The student from a small village in Oaxaca who overcame inequality and racism and went on to obtain a doctorate in chemistry at MIT is at risk of losing his dream due to a mistake on a form.

Ricardo Pablo Pedro earned his doctorate earlier this year from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was counting on a scholarship from the National Council for Science and Technology (Conacyt) to cover the tuition of a post-doctorate courseat MIT for which he is already enrolled.

But after he forgot to add his electronic signature to the scholarship application, Conacyt rejected it.

Pablo has now set up a GoFundMe account to seek donations. “Unfortunately, I have not found the financial resources to continue with this important project during my post-doctorate and for that reason I see the need to ask for your support to reach the amount of US $42,000 and to continue with the project at MIT.”

The 27-year-old Zapotec scientist, originally from Tuxtepec, Oaxaca, has been engaged in researching nanomaterials such as silicon and other polymers, “which are very useful in the semiconductor industry.”

Now he wants to focus on thermoelectric properties “that can be used in our daily lives.”

“A thermoelectric material is a material that can use heat to convert it into energy and vice versa. The objective is to find a material that is a good thermoelectric at room temperature. This would radically change different forms of transportation, among other things,” Pablo wrote on GoFundMe.

If he wants to start school in the fall, Pablo must pay the $42,000 by September 11.

Source: Noticias de Oaxaca (sp)