Franklin Che

Meet ASPIRE PhD trainee Franklin Che

A native of the central African nation of Cameroon, Franklin Che lived studied in Sweden and Denmark before moving to Halifax in Nova Scotia to pursue his PhD in nanoplasmonics at Dalhousie University.  

Accepted onto the university’s ASPIRE program in the autumn of 2012, Franklin’s research is focusing on using the university’s near-field optical microscope to study the linear and non-linear optical properties of metal nanostructures when they interact with light through coupling with surface plasmons.

Says Franklin: “I’ve always been fascinated by the properties of matter at the nanoscale level and, more so, by the phenomena we observe when these nanomaterials or structures interact with light.

“As such, using these new properties to design novel devices has always been my primary focus,” he says.

“Of particular interest is the use of nanoplasmonics phenomena to design chemical and biological sensors – but also in the selective imaging of biological samples to obtain otherwise unobtainable details using current microscopy techniques.”

ASPIRE – and in particular the program’s strategic partnerships with both Canadian companies and higher education institutes across the world – provides a unique and perfect fit with not only Franklin’s research interests and objectives but also his career goals, he says.  

“Since joining the program, I’ve been exploring the possibility of spending time at laboratories abroad – in particular the Technical University of Ostrava-Czech Republic – after completing the Dalhousie phase of the program,” says Franklin.

“In addition, I have also been looking for Canadian industrial partners relevant to my research,” says Frankin – who plans to find work in a research-focused company after completing his PhD.

“In this respect, ASPIRE has been particularly helpful in terms of connecting me to industrial partners – through the opportunities it offers myself and the other trainees to meet the program’s industry partners.

“Meanwhile, the guest lectures from industry professionals have been very useful in broadening my understanding of the transition from university to industry – and also in terms of planning and executing my research goals,” he says.


Adds Franklin: “Meanwhile, the funding provided by ASPIRE takes away some of the financial stress faced by many students, thus giving me the peace of mind to focus on my academic goals.”

Life in eastern Canada

So how does working at Dalhousie and living in Halifax compare with Franklin’s time studying in Scandinavia and Africa?

“My experience at Dalhousie has been every bit as good as the experience in the other universities, if not better,” he says.

“As a husband and a dad, Halifax is ideal for both studying and raising a family. The hustle of big city life is avoided – and living in a smaller community leads to more meaningful social interactions.

“The only downside to living in Halifax is that we don’t have many African restaurants as is the case in bigger cities in Canada,” jokes Franklin.