Dr. Azzedine Dabo studied a BSc in Biological Chemistry from Aston University, then completed a MSc and PhD in Chemistry at the University of Warwick (in collaboration with Pfizer). Some of his achievements include: GSK Ahead Together/CEO Award 2022, GSK Embrace Rising Start 2022 Winner, 2 Exceptional Analytical Recognition (Gold Level) Awards, Community for Analytical Measurement Science (CAMS) award which enabled him to fund a PhD project with Brunel University and Imperial College London, supporting the Broadening Horizon programme led by the RSC (Royal Society of Chemistry), Supported the UpTree Outreach program at GSK, Hired two students from 10,000 black interns for 6 weeks, Awarded Diversity and Inclusion grant from RSC, speaker at various conferences in London, Cambridge, Amsterdam, Cardiff, Boston such as the Black Pharma Cultivate programme event, as well as virtual conferences. He has been awarded a Chemistry teaching award at Warwick University, as well as a Postgraduate award in Teaching and Learning in Higher education.

What is your current role, and what led you to this position?

I am currently an Investigator, part of GSK’s Method Innovation Team based in Stevenage UK with area of interest in in-silico modelling, quality by design (QbD) method development, using AI/ML for HPLC method development and the transfer of analytical methods and results between chromatography instruments. I am also an industrial supervisor to a PhD student working on AI/ML for HPLC method development. I am also co-leading our ethnicity employee resource group (ERG) called EMBRACE in the UK.

As a winner of numerous awards, most recently a Black British Business Awards STEM Rising Star winner (big congratulations on that!) you are a powerful role model, are there any individuals that inspire you, any role models that you highlight throughout your career?

Thank you. Several individuals have inspired me throughout my life. My parents have always inspired me to always give my 100% to whatever I do both professionally and in my personal life. My wife also played a huge part in my own personal development. I always reach out to her if I am uncertain of what to do in complex situations. And finally my kids. I feel responsible for making sure I do my utmost to ensure our pharmaceutical industry is more inclusive and diverse so that by the time they’re both adults, they will hopefully not have to face the challenges that I did during my education and professional career. They drive me to be the best person I can be on a daily basis.

During your undergraduate experience, did you know where you wanted to go after, are there any challenges you overcame at this level, especially as a minority ethnic STEM Student?

To be honest I had no idea. During my BSc, I looked for placements and jobs, but didn’t get an interview. Someone told me about fully funded MSc. Before I finished my MSc I was offered 2 PhD positions which was refreshing to be in that situation.

During my PhD, I loved leading the laboratory demonstrations, marking reports, and providing feedback. However, getting a university teaching job was very competitive. The first day I started my role in industry, I was called to interview for a lecturing position with Nottingham University but unfortunately at that point I already moved to Cambridge.

I really struggled to get interviews. I had no mentors or coaches to help me with job applications, interviews or even how to search for jobs. You spent hours and days filling out application forms and not get a response. Looking back, I should have reached out to my university career’s team to help me out. Some of the places I previously worked were also not very diverse. It was hard to be working in a building of over 300 people and only 2 black people are present in the entire building.

You’ve had a varied and widely active role in supporting and shining a light on EDI in the chemical sciences, but what are you most proud of leading?

Creating a more diverse and inclusive pharmaceutical industry is something I am very passionate about. I have always dreamed of creating an outreach program which directly impacts the future of ethnic minority scientists, and I am thrilled to have been able to achieve this by creating and leading the ‘Future Scientist: Diversifying Pharma’ program. The aim of this project is to provide a group of ethnic minority students, from the RSC Destination STEMM program, the opportunity to gain invaluable hands-on experience using analytical equipment in the pharmaceutical and academia settings of GSK and Oxford University. Professor Claire Vallance was very excited by the program and welcomed my proposal to take the students to experience a day at Hartford College.

Since the missing elements report was published by the RSC, it really highlighted how much more we could be doing to support minority ethnic scientists, how do you suggest we hold organisations accountable and what do you think we can do as students and allies to support each other and our career development?

Certainly. The report clearly showed that more work needs to be done in these spaces and I believe its important our future leaders (you the students) hold organisations accountable. Giving back is what I would advice students to do. There are so many opportunities to work with different resource groups and external charities. I find it extremely rewarding to help others and believe that’s how we can make difference moving forward.

And finally, if you could go back to your undergraduate self, what advice would you give him? Any final ‘words of wisdom’ for our minority ethnic students in STEM?

This question brings back a lot of memories thinking about my undergrad and postgrad studies. I would advise my younger self to network, find mentors, speak up, and be ambitious. I never understood the power of networking until later in my career. I wish I was on LinkedIn years ago, met recruiters and partners at university events and conferences.

Never give up – throughout my studies and career I faced various challenges but one strength my parents taught me is to never give up. This has really helped me to believe in myself.