FUTA Professor wins top Nigerian Science prize

Matthew Ayorinde, a professor of Physical Chemistry at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), has been awarded the NAS Gold Medal by the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS).

This was announced in a Monday statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by Sonny Kuku and Oladoyin Okubanjo, chairman and executive secretary, respectively, of the NAS Science Prize Committee.

“The NAS Gold Medal was instituted by the Academy in 2016, to be awarded to deserving Nigerian scientists who have made significant achievements (of national relevance and global resonance) in science,” the organisers said. “The award is made annually, alternating between Life and Physical Sciences, and consists of a medal, a certificate, and a purse. The 2024 award is in Physical Sciences.”

Read the full statement below.

The Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) is pleased to award the 2024 NAS Gold Medal to Matthew Ayorinde ADEBAYO, a Professor of Physical Chemistry at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria. The NAS Gold Medal was instituted by the Academy in 2016, to be awarded to deserving Nigerian scientists who have made significant achievements (of national relevance and global resonance) in science. The award is made annually, alternating between Life and Physical Sciences, and consists of a medal, a certificate, and a purse. The 2024 award is in Physical Sciences.

Professor Adebayo is an astute researcher whose area of research has been in material science, water treatment, corrosion technology as well as environmental and applied Chemistry. Professor Adebayo’s research has focused on water treatment using adsorption, coagulation/flocculation and photodegradation processes. He has researched widely on the development of low-cost green materials, and composites, for remediation of organic dyes from water. The developed materials were effective for the decontamination of dye-laden wastewater (both simulated wastewater and spiked solutions).

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The work of Professor Adebayo and his collaborators have significantly contributed to knowledge by providing relevant information for stakeholders and industries on the conversion of biomass and other materials into adsorptive materials for effective wastewater decontamination. The presence of nitrate beyond permissible limit in water constitutes a danger to human health; hence, Professor Adebayo and his team converted elephant grass (biomass) into biochars at different prolytic temperature and the biochars samples efficiently removed nitrates ions from simulated water.

Professor Matthew Ayorinde Adebayo would receive the Award from the Academy on the 22nd of January 2025, during the Sixth NAS Annual Scientific Conference in Abuja, Nigeria.

The NAS is the foremost independent scientific body in Nigeria established in 1977 NAS is uniquely positioned to bring scientific knowledge to bear on the policies/strategic direction of the country and is also dedicated to the development and advancement of science, technology, and innovation (STI) in Nigeria. The aims and objectives of the Academy are to promote the growth, acquisition, and dissemination of scientific knowledge, and to facilitate its use in solving problems of national interest.