Three senior academics at the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE) have secured research grants totaling $282,800 (approximately ₦423 million) from two major U.S.-based organisations—Virginia Tech and Seeding Labs—in a move that strengthens the university’s global research credentials.
The beneficiaries are Prof. Joshua Olalekan Ogunwole, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Strategic Partnerships, Research, Innovation and Linkages), Prof. Olayide Samuel Lawal, Director of Research and Development, and Prof. Cecilia Olufunke Akintayo, an industrial chemist and Schlumberger Foundation alumna.
Prof. Ogunwole facilitated the acquisition of a Connected Autonomous Space Environment Sensor (CASES) GPS receiver under Virginia Tech’s VT-NigerBEAR project, valued at $15,000. The device is expected to significantly enhance Nigeria’s research in space weather and atmospheric science.
In an accompanying letter, Prof. Wayne A. Scales of Virginia Tech commended Ogunwole’s visionary leadership and expressed optimism about collaborative breakthroughs.
Separately, Prof. Lawal and Prof. Akintayo led FUOYE’s successful application for the Seeding Labs Instrumental Access Award, securing 163 laboratory items valued at $250,000. These include PCR thermal cyclers, chromatography systems, and rotary evaporators, aimed at boosting research capacity in chemistry, agriculture, and allied disciplines.
Dr. Melissa Wu, CEO of Seeding Labs, praised FUOYE’s application, describing it as aligned with the core values of innovation and potential.
Thanks to Prof. Akintayo’s Schlumberger Foundation fellowship, FUOYE received a $17,800 discount on logistics and installation, with the university covering the remaining $10,000 to support the initiative.
Acting Vice-Chancellor Prof. Olubunmi Shittu hailed the development as a testament to FUOYE’s growing stature in global research circles. “We are proud of our faculty’s efforts to advance knowledge and position FUOYE as a leading research hub on the continent,” he said.
With these new resources, FUOYE is poised to expand interdisciplinary research and train a new generation of scientists equipped to tackle local and global challenges.
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