Nicholas Adjei, alumni

What are you doing now?

I’ve just completed my Ph.D. in Public Health at the University of Bremen, Germany, and now working as a scientific researcher at the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology, Germany.

How did you get to where you are today?

I am a young researcher with a research focus on population ageing and health inequalities. I see myself now as a competent researcher in both Demography and Public Health. My educational background in demography at SUDA paved that way for me and helped me to form my research interest. I assume being very positive and driven enabled me to reach my goals. But also the liking to talk to people and socialize has helped me to form my goals. I feel it is important to take chances and not to narrow yourself down.

How did our Master's Programme in Demography help you realize your professional goals?

To finish my Ph.D. within two and a half years was because of the solid foundation and excellent training I’ve acquired at SUDA. The advanced statistical methods and data management courses within the framework of the programme provided me with more in-depth skills and knowledge in quantitative research, which equipped me in writing scientific papers. The programme shaped and advanced me in my new role as both Population and Public Health scientist. The programme also helped me to form my interest in research methods and to continue towards a Ph.D.

How did you like living and working in Stockholm?

Stockholm is a fantastic place to live, with so many beautiful attractions and a rich history. Stockholm city matches most cities in terms of culture, and it has brilliant art galleries. It is a city with great access to different parts of the city, and thus good options to socialize. The working life in Stockholm has been indeed attractive, with space to make friends at work. Although I now live and work in Germany, I always feel at “home” whenever I visit Stockholm.

How come you chose SUDA and Stockholm University for your master studies?

I did my bachelor’s degree in Sociology at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana. After graduation, I developed a keen interest in population health issues while being employed at Ghana Statistical Service (Demography Unit). Through an intensive search on the internet, I got to find out that SUDA is one of the best places in Europe to acquire excellent training in Demography and become a population health expert. And lucky enough, I could secure a place in the Master's programme.