A globally acclaimed scholar and Professor of Environmental Chemistry, Nurudeen Oladoja, is set to deliver the 39th Inaugural Lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State.
According to a statement by the Chairman of the Ceremonies Committee and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration), Professor Adebisi Daramola, the lecture will take place on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, at the University Multipurpose Hall, beginning at 2:00 PM. Guests are expected to be seated by 1:30 PM, and the lecture will be chaired by the Vice Chancellor, Professor Olugbenga Ige.
Titled “The Chemistry Beat: Harnessing Benign Reactions for Water Purification,” the lecture will spotlight innovative approaches to environmental sustainability and water treatment.
It is worth recalling that Professor Oladoja was among eight AAUA scholars listed in the 2024 Stanford–Elsevier global ranking of the top 2% of scientists worldwide, with 103 publications to his name at the time.
Professor Oladoja began his academic journey with a B.Sc. (Ed.) in Chemistry from the University of Lagos in 1991, followed by an M.Sc. in Industrial Chemistry (1994) and a Ph.D. in Chemistry (2003) from the University of Benin, Benin City.
He joined AAUA in 2007 as a Lecturer I in the Department of Chemistry and rose to the rank of Professor of Environmental Chemistry in 2015. He has supervised one completed Ph.D. thesis, with four others ongoing, as well as 12 completed and three ongoing M.Sc. dissertations. He has authored 117 scientific publications to date.
A seasoned academic and administrator, Professor Oladoja has served as Head of the Department of Chemistry and is currently the Dean of the Faculty of Science.
His international academic engagements include serving as:
- Visiting Professor (CAS-PIFI), Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (2019–2020),
- Visiting Professor, Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technical University of Munich, Germany (2013–2015),
- Visiting Research Scientist, School of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Sains Malaysia (September–December 2011).
Professor Oladoja is the recipient of numerous prestigious grants and fellowships, including:
- International Foundation for Science Research Grants (2008, 2012),
- CAS-TWAS Postdoctoral Fellowship (2008/2009),
- AAUA Research Grant Awards (2010, 2013),
- Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowships (2012, 2015, 2016, 2023),
- TETFund Research Grants (2012–2022),
- Commonwealth Travel Grant (2017),
- CAS Presidential Fellowship (2019–2020),
- Cambridge-Africa ALBORADA Research Fund (2018–2019),
- British Ecological Society Research Fund (2021–2022),
- ANSO Collaborative Research Grant (2022/2023).
