History was made on Wednesday, 28th October 2024 as
the Chemical Engineering Alumni Class of 2012 recognized and rewarded three
research projects of the Department's final year students.
The maiden colourful event was an initiative of the
'Chemical Engineering Alumni Class of 2012' geared towards promoting academic
excellence through research, raising the visibility of the Department and
giving back to the University Community.
Three research projects out of the seven presented by
the participating groups got the nod and approval of the panelists after a
careful evaluation in the selection process which includes research project
presentations and defenses done virtually.
The research project of the duo of Adeoluwa Great
Adebusuyi and Lilian Chikasi Okonkwo titled, "Enhancement of membrane
properties of orange peel/lemon grass essential oil biofilm by aloe vera and
chitosan for post-harvest preservation of tomato" supervised by Engr.
Pascal Ohale won the first position with a prize reward of Two Hundred Thousand
Naira (N200,000).
The second position with a prize reward of One Hundred
Thousand Naira (N100,000) went to the research project carried out by the pair
of Promise Okeke and Victor Odinaka on the topic, "Mycelia effective
growth by inoculation of glucose solution using rotary biofilm contactor for
high yield of Fumaric Acid" which was supervised by Engr. Dr. Chika
Okonkwo.
The research project titled, "Production of
particle board from rice husk using wood adhesive synthesized from spent
cassava starch," carried out by the duo of Okechukwu Nzekwe and Onyeka
Unigwe supervised by Engr. Professor Joseph T. Nwabanne came third and settled
for the prize reward of Sixty Thousand Naira (N60,000).
In his reaction, the Head, Department of Chemical
Engineering, Engr. Dr. Chukwunonso Okoye eulogized the Alumni set of 2012 for
the thoughtful idea and initiative which according to him will aid the hunger
for quality research projects by final year students of the Department both now
and in the future, the scholar called on other Alumni Classes to emulate the
kind gesture for the growth of the department and education at large.
On his part, a former Dean of the Faculty of
Engineering, Engr. Professor Joseph Nwabanne described the initiative from the
2012 Alumni Class as a goal oriented move that will rekindle the nostalgia for
research by both undergraduate and postgraduate students of the Department.
Prof. Nwabanne while congratulating the winners called on other Alumni Classes
to borrow a leaf from the thoughtful process established by the 2012 Alumni
Class.
Re-echoing the views of other scholars, the immediate
past Head of the Department and erstwhile Sub-Dean of the Faculty, Engr. Prof.
Victor Ugonabo stated that Chemical Engineering Department of UNIZIK has always
been at the forefront of promoting academic excellence through teaching,
research and community service. The scholar described the initiative by the
2012 Alumni Class as wonderful and one that will re-ignite the passion for
research by students as well as enhanced tutelage by scholars of the Department.
Highpoints of the occasion was honour and reward of
the students whose research projects came tops during the selection process.
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