Tennessee State University News August 12, 2013 Mixing Hip-Hop and Chemistry, TSU Student Finds Unique Way to Teach Difficult Subject Olisa Menakaya hopes one day to teach high school science…more specifically chemistry. It is a subject he is passionate about, but knows sometimes students can struggle with the subject matter. Now, the graduate student at Tennessee State University has found a way to mix chemistry with hip-hop<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qIC4KgbGNQo&feature=share&list=UUUwQJoUtYDIZITj6db6GMOg> to bridge the gap between science and music. “I’m excited to bring this fresh, new idea to the science and music community,” said Menakaya, who is pursuing a Master of Science degree in chemistry. “Music has been an influential outlet for me to share my experience and knowledge. I believe that my project would greatly benefit young children who have not been exposed to chemistry or have great difficulty with the subject.” During Menakaya’s high school and early college years, he was heavily exposed to hip-hop, and began performing freestyle rap with local Nashville and Atlanta artists. His soon-to-be-released CD, Life of A Black Chemist, infuses hip-hop beats and high-energy lyrics. “My primary goal of the project is to create a CD set and educational video series focused on a variety of chemistry topics using upbeat and modern music,” added Menakaya. “As the demand for science education increases, this project aims to meet the growing need by providing creative and interactive learning tools catered toward students.” Menakaya, who hails from Fort Worth, Texas, first launched the foundation of the project in a video competition when he attended the American Chemical Society conference in 2010, placing fourth in the competition. From there, he continued to expand his project outreach through social media and video sharing. Later that year, he received first place in the Innovation Taskforce video competition. “Since then, I have continued to post more videos online about chemistry for people in the field and the general public to view and share with others,” said Menakaya. Menakaya credits the creation of the album after he received second place in a business pitch competition during the National American Chemical Society Conference earlier this year. Combining his master’s thesis with fundamentals of chemistry fused into a musical album, Life of a Black Chemist: A Novel Method of Education and Entertainment Using Global Video Sharing, was born. “The accolades I have received have given me the confidence and passion to continue to represent my school and subject as a young leader and educator,” said Menakaya. “This educational experience has opened my mind to what I can bring to the future as a chemist fueled with a creative and entrepreneurial spirit.” The release of his debut CD on Aug. 20 is only the beginning for Menakaya. He is already working on a second album, A Master’s Thesis, and plans to publish a complimentary story in the book, Life of a Black Chemist: A Master’s Thesis. But his major plan is to become a teacher who is passionate about chemistry and encourage students to have fun while learning. “Overall, I hope these projects change how people view Chemistry, and to inspire the next generation to use science to positively impact our society.” SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-702-5854 Skype: sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree NW Suite 200 Atlanta,GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (LYRASIS) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children.