half months, what will you remember your stay here with?

In these two and a half months, I grew to be fond of Bulgaria, Sofia in particular. I believe it has many things to offer and is a bit underrated. I found warm reception, cozy locations, lush gardens and enjoyable events to be part of. I tried to enjoy all of these as much as I can. I was happy for the the opportunities to interact with lots of people, Bulgarians and internationals alike, through the many social gatherings abundant here. All these and my favorite treasure, banitsa, will live rent-free in my mind.

How do you think artificial intelligence will affect our lives?

By now, I believe it is clear that we can’t escape AI. It is intertwined in not only the big picture items like tech and innovation but also in our day-to-day trivial decisions. I think it is affecting us in good and bad. I believe its computation abilities, out-of-the-box configurations and forward thinking are the wonders of AI. But this would end up in going beyond what would be necessary, eventually, it thinking and deciding for us on aspects we should be responsible for. For this, I humbly suggest that there should be a certain limit to which we let AI grow and evolve.

How would you like to continue your professional path after your PhD defense?

I am thinking of two possible areas to pursue my career future in. The first one is what I used to do before – teaching. I used to be a lecturer at the Addis Ababa Institute of Technology before my PhD journey hence, it is one very possible future. The other is to venture upon the research world. I am seeking out for possible research faculties in Europe in the areas of nanomaterials, tissue engineering or material characterizations. On the other hand, my partner also has her thoughts on what she wants to do after a year. Hence, I should take that into consideration as well on deciding where I would set my future in.

What are the major challenges of the  21st century? Will science be able to help solve them?

It always fascinates me how much science can dissect and discuss our existential fabric. We have gained so much out of the fruits of science because of this very nature. And yet, the times we live in is plagued with much turmoil and uncertainty. From diseases to warfare, from overpopulation to climate calamity, from scarcity of basic necessities to dangers of our own evolution, every corner of the world is under the same problematic boat. When it comes to solutions, I believe there is hope in science as it is dynamic and solution oriented. We have been able to predict problems, cure diseases, rebuild wreckages. But, unfortunately, science does fail to correct human behaviors. I can actually summarize the core problems behind the above issues into corporate greed, misaligned priorities and missed opportunities. I doubt science is geared towards fixing these.

We live in a time of rapidly developing technology. Do we manage to keep the human in us

It is astonishing to see the time it is taking for a new technology to appear and be adapted in a generational timeline. We have transformed from being impressed with an innovation to demanding many more. Through this, we have grown to be easily dependent on what the sector has to be offer for our every need. We are being more reliant on tech than people. Clearly this will diminish the human link that makes us a functioning, positively interdependent society. Hence, even though it is a relief to see technology taking off the load for us, it can and will come so far as to disconnect us from ourselves, unless we, ironically, think better and wiser than it.

Radostina Alexandrova