Keynote Speakers – 2022 IEOM Nigeria Conference
Conference Welcome and Opening: Tuesday, April 5, 2022, 11:45 am – 12:00 pm
Prof. Charles Arizechukwu Igwe
Vice-Chancellor
University of Nigeria
Nsukka, Nigeria
Professor Charles A. Igwe was appointed the 15th Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) in June 2019. Prior to this, he was a two term Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), UNN (2016 – 2019). He studied Soil Science at UNN (1979–1984) where he obtained his B.Agric degree. He later obtained both MSc (1988) and PhD (1994) degrees in the same discipline in UNN. He also earned numerous other certificates and diplomas both in Agriculture and other areas of learning from institutions within and beyond Africa. These include Postgraduate Diploma in Soil Science from Agricultural University, Norway and Certificate of College on Soil Physics, from the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy in 1993, among others. He has over thirty years of professional and administrative experience with considerable knowledge of project planning and management gained both in academia and the wider industrial sector. He was appointed Associate Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture (2006-2008) and later succeeded his principal as Dean of the same Faculty of Agriculture, UNN, (2008-2010). Beyond Deanship, he has served the University as leader of many statutory bodies, such as Director University Advancement Centre; Director, External Studies Unit; Member University Governing Council as Senate Representative, Member TETFund Committee, UNN, among others.
He is an accomplished researcher of international repute with numerous scientific publications on Soil, Soil related matters, agricultural, practices and technologies and authored a number of books to his credit. He is also editorial member of numerous journals of international repute and editor of several. His current research interest is in domesticating agricultural practises and tools including climate change to improve agricultural yields in Africa and indeed tropical climes of the world, thus contributing to solving the global food security question. He has been and still is visiting researcher/professor to many universities across the world including Agricultural University of Norway, Ås; Dipartmento di Scienze Chimico-Agrarie, Università di Napoli Federico II, Italy; Universite De Bourgogne, Dijon, France; and Institutfür Bodenkunde und Standortslehre, Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany among others. He has also presented many invited academic papers and key note addresses in countless international and national fora.
Professor Igwe is equally outstanding in winning awards and academic laurels. His awards of excellence defy geographical and disciplinary boundaries. His awards come from different regions of the world and in fields like Hydrological Sciences, Engineering Technology among others. One of the most significant is the award from the Japanese Society for Promotion of Science, exemplifying him as a distinguished scientist of his times. He has also attracted funds and grants to further the growth and academic excellence in the University of Nigeria. These include, but not limited to, the European Union Research Project on “Evaluation of the Stability of Soil Organic Matter (SOM) Pools in African Ecosystems (Ethiopia and Nigeria) for the Improvement of a Sustainable Soil Management”. Scientific Equipment Donation Programme by ALEXANDER von HUMBOLDT FOUNDATION in 2001 and 2010; among others too numerous to list here.
Opening Keynote I: Tuesday, April 5, 2022, 12:00 – 12:30 pm
Prof. Abiodun H. Adebayo, Ph.D.
Vice-Chancellor
Covenant University
Ota Nigeria
Abiodun Humphrey Adebayo is an astute Professor of Biochemistry, a University Administrator and Award-winning Researcher. He is the 7th Vice-Chancellor of Covenant University – one of the leading universities in Africa driven by a vision to raise a new generation of leaders.
He is a specialist in plant biochemistry and has been actively involved in the sustainable use of indigenous medicinal plants with teaching prowess in Biochemical Toxicology and Ethnopharmacological Biochemistry.
Prof. Abiodun H. Adebayo’s main research focus is on phytochemical, biochemical and toxicity studies of medicinal plants; he is a recipient of the prestigious Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and the Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS) Fellowship awards and has published in reputable local and international journals.
His astuteness has earned him several awards and honours such as the Leading Scientist of the World 2013 by International Biographical Centre, Great Britain; High Impact Journal prize of Covenant University three times consecutively amongst several other international and national awards. Prof. Adebayo’s biography was listed and published in the 30th edition of Marquis Who’s Who in the World in the United States.
He has served in various capacities in Covenant University prior to being appointed the 7th Vice Chancellor such as being the former Dean of the School of Postgraduate Studies and Chair, Committee of Deans, Deputy Chaplain and Chair of Community Development Impact Initiative Committee amongst several other academic and leadership capacities.
He is happily married to Mrs. Olufunke Adebayo and their marriage is blessed with three children.
Keynote II: Tuesday, April 5, 2022, 12:30 – 1:00 pm
Engr. Prof. Emeka Simon Obe
Dean, Faculty of Engineering
Professor of Electrical Engineering
University of Nigeria Nsukka
Fault-Tolerant Operation of Concentrated Dual Winding Synchronous Reluctance Motor
Emeka Simon Obe received his B. Engineering, M. Engineering and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from University of Nigeria in 1994, 1999 and 2002, respectively. Since 1999 he has been with the Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he is currently a professor. Prof. Obe has been a visiting researcher at Tennessee Technological University, USA in 2004 and 2006, at the University of the Ryukyus, Japan in 2005 and at Technische Universitat Darmstadt, Germany 2008-2009. He has held several key positions at the University of Nigeria including Director, National Center for Equipment Maintenance and Development, (2012-2014), Director, Computer Communications Center (2014 – 2018), Coordinator, International Interventions Programs (2016 – 2019), Head of Electrical Engineering Department, UNN (2016-19), Associate Dean, Faculty of Engineering (2018-2020). In August 2020, Prof. Obe was elected Dean, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nigeria, a position he currently occupies.
Prof. Obe is an Associate Editor of IET Electric Power Applications of UK, Associate Editor of Electric Power Components and Systems and Editor-in-Chief, Nigerian Journal of Technology. He is a fellow of AvH, Germany, Fellow of Matsumae International Foundation of Japan, Member IEEE, Member NSE and a registered corporate engineer in Nigeria. His research interests are ac machine analysis, design and drives. Prof. Obe has published over 50 articles in reputable journals and high echelon conference proceedings. He has successfully supervised over 20 of PhDs and Masters in Electrical Machines, Drives and Energy Systems.
Keynote III: Tuesday, April 5, 2022, 1:00 – 1:30 pm
Prof. Toyin Ashiru
CEO
Tricontinental Oil
Ikeja, Lagos Nigeria
Prof. Toyin Ashiru is a distinguished Materials and Metallurgical Engineer with a career of about 40 years that spans through Nigeria, UK, USA, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Far East, and Asia.
Toyin Ashiru has utilized his diverse experiences in the academia, consulting, finance/investment entrepreneurship, and project management to provide technical advisory services for the enhancement of productivity in major in petrochemical, chemical processing, fertilizer, and steel manufacturing industries worldwide. He has served as expert consultant to NNPC, SHELL, CHEVRON, EXXONMOBIL, ADDAX, SAUDI ARAMCO, SABIC, SAMAREC, QATAR OIL, etc. He has also served on various technology advancement committees of the UNIDO, UNESCO and the WORLD BANK.
Toyin Ashiru is a graduate of the University of Sussex, Brighton, UK where he obtained B.Sc in Materials Science and Engineering. He concluded his Ph.D at the University of Birmingham, UK in Industrial Metallurgy in 1983. He began his career as a lecturer in Mechanical Engineering at the Universities of Lagos and Ibadan respectively before serving as Nigerian Senior Research Fellow at the International Tin Research Institute in the UK. Toyin Ashiru before his advent into the oil and gas industries in 1998 was a professor/senior research fellow at the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals in Saudi Arabia.
Toyin Ashiru is the inventor of the first known instrument for in situ detection of steel cracking in sour petroleum production operations. He holds patents in the USA, UK, Brazil, Japan and of the World Intellectual Property Organization for several other inventions. He developed electroplated tin-zinc alloy coating system (USA Patent # 5,378,346, January 3, 1995). The coating is extensively used worldwide for the protection of plant, machinery, automobile, and aerospace components. Of importance was his stint as a Technical Advisor to the Saudi Basic Industries Corporation (SABIC), where he developed several innovative solutions for petrochemical, chemical processing and fertilizer plants. He is responsible for the introduction of Sponge-Jet, an environment-friendly low-dust blasting technology to Nigerian industries.
Toyin Ashiru has received many merit awards and citations worldwide in recognition of his work, including an acknowledgment in the USA as a “Professional with Extraordinary Ability” and listings in Who is Who in the World and the Dictionary of International Biography; the highly esteemed Corrosion Odyssey 2001 Award in England; Dalic’s Very Imperial Plater Award, Vitré, France in 2010; Honoree of the African Engineering Education (AEEA). He is a recipient of the prestigious Distinguished Innovator Award of the Association of Tin Producing Countries (ATPC).
Toyin Ashiru is a Fellow of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, the New York Academy of Science, the Nigeria Academy of Engineers and the Nigerian Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Prof. Ashiru is a Non-Executive Director of FCMB Group Plc, Chairman of CSL Stockbrokers Ltd and others. He is currently the Vice Chairman/CEO of Tricontinental Group.
Keynote IV: Tuesday, April 5, 2022, 1:30 – 2:00 pm
Engr Prof. Ojo S.I. Fayomi
Dean, College of Engineering,
Bells University of Technology
Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
Re-emphasizing the Paradigm Shift in Engineering Management for a Sustainable World
Professor Ojo Sunday Fayomi is a Full Professor of Mechanical Engineering and an internationally distinguished researcher. He is the current Dean of the College of Engineering, and Chairman, Corporate Affairs Unit, Office of the Vice Chancellor, Bells University of Technology, Ota, Nigeria. Bells University of Technology is the first Private University of Technology in Nigeria committed to the development and transformation of society through environment-friendly technologies and other innovations.
Prof Ojo Sunday Fayomi is an established proven academia and global researcher in the area of Mechanical Metallurgy of Materials and Production Technology. He is a Materials and Corrosion expert. He is well-reputed nationally and internationally in the areas of Mechanical Materials Mechanics. Obtained Bachelor’s of Engineering, (Honours) in (Mechanical Engineering) from Bells University of Technology. He bagged his Master’s and Doctoral degree in Metallurgical Engineering with Distinction (Cum Laude) from the Department of Chemical, Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa. He has a postgraduate diploma in environmental and natural resource management from Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye.
He rose to be a distinguished exceptional Professor with a massive contribution to new materials development. He is a visiting scholar to several Universities locally and internationally. He has to his credit over (500) indexed international and local peer-reviewed journals with substantial impact factors, broad readership, and citations in Scopus and Web of Science. Professor Fayomi is an External Examiner to several local and foreign universities. He has supervised over 150 international research/industrial projects, graduated (9) Doctoral and (16) Master’s degree students.
Prof Fayomi is a sought-after inspirational public speaker and lecturer to many industries. He is known to be a reviewer to the highly-rated Scientific Journals and an examiner to the National Research Foundation, South Africa, and Portugal. He is a member of several engineering bodies such as Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigerian (COREN), and Member Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE).
As an accomplished researcher and lecturer, he has harvested several awards internationally. Among others is the Scientific Achievement by South African Association for Advancement in Science Medal Award (A2S3 Medal for Original Research). Prof Fayomi was a Postdoctoral Research Scholar and an Awardee of the Institutional Best Postdoctoral fellow for Teaching and Innovations at Tshwane University of Technology. He was named the Outstanding African Researcher, 2019, and the Most Innovative Scholar in Composite deposition. In 2021 Professor Ojo Sunday Fayomi was listed Among Top 50 in Africa out of top 500 researchers, by scholarly output, over the period 2015-2020 by Scival. He has a patent to his credit with the South Africa Ministry of Education and Cooperates affair.
As an international conference speaker, he has spoken to audiences in Belgium, Mauritius, United States, Grease, United Kingdom, South Africa, and Nigeria. Fayomi is happily married to his sweetheart Dr. Gloria Uche Fayomi, and they are blessed with two children.
Keynote V: Tuesday, April 5, 2022, 2:00 – 2:30 pm
Dr. M. Joseph Ogundu, Ph.D., MBA
Chairman/CEO
Emerald Global Consulting Inc.
Farmington Hills, Michigan
Dr. Joseph Ogundu is the Chairman/CEO of Emerald Global Consulting Inc., and he brings a wealth of experience in the areas of leadership, strategy development and deployment, risk management, project management, business process excellence, lean transformation, six-sigma, supply chain management, change management, industrial engineering, manufacturing/process engineering, quality assurance and business restructuring/turnaround. Dr. Ogundu is a quality and operations excellence practitioner with expertise in solving complex operations problems and delivering results. He provides operations excellence leadership, training and coaching in the following industries; automotive, oil and gas, manufacturing, consulting, energy and healthcare. Dr. Ogundu spent the early years of his career in leadership, engineering, and senior management positions as director and executive director at Country Coach Inc, process engineering manager at DaimlerChrysler AG, senior operations leader at Chrysler Corporation, facilities engineer and project manager at Ford Motor Company as well as senior product engineer at General Motors Corporation.
Dr. Ogundu was adjunct professor, Industrial and Systems Engineering at both Lawrence Technological University, Southfield Michigan and Oakland University, Rochester Michigan, and adjunct professor of Business Administration at Kettering University, Flint Michigan. He thought courses in both undergraduate and graduate levels including courses in Lean Systems Application, Quality Assurance and Control, Total Quality Management, Operations Research and Stochastic Processes, Manufacturing Processes, Supply Chain Management, Supplier Quality, Business Statistics, Lean Six-Sigma, Production Planning and Control, Materials/Inventory Management and Operations Management
Dr. Ogundu graduated with a Doctorate Degree in engineering and manufacturing systems and Masters in business administration from Lawrence Technological University, Master’s Degree in Manufacturing Engineering from Wayne State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering from University of Tennessee. Knoxville. He served as board member of Lawrence Tech University College of Management Alumni Association, Finer Cabinetry & Woodwork Inc., Citation Plastics, LLC., River State Foundation Inc., as well as Board member of Healthcare Management department at South University Novi, Michigan Campus, Vice President of Chapter Development Institute of Industrial Engineers SE Michigan/Toledo Chapter. Dr. Ogundu is the author of the book “The Relationship between Types of Waste and Operating Performance Measures, published by Lambert Publishing company.
Wednesday, April 6, 2022
Keynote VI: Wednesday, April 6, 2022, 12:00 – 12:30 pm
Engr Tasiu Saad Gidari-wudil FNSE, D.
President
Nigeria Society of Engineers
Engr. Tasiu Saad Gidari –Wudil (Engr. Wudil), FNSE, SMIEEE, FNIEEE is the President of Nigeria Society of Engineers. He was educated at the Federal University of Technology (now ATBU), Bauchi State, Nigeria, where he bagged both B.Engr. and Master’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering (Power & Machines). Engr. Gidari-Wudil worked with the Kano State Science and Technical Schools Management Board as Electrical Instructor at the Government Technical College, Wudil. He also served as Engineer 1 (Electrical) at the Ministry of Education, Kano before proceeding to the Bayero University Computer Centre as Computer Maintenance Engineer. He was a staff of the defunct National Electric Power Authority (NEPA). Engr. Gidari-Wudil is now an Assistant General Manager with the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission.
The astute engineer had been a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers since May 2013, and a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), New York, USA. He is the Pioneer Chair of the Power & Energy Society- Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Nigeria Chapter. Engr Gidari-Wudil is a Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management; Member Association of Energy Engineers (AEE); and a Professional Member, American Society of Safety Engineers, ASSE.Engr. Gidari-Wudil was registered with COREN in 2001 and is the first Nigerian Engineer to be Certified Regulatory Specialist. He is also Certified Public Private Partnership Specialist both from Institute of Public Private Partnership (IP3) Washington DC, and Certified Energy Manager, CEM(R). Engr. Gidari-Wudil has a great passion for the development of young engineers, and protection of the dignity of the engineering profession. He has served at various levels of the Nigeria Society of Engineers, ranging from Jos, Bauchi and Maitama Branches. He served on various boards and in committees at the NSE National level. He has been on COREN and NBTE accreditation teams as well as overwhelmingly elected Vice-President of NSE where he superintended the Engineering Bureau Service Department and Board (Engineering Manpower Bureau, Cost Indices and Infrastructural Score Card Committee, Accreditation Committee). He was the pivot of the implementation of the Computer Based Test for NSE corporate examination.
In 2017 he was re-elected as Vice President by yet another majority of the Nigerian engineers. He was assigned to supervise the Engineering Regulation, Legislation and Liaison Board/Department. His team was responsible for the reorganisation of the Young Engineers/Future Leaders in line with WFEO directives, engagement of government agencies and facilitation of collaborations. Several MoUs were either revived or initiated by ERL&L Board. The Standards and Codes Committee was very active. He held the position of the first Vice-President of NSE since 2018. During his tenure, Engr Gidari-Wudil supervised the Engineering Regulation, Legislation and Liaison Board. The face of the Nigerian Engineers has to his credit over eighteen National and International articles in the field of Electrical Engineering. He has attended so many courses in Engineering, Regulations, Public Private Partnerships, and Management. He is an alumnus of IP3, ILI, LBS and KBS. He has attended the Certified Energy Manager training in Cairo, Egypt and is a CEM compliant Engineer. Engr Gidari-Wudil is at a very advanced stage of completion of his PhD at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Nigeria. Engr Tasiu Saad Gidari –Wudil was inaugurated as the 33rd President of the Nigeria Society of Engineers on 22nd January 2022, which is the position he holds at the moment.
Keynote VII: Wednesday, April 6, 2022, 12:30 – 1:00 pm
Prof. Dr. Esther T. Akinlabi
Director Pan African University for Life and Earth Sciences Institute (PAULESI)
Ibadan, Nigeria
Professor Esther Titilayo Akinlabi is a Full Professor of Mechanical Engineering. She was recently appointed as the Director of the Pan African University for Life and Earth Sciences Institute (PAULESI), Ibadan, Nigeria. The Pan African University (PAU) is a continental initiative of the African Union Commission, Addis Ababa to revitalize Higher Education and Research in Africa. PAULESI represents the West African Hub of the Pan African University hosted by the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.
Prior to joining PAULESI, she had a decade of meritorious service at the Department of Mechanical Engineering Science, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa. During her period of service at UJ, she had the privilege to serve as the Head of Department of the Department of Mechanical Engineering Science and as the Vice Dean for Teaching and Learning for the Faculty. Her research interest is in the field of modern and advanced manufacturing processes – Friction stir welding and additive manufacturing. Her research in the field of laser based additive manufacturing include laser material processing and surface engineering. She also conducts research in the field of renewable energy, and biogas production from waste. She is a rated National Research Foundation (NRF) researcher in South Africa and has demonstrated excellence in all fields of endeavors.
Prof Akinlabi has supervised to completion 22 PhD candidates and 28 Masters Students. Her leadership, mentorship and research experience are enviable as she guides her team of postgraduate students through the research journey. She is a recipient of several research grants and has received many awards of recognition to her credit. She is a registered member of the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), Council for the Regulation of Engineering Profession in Nigeria (COREN), South African Institution of Mechanical Engineers (SAIMechE), the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), USA. Prof Akinlabi has filed two patents, edited four books, published seven books and authored/co-authored over 500 peer reviewed publications.
Keynote VIII: Wednesday, April 6, 2022, 1:00 – 1:30 pm
Ing. Prof. Nana Sarfo Agyemang Derkyi, PhD
Dean
School of Engineering
Department of Energy and Petroleum Engineering
University of Energy and Natural Resources
Sunyani, Ghana
Ing. Prof. Nana Sarfo Agyemang Derkyi, an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering is the Dean of School of Engineering, University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), Ghana. He is a Chemist and a Chemical Engineer by education, and a Renewable Energy Technologies Expert by training and practice. He has a PhD in Chemical Engineering, Masters in Organic Chemistry, and two Bachelors, one in Chemistry, and another one in Chemical Engineering. He is a recipient of the prestigious Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) award, and a SEED Award Winner. He was the Country Representative for Ghana during the United Nations’ International Year of Chemistry (IYC 2011). He has been actively involved in renewable energy technologies locally and internationally (Thailand, China, Israel, France, Germany, Niger, Algeria). He was part of the team that reviewed Ghana’s Bioenergy Policy, Ghana’s Energy Policy, and Renewable Energy Master Plan. He also contributed to Ghana’s Draft Science Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy and Framework of STI Bill. He was one of the two-member Ghanaian delegation on ‘Expert Consultation on Vegetable Oils of Africa for Energy’ held in Uganda.
He is involved in the organization and administration of research, and supervision of undergraduate and graduate students’ theses. He has trained plywood production managers in the formulation and application of his research team’s cassava-based adhesives in plywood production throughout Ghana. He supervised the effective production of briquette charcoal for export and local consumption. He is passionate about sustainable processes, and he is currently leading a project on Zero Emission Concepts for Urban Resilience in Selected African Countries (ZECURA). His research program is aimed at the advancement of the biochemical, thermal, thermochemical, and electrochemical engineering applied to renewable energy technologies with a strong focus on the question “to what extent can renewable energy be integrated in the overall energy supply systems for improved livelihoods and sustainable development?” Another key area of his research is in the processing and utilization of natural products, as well as the operations and optimization of chemical processes and the associated environmental consequences. Engineering design of equipment and plants is another area of his interest.
He teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses including Bioenergy Systems and Design, Biogas Technology, Process Engineering Principles, Production and Operations Management, Energy and Environmental Sustainability, Sustainability and Environmental Management Systems, and Renewable Energy. He has also developed some curricula in both graduate and undergraduate studies. He is a Visiting Professor at the Clean Energy Center of Naresuan University in Thailand where he offers training in biomass gasifier design and manufacture as well as solar water pumping systems. He is also a Visiting Professor at the West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use (WASCAL) of Abdou Moumouni University in Niger, as well as Pan Africa University of Water and Energy Science (PAUWES), Algeria; University of Applied Science, Rottenburg, Germany; Policy Pathways Incorporated, Virginia, USA. He is involved in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) capacity building of teachers across Ghana.
He has a number of publications to his credit and also reviews research articles for journals including, but not limited to Environmental Engineering Research Journal, International Journal of Renewable Energy Research, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Academic Press, South African Journal of Chemical Engineering, International Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy, International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering, Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences, Chemical Product and Process Modeling, International Journal of Pure and Applied Chemistry. He is a member of some local and international Associations including; Ghana Chemical Society, Ghana Institution of Engineering, World Bioenergy Association, World Society for Sustainable Energy Technologies, American Chemical Society, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Society of Applied Spectroscopy, and Association of Energy Engineers.
Keynote IX: Wednesday, April 6, 2022, 1:30 – 2:00 pm
Engr Prof. Emenike. C. Ejiogu
Director
Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development
University of Nigeria Nsukka
Prof. Emenike C. Ejiogu was educated at the Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Nigeria, Nsukka for B.Eng (June 1987) and M.Eng (March 1990), before proceeding for his PhD studies in April 1990 at the Department of Electronic Engineering, National Shinshu University, Nagano-city, Japan, on Japanese Government Ministry of Education Scholarship. Prof. Ejiogu obtained his PhD (Power Devices and Energy Systems), in March 1994. He has held various positions in the academia and industrial sector, in Japan, from April 1994 till present, including, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu-city, Japan (Sept 1997 – Sept 2001) , Director of Technology, Energy & Environmental Inc, Osaka, Japan (2005-2008), Research Professor, Mirai Denchi/MicroSilitron Inc. Laboratory, High Tech Research Centre, Ritsumeikan University, Japan (2007-2013) and Executive Director (Industrial Technology and Innovation), Nigerian Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Japan (NCCIJ), Tokyo, Japan (2017-Present).
In June 2011, he was appointed a professor at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. Prof. Ejiogu has since served the university in various positions, such as, the Head of Department of Electrical Engineering (August 2013-July 2016), the Chairman of the Board of the University of Nigeria Water Resources Management Services Limited (2017-2018), Board Member, University of Nigeria Lion Science Park (2018-Present). Prof. Ejiogu is the Executive Adviser to the Vice-Chancellor on Special Projects (2018-Present). He is the Principal Investigator of the Laboratory of Industrial Electronics, Power Devices and New Energy Systems (LIEPNES), University of Nigeria, Nsukka (July 2011 – Present).
In 2018, Prof. Ejiogu led a multidisciplinary group of academic and non-academic staff of the University of Nigeria to write a proposal that merited the award of a World Bank Centre of Excellence. The Centre is named the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development (ACE-SPED), and Prof. Ejiogu currently serves as the Director/Centre Leader of the Centre. He is also a Visiting Professor at the Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering Science, University of Johannesburg, South Africa (2020-present).
Prof. Ejiogu belongs to several professional organizations, such as the New York Academy of Sciences, USA (1996-Present), Institute of Electrical Engineers, Japan (IEEJ) (1994-Present), the European Power Electronics Association (EPE) (1997-present), the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), USA (1992-present), Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) (2017-present). He is a registered Engineer of the Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), since 2011.
Prof. Ejiogu has numerous publications in reputable international journals and conferences and has trained many Masters and PhD students both in Japan and in Nigeria. He also has international patents in new energy devices and systems. His areas of expertise include industrial electronics, power devices and new energy systems.
Keynote X: Wednesday, April 6, 2022, 2:00 – 2:30 pm
Professor Charles Mbohwa, Ph.D.
Pro-Vice Chancellor Strategic Partnerships and Industrialisation
University of Zimbabwe
Harare, Zimbabwe
Professor Charles Mbohwa is a Pro-Vice Chancellor Strategic Partnerships and Industrialisation at University of Zimbabwe and an affiliated Professor in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment. He is an established researcher and professor in the field of sustainability engineering and energy. He was the Chairman and Head of Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Zimbabwe from 1994 to 1997 and was Vice-Dean of Postgraduate Studies Research and Innovation in the Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment at the University of Johannesburg from 2014 to 2017. He has published more than 350 papers in peer-reviewed journals and conferences, 10 book chapters and three books. He has a Scopus h-index of 11 and Google Scholar h-index of 14. Upon graduating with his BSc Honours in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Zimbabwe in 1986, he was employed as a mechanical engineer by the National Railways of Zimbabwe. He holds a Masters in Operations Management and Manufacturing Systems from University of Nottingham and completed his doctoral studies at Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Technology in Japan. He was a Fulbright Scholar visiting the Supply Chain and Logistics Institute at the School of Industrial and Systems Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, a Japan Foundation Fellow, is a Fellow of the Zimbabwean Institution of Engineers and is a registered mechanical engineer with the Engineering Council of Zimbabwe. He has been a collaborator in projects of the United Nations Environment Programme. He has also visited many countries on research and training engagements including the United Kingdom, Japan, German, France, the USA, Brazil, Sweden, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Mauritius, Austria, the Netherlands, Uganda, Namibia and Australia. He has had several awards including British Council Scholarship, Japanese Foundation Fellowship, Kubota Foundation Fellowship; Fulbright Fellowship.
Thursday, April 7, 2022
Keynote XI: Thursday, April 7, 2022,12:00 – 12:30 pm
Prof. Elizabeth S. Bosire Abenga
Director
Pan African University Institute for Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences (PAUGHSS) Yaounde Cameroon
Prof. Dr. Elizabeth S. B. Abenga is a Professor of Education with a PhD in Educational Communication and Technology – Educational Technology specialisation, a Masters in Educational Administration, Planning and Curriculum Development with a focus on Curriculum Development after a Bachelor of Education. In addition to this she has special certification of training in higher education leadership and management from University of Kassel, Germany and an enviable training in Management of Internationalization in Higher education from University of Hannover, Germany. She assumed office as the Director of the Pan African University for Governance, Humanities and Social Sciences (PAUHSS), in Yaoundé, Cameroon in 2020. She joined PAUGHSS, from Kenya with experience in Higher education institution teaching and research of over 33 years, the most recent being at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology, where she served for over 17 years in the department of Curriculum and Instructional Technology and various administrative positions. Here she rose up the ranks through the Kenyan meritocratic system. While at Masinde Muliro University she had the privilege to serve as the Head of Department of Information and Documentation in the School of Open learning and Continuing Education, as the founding Director of International relations and linkages for the university, and acting Deputy Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs. Her research interest is in the field of application of technology in instructional design and implementation. She also has an interest in organizational learning and Internationalization which have influenced her practice and publication profile.
Prof. Abenga has a prolific portfolio of expertise in training and capacity building in her three spheres of interest (Teaching and Learning, higher education leadership and management and Internationalization) to the level of regional expert in DAAD sponsored programmes. She is an active member of professional associations such as African Network for Internationalisation of Education (ANIE), Society of Educational Research and Evaluation in Kenya (SEREK), Educational Management Society of Kenya (EMSKENYA), South Africa Comparative and History of Education Society (SACHES), Kenya DAAD Scholars Association (KDSA), African Women in Science and Engineering (AWSE) DIES-DAAD network.
Prof. Abenga has a rich repertoire of authored and co-authored peer reviewed articles, book chapters and 5 training modules and supervised as well as mentored graduate students.
Keynote XII: Thursday, April 7, 2022,12:30 – 1:00 pm
Prof Keith Carter
Honorary Professor
University of Leicester
United Kingdom
Keith F. Carter is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers as well as being a chartered Nuclear engineer and a chartered Naval Architect. He is a director and principal consultant for Keimar Consultancy in Leicester, England. Over the last 15 years, Keith has been associated with a wide variety of engineering projects for Rolls-Royce at Derby, England, in both the nuclear marine and aerospace divisions principally specialising in structural integrity issues. He has also carried out other significant projects in a variety of fields, including the analysis of AGR graphite cores for British Energy (EDF). Dr. Carter has held the post of Visiting Design Professor within the School of Engineering at the University of Leicester in England for a number of years, bringing in considerable engineering and industrial experience to the teaching of students and to various research projects. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and a PhD in statistical mechanics using computer simulation, both from the Royal Holloway College at the University of London and has authored over 30 academic papers as well as numerous reports for client companies.
Keynote XIII: Thursday, April 7, 2022, 1:00 – 1:30 pm
Engr. Dr Izuchukwu F. Okafor
Director
National Centre for Energy Research and Development
University of Nigeria Nsukka
Izuchukwu F. Okafor is the current Director of the National Centre for Energy Research and Development (NCERD), University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) and the Head, National Stove Eligibility Laboratory Unit of the Centre. He obtained his B. Eng. and M. Eng. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Nigeria, Nsukka, with emphasis on Energy and Power Technology and PhD at University of Pretoria, South Africa, in the Dept. of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering. He conducted his research work in the Clean Energy Research Group funded by Advanced Engineering Centre of Excellence, University of Pretoria, NRF, TESP, NAC, and SOLAR Hub, EEDSM Hub and CSIR. He has his expertise in: (i) Renewable energy technology: solar thermal systems design and development – concentrated solar thermal system, solar water and air heating system; numerical modelling and simulation, CFD-ANSYS fluent, etc. (ii) Energy Management and Environment: Industrial energy audit, energy efficiency programme, etc. In 2008, he was appointed a Research Fellow in the NCERD, UNN. He was the Head, Energy Mgt. and Environment Unit of the Centre and team member on the Implementation of the ECN/ECOWAS/CUBA Govt. Energy Efficient Lighting Project in UNN. He was the principal investigator in the design and development biomass cookstoves, biomass/coal briquetting machine, biomass solid fuels optimization and production of clean biomass briquette fuel funded by NCERD, UNN. He chaired the Technical Committee on verification/validation committee, for implementation of the biomass clean cookstoves standard in Nigeria in 2017. Under the UNDP-GEF Sustainable Fuelwood Management (SFM) Project in Nigeria, he is the Team Leader on the Participatory Technology Development of Affordable and Energy-Efficient Cookstoves. He has conducted several capacity building trainings on energy-efficient biomass cookstoves design, fabrication, and characterization/performance evaluation. In 2018, he had a parallel appointment as a Senior Research Fellow in the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, UNN, where he lectures Mechanics of Machines, and also in the World Bank Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Power and Energy Development, UNN, where he lectures on Energy Conversion and Storage Processes. He supervises B. Eng. and M. Eng. degree projects, and has research publications in peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. He has chaired and participated conferences/workshops, HTC in Kyoto, Japan in 2014, presented his research articles at both local and international conferences. He was the Secretary-General Solar Energy Society of Nigeria and a member of World Energy Council (WEC)-Nigerian National Committee, Corporate member of Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), ASME and COREN Registered.
Keynote XIV: Thursday, April 7, 2022, 1:30 – 2:00 pm
Engr Felicia Nnenna Aguabata, PhD. FNSE, ACIArb
Nigeria Airspace Management Agency
Murtala Muhammed International Airport
Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria
Dr. Felicia Nnenna Agubata is the Assistant General Manager Terrestrial Services at the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) .
NAMA is an Air Navigation Service Provider (ANSP) responsible for managing the Nigerian Airspace through the Provision, Installation and Maintenance of Navigational Aids, Communication Equipment and Surveillance Systems, etc. Dr. Felicia has over 18 years of experience in aviation, project management and communication engineering. She is a graduate of Computer Science & Engineering( 2nd Class , Upper Division) , has a Master’s degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering (Communication Engineering) with distinction and holds a doctorate degree in Communication Engineering.
Felicia is a Council member of the Council for Regulation of Engineering in Nigerian (COREN), Member Technical Board of Directors of Prototype Engineering Development Institute(PEDI), Ilesha , Osun State and a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE). She was a past Director IFATSEA (International Federation of Air Traffic Electronics Association) African Region , Member Board of Trustee Women in Aviation Nigerian Chapter and an Associate member of UK-Based Chartered Institute of Arbitrators( ACIArb). A recipient of 2010 Women in Aviation Scholarship as well as 2007 Association of Women in Aviation Maintenance ( AWAM) scholarship and featured in 2006 edition of AWAM newsletter.
Dr. Felicia Agubata is the 15th President of the Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), from 2018 to 2019; and a passionate Dream Gap/ STEM advocate. She has trans versed all the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria with her “Invent It, Build It “ initiative under APWEN and awarded scholarships to 81 pupils from primary to university level as well as constructing seven science and technology laboratories in seven states ( primary schools ) across the six geo political zones in Nigeria in partnership with NNPC. Some of the labs are completed and others are work in progress. She has contributed in building the capacity of STEM teachers across the six geopolitical zones in partnership with University of West of Scotland through the SHEENGINEER “Invent It, Build It “ program sponsored by Royal Academy of Engineering UK , in partnership with University of West of Scotland (UWS) and collaboration with Institution of Engineering Technology(IET), UK as the 2019 GCRF African Catalyst grant awardee.
She is the recipient of APWEN Biennial Woman award 2018-219( for unparalleled contribution to women capacity development and girl -child education) and 2020-2021( for the greatest impact on the associations achievements) . She is a recipient of Aviators Africa Tower Awards as a Change maker for year 2021 under STEM category. She is a committed professional as attested by her industry and hands on approach to problem solving . Principals and peers readily acknowledge her can-do spirit and team ethics. Felicia has an innate desire to mentor and guide young STEM students in achieving their goals .Her knack and drive for engineering solutions are compulsive. She also enjoys percolating technical knowledge within professional groups and outside. She is a devout Christian and happily married with kids.
Keynote XV: Thursday, April 7, 2022, 2:00 – 2:30 pm
Engr Dr. Mrs. Edith Y. Ishidi, FNSE, FIPE, RCOREN, MACS, MSPE, MPIN, MSLCT, MMSN
Director of Research, Business Development, Consultancy and Collaboration
Sheda Science and Technology Complex
Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation
Abuja Nigeria
Engr. Dr. Mrs. Ishidi FNSE an indigene of Abia State, obtained her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D) in the year 2010 from the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria and had a foundation degree from the very revered Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO) in Imo state with second class (honours) upper degree and M. Eng. from the same University. Her passion driven career of human capacity development started in the year 1999 in Zaria, Kaduna State as Assistant Lecturer in the then Federal College of Chemical and Leather Technology, (CHELTECH) Samaru Zaria, where she was assigned the responsibility of carrying out research and teaching of students in the field of Polymers and Polymer related programs. To these she served diligently as a Lecturer, Researcher, Examination Officer, Students Project Officer, SIWES Coordinator, Departmental Secretary, Head of Department and Pioneer Director of Polymers and Environmental Technology Directorate of the same agency. The agency’s name was later, (in 2011) changed to the Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST). She left NILEST in December 2015 to join another sister agency called Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), Abuja.
SHESTCO is also a Research Institute in the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST) now Federal Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (FMSTI), with the core mandate of advanced research (at its highest possible level in Nigeria). During her service at NILEST, which spanned almost 2 decades, Engr. Dr. Mrs. Ishidi served in different capacities which include the following:
- Director, Polymers and Environmental Technology;
- Head of Department, Polymer Technology;
- NILEST Management Committee;
- NILEST Tenders Board;
- Chairman, NILEST Projects Implementation and Monitoring Committee (PIMC);
- Chairman, NILEST Technologically Based Projects Commissioning Committee;
- Member, NILEST Projects Planning and Procurement Committee;
- Member, NILEST Exhibition Committee;
- NILEST Workshop Facilitator for in – House Capacity Building on Entrepreneurship;
- Member, Committee on Development of Zazzau Leather Cluster Project through Public Private Partnership;
- Examination Officer in School of Chemical Technology;
- Students Project coordinator in the School of Chemical Technology;
- Member, Staff Welfare Committee as well as
- Member of many sub-committees too many to be mentioned.
Her experiences as lecturer, researcher and an administrator are evident in her list of about Forty (40) Journal publications both National and International as well as numerous students’ projects supervised over the years. Her exposure and experience as HOD and later as Director of Research have also helped her acquire the needed leadership competencies that has enabled her excelled in various responsibilities given to her at different times. This is demonstrated by the written commendation to her by the management of NILEST in 2013 and the award she received as an Ambassador of Moral and Ethics in Civil Service in 2015.
Engr. Dr Mrs. Ishidi has served NSE in the following capacities:
- Vice President in charge of Process and Electro -mechanical Board;
- National Executive Committee Member;
- Chairman, Engineering Man-power Development Committee;
- Vice Chairman, Membership Services Department;
- Vice Chairman, Engineering Regulation Liaison/Legislation Board;
- Chairman, NSE Professional Examination Committee;
- Member, Professional Development Board;
- Member, Membership Services Board;
- Associate Examiner, Category C1 Interview;
- Member NSE Onward Strategic Vision;
- Member, Women in Engineering Committee;
- Member, Engineering Burear Services Board;
- Chairman NSE Zaria Branch;
She is a member of the following professional bodies:
- Registered Engineer, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria. (RCOREN)
- Fellow, Nigerian Society of Engineers. (FNSE).
- Fellow, Institute of Polymer Engineers. (FIPE)
- Member, American Chemical Society, (ACS).
- Member, Society of Plastics Engineers. (SPE) UK.
- Member, Society of Leather Chemists and Technologists, UK.
- Member, Polymer Institute of Nigeria (PIN).
- Member, Material Society of Nigeria (MSN).
She has on several occasions represented the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMSTI) and the country at bi – national discussions both within and outside Nigeria on Science and Technology matters. She is happily married to Mr. M.Y.N Ishidi. To the glory of God, the union is blessed with children.
Past Printed Conference Program Booklets in pdf – click to open
- Monterrey, Mexico 2021 Nov. – 6th North American
- Surakarta, Indonesia 2021 Sept. – 2nd Asia Pacific
- Bangalore, India 2021 August – 1st Indian
- Rome, Italy 2021 July – 4th European
- Harbin, China 2021 June – 1st Asia Pacific
- Post-Au-Prince, Haiti 2021 May – 1st Central American and Caribbean
- Sao Paulo, Brazil 2021 April – 2nd South American
- Singapore 2021 March – 11th Annual
- Harare, Zimbabwe 2020 December – 2nd African
- Atlanta, GA, USA 2020 – 1st IEOM Global Engineering Education Conference
- Detroit, USA 2020 August – 5th North American
- Dubai, UAE 2020 March – 10th Annual
- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 2019 November – 1st GCC
- Toronto, Canada 2019 October – 4th North American
- Pilsen, Czech Republic 2019 July – 3rd European
- Bangkok, Thailand 2019 March – 9th Annual
- Pretoria, South Africa 2018 October – 1st African
- Washington, DC, USA 2018 September – 3rd North American
- Paris, France 2018 July – 2nd European
- Bandung, Indonesia 2018 March – 8th Annual
- Bogota, Colombia 2017 – 1st South American
- Bristol, UK 2017 July – 1st European
- Rabat, Morocco 2017 March- 7th Annual
- Detroit, Michigan, USA 2016 – 2nd North American
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2016 – 6th Annual
- Orlando, Florida, USA 2015 – 1st North American
- Dubai, UAE 2015 – 5th Annual
- Bali, Indonesia 2014 – 4th Annual
- Istanbul, Turkey 2012 July – 3rd Annual
- Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2011 January – 2nd Annual
- Dhaka, Bangladesh 2010 January – 1st Annual
Past Keynotes
- IEOM 2010 – Dhaka
- IEOM 2011 – Kuala Lumpur
- IEOM 2012 – Istanbul
- IEOM 2014 – Bali
- IEOM 2015 – Dubai
- IEOM 2015 – Orlando
- IEOM 2016 – Kuala Lumpur
- IEOM 2016 – Detroit
- IEOM 2017 – Rabat
- IEOM 2017 – Bogota
- IEOM 2017 – Dhaka
- IEOM 2018 – Bandung
- IEOM 2018 – Paris
- IEOM 2018 – Washington DC
- IEOM 2018 – Pretoria
- IEOM 2019 – Bangkok
- IEOM 2019 – Costa Rica
- IEOM 2019 – Pilsen
- IEOM 2019 – Toronto
- IEOM 2019 – Riyadh
- IEOM 2019 – Dhaka
- IEOM 2020 – Dubai
- IEOM 2020 – Detroit
- IEOM 2020 – Atlanta
- IEOM 2020 – Harare
- IEOM 2020 – Dhaka
- IEOM 2021 – Singapore
- IEOM 2021 – Sao Paulo
- IEOM 2021 – Haiti
- IEOM 2021 – China
- IEOM 2021 – Rome
- IEOM 2021 – India
- IEOM 2021 – Monterrey
- IEOM 2021 – Dhaka
- IEOM 2022 – Istanbul
- IEOM 2022 – Nigeria
- IEOM 2022 – Paraguay
- IEOM 2022 – Orlando
- IEOM 2022 – Rome
- IEOM 2022 – India
- IEOM 2022 – Malaysia
- IEOM 2022 – Dhaka
- IEOM 2023 – Manila