Six undergraduate students of the University of Abuja on Tuesday received the sum of N5.45 million in research grants to undertake groundbreaking research in various fields of interest.
Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Aisha Maikudi, presented the cash awards to the recipients during the 6th Undergraduate Research Day in Abuja, under the theme: “Promoting National Development Through Research.” The programme was organised by the Centre for Undergraduate Research (CUR) of UniAbuja.
Maikudi reaffirmed the university’s commitment to fostering an environment of curiosity, creativity, and innovation, aligning research outcomes with solutions to societal challenges.
“We are committed to fostering an environment where curiosity thrives, creativity flourishes, and innovation leads to solutions for societal challenges.
“As undergraduates, you are the next generation of thought-seekers and change-makers,” she said.
The VC commended the Centre for Undergraduate Research and its consultative members for their dedication to nurturing the students and empowering them to address real-world issues.
Prof. Taibat Adebukola Atoyebi, the director of CUR, earlier in her remarks, said 20 groups of students expressed interest in the research grants while 13 teams were shortlisted to submit research proposals, with six ultimately selected.
The six teams presented their proposals and received the grants to the tune of N5,450,000 on Tuesday.
Atoyebi added that three students who had previously presented their research proposals during the 4th Research Day were also presenting their final results at this year’s event.
She mentioned that the CUR is already accepting applications for the next round of research grants, with a revised criterion that emphasises aligning student research with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to address pertinent societal needs.
Atoyebi further announced that the 7th Research Day will take place in the second semester, where the findings from the research presented this year will be shared.
The event saw the presentation of research findings from six students who were awarded grants. The grant recipients and their research topics are as follows: Ngutswen Aondonenge Emmanuel (Department of Biological Science) – Bioactive Compounds from K. pinnata and J. tanjorensis: Isolation, Characterisation, and Evaluation of Anti-anaemic and Hepatoprotective Effects in Rats.
Others are: Isa Iqraam Ozavize (Department of Veterinary Medicine) – Assessment of Biosafety and Waste Management Practices in Abattoirs in the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria; Madaki Enyojo Nathan (Microbiology) – Application of Vermitechnology in Solid Waste Management and Sustainable Agriculture.
Also, Egbeji Paul Owam (Medical Laboratory Science) proposed “Evaluating the Phytochemicals and Antidiabetic Properties of Curry Leaves (Murraya Koenigii),” while Okolie Juliet Ukamaka (Economics) submitted a proposal on “Using AI and ML to Model Energy Consumption in University of Abuja’s Students’ Hostels: A Macroeconomic Approach.”
Ezeadua Valentine Chinonso (Medical Laboratory Science) wrote on “Phytochemical and Antimicrobial Properties of Calopogonium Mucunoides and Mitracarpus Species (Rubiaceae) against Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae.”
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