HIS PARENTS WEREN ’ TSCIENTISTS , BUT THEIR FIELDSAFFECTED HIS CAREER CHOICE . Bzdek ’ s mother was a teacher in Paterson , and his father was a banker in Bloomfield . But he sees their skill sets as contributing to his abilities . “ My job involves research and teaching , and both aspects involve educating others ,” he says .“ Moreover , you need to be good with numbers and managing budgets and people . So , Iwould say that what Idotoday isacombination of my parents ’ careers , just in adifferent area .”
HIS HIGH SCHOOL TEACHERS SPURRED HIS INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT . After attending Randall
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Carter Elementary School and George Washington Middle School , Bzdek went to Wayne Valley High school ( Class of ’ 04 ). He says he had excellent teachers there who made him want to learn more and more about chemistry .
HE ORIGINALLY PLANNED TO LIVE IN BRISTOL FOR ONLY THREE YEARS . Bzdek was an undergraduate at Bucknell University and agraduate student at the University of Delaware . When he moved to Bristol for athreeyear stint as apostdoctoral researcher , he thought itwould be fun to live abroad for awhile . Then an appealing position opened up as aUniversity of
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Bristol faculty member .“ It ’ sagreat chemistry department and afun and historic place to live , with strong ties to American history ,” he says , pointing out that John Cabot , the first person to sail to North America since the Vikings , departed from the city in the late 1400s , and that Blackbeard the pirate , Cary Grant and Bob Hope all came from Bristol .
BZDEK LIKES THE VARIETY HE FINDS IN HIS RESEARCH . He says he enjoys studying how aerosols are relevant to so many different areas , including climate , disease transmission and making nanomaterials ( particles one-millionth
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COURTESY OF JIM WALKER |
8 BACK TOSCHOOL 2023 WAYNE MAGAZINE |