Q&A: Solomon Mensah on Encouraging STEM careers
Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering Solomon Mensah, answers questions about introducing high school students from underrepresented communities to the biomedical device industry.
Read Story1. MIRROR
For me, this mirror is more than just a tool to check my appearance. It is one of self-awareness, self-reflection, self-improvement, and self-discovery. I believe a mirror reveals the truth about our self-image and an unfiltered version of ourselves.
2. LEGO DUCK
LEGO’s core brand value is systematic creativity—creativity that combines logic and reasoning with playfulness and imagination. I apply this brand value in my teaching. I use this LEGO duck as an active learning team exercise in my class to drive in the concepts of systematic creativity, teamwork, and understanding and implementing customer specifications.
Purvi Shah
3. FAMILY PHOTO
This is a photo of me with my life partner (Akshay) and my daughter (Akshvi). I truly believe that life originates with family and the love shared in a family never ceases to exist. Akshay and Akshvi make my life beautiful and joyful!
4. QUALITATIVE RESEARCH BOOK
Numbers and statistics are important—and so is a rich, in-depth understanding of the story underlying those numbers. I fell in love with this aspect of qualitative research methodology. It’s my method expertise. I not only use it in my research studies but also teach it to master’s and doctoral students at WPI.
5. DUMBBELL
This dumbbell represents strength, health, and well-being to me. I keep it in the office so that I can do strength training while taking short breaks from work.
6. OWL
An owl is known as a symbol of knowledge and wisdom, as well as foresight. My teaching philosophy involves helping my students gain theoretical knowledge and then developing wisdom to apply it in real-world contexts. The owl reminds me to foresee future trends in business education, which helps me excel in my role as chair of The Business School’s Graduate Policy and Curriculum Committee. I have it in my office to inspire me to keep enhancing my own knowledge base, wisdom, and foresight.
7. VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE
This toy car symbolizes my research interest. I study brand/product deletions. The Beetle lived a life of 81 years, from 1938 to 2019, and then was discontinued by Volkswagen. I have a 12-year stream of research that explains why and how brands/products are deleted from their portfolios, how the decision impacts various stakeholders, and how dead brands/products are brought back to life through brand resurrection movements.
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