GLOBAL TEAM LAUDS FUTA EXPERTISE IN CLIMATE STUDIES
A team from the African Science for Weather Information and Forecasting Techniques (SWIFT) Project under the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCFR) has lauded the efforts and Positive Contributions of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, FUTA in weather related researches, climate studies and environmental matters in the African Continent. The Commendation came from Lorraine Youlds, Samantha Clarke and Dr. Elijah Adefisan who came on a working visit to FUTA. Introducing the guests, Head Department of Meteorology and Climate Science, Professor Ahmed Balogun, said the team was working with experts in FUTA to foster manpower development in accurate Weather Forecast which he described as an essential tool for modern society. Professor Jerome Omotosho, a member of the FUTA SWIFT Team stated that Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and Senegal are the four Countries that are involved in the Project. Dr. Youlds added that part of the Objective of the programme is to provide Opportunities for Researchers to broaden their horizon in weather related studies through collaborative studies and international exposure. She said Dr Adefisan from FUTA, who serves as a member of the International Team based in the University of Leeds, has continued to acquit himself creditably well and his contributions has underscored the depth of FUTA’s faculty. The Vice Chancellor, Professor Joseph Fuwape, Commended the effort of Dr Laurine Youlds and her Colleague, Dr Samantha Clarke. He added that FUTA will ensure that the collaboration yields positive results and enhances the status of FUTA as the leading University in the area of weather related studies on the continent.
FUTA’s Department of Meteorology and Climate Science (MCS) and the WASCAL Graduate Research Studies program in the West African Climate System (GSP-WACS) won the research grant from the United Kingdom (UK) Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) African Science for Weather Information and Forecasting Techniques (SWIFT) in 2017. Over the four -year programme, experts from FUTA who won the grant, Prof. Kenny Ogunjobi (Director, WASCAL), Dr. Elijah Adefisan ,Prof. Emmanuel Okogbue,Prof. Jerome Omotosho and Dr. Vincent Ajayi will join a team of 25 UK and 45 African atmospheric scientists, social scientists and operational forecasters who will undertake fundamental scientific research into the physics of tropical weather systems, evaluation and presentation of complex model and satellite data, and communications and exploitation of forecasts. By significantly improving the research capacity in Nigeria in particular, the project will benefit diverse sectors such as aviation, agriculture, energy, water resources and emergency response. The project will also ensure that results can be translated beyond the partner countries and into the wider developing world.
Recently Dr. David Awolala of FUTA’s Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics was awarded a Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship of the SWIFT Project under the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCFR) of the Faculty of Environment, University of Leeds, United Kingdom. The Fellowship which runs between November 2018 and May 2020 is co-hosted by the Department of Meteorology, University of Nairobi (UoN) Kenya and the Department of Meteorology, Federal University of Technology, Akure.