Former student turned scientist visits William Colenso College

Amar Flood (left) talks to William Colenso College students William Christison, Kaisha-Dale Ropitini and Materita Paku.

A former William Colenso College student has visited his old school and inspired present students with the story of his journey from school to his role as a researcher in the US.

WCC community co-ordinator Sue Martin organised Amar Flood's visit a few weeks ago.

"It was a real pleasure to hear that Amar was visiting his whanau in Napier and agreed to generously take time out of his stay to talk to Year 12 and 13 students at William Colenso College."

Sue says Amar shared his journey through the college and onwards to the US, where he conducts research and teaches chemistry at Indiana University.

"He talked fondly of the great teachers and classmates that he believes contributed to who he is today. He also believes that learning a range of subjects at school helped him become a more balanced person."

Sue says Amar remembers WCC as a school that gave him free range to explore everything that he wanted to learn.

"He recalls tramping around Mt Taranaki with his classmates and Mr Kay, who recently retired. He also enjoyed time helping his father build houses and this experience helped inform his approach to conducting research in chemistry."

Amar explained to students that every molecule you design, make and use is like building a house. You have to design it to function, like a living room, but you have to make it first to really assess how well the living spaces function in reality. The same approach is required for the design of molecules, he says.

Sue says: "He told us that initially he was more interested in maths, art and art history but once he got to Otago University, he pursued his science passion and achieved a BSc and PhD."

Apart from being a scientist teaching chemistry at Indiana University, Amar is a professor working with a group of scientists-in-training doing cutting-edge research at the university.

"They are trying to clean up water by making salt-catching molecular 'doughnuts' and to create new materials that can capture light and use it to make new technology like solar cells."

Amar likes to call the molecules he makes "nano doughnuts".

"They look like a doughnut with a hole in the middle but they are very tiny. The hole is perfectly sized to capture chloride ions. These ions are the other half of table salt [sodium chloride]. We do not hear much about the chloride but it contributes to high blood pressure much like sodium," Amar says.

He also pointed out that the heavy and growing use of water for all sorts of industries leads to more salty waters.

"Apart from not being good to taste, they also accelerate corrosion."

Amar has also co-founded a business based on the light-capture materials and they are in the early days of making medical lasers.

Sue says he thoroughly enjoys his work because it gives him freedom to work on almost anything and he is driven to identify why the molecules he studies and creates could be useful in society.

"Amar delivered his molecular work with such enthusiasm and shared a real passion for science. Students and staff were very impressed and congratulated him on his presentation and were very proud of his journey since leaving William Colenso College."