Nigerian researcher Ayobami Oni has received an international award in the United States for his contributions to water and environmental research during a scientific programme in the Caribbean.
Oni was presented with the Blue Integrated Partnerships Extra Mile Award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the 2026 Blue Integrated Partnerships Summer Institute, according to a statement announcing the honour on Friday.
The programme brought together researchers to investigate rainfall patterns, watershed conditions and changes in surface water across Puerto Rico and the United States and British Virgin Islands.
As part of the research, Oni participated in the analysis of rainfall records spanning 2000 to 2025, using geographic information systems and spatial analysis to examine seasonal and annual precipitation trends.
He also contributed to a study of Puerto Rico’s Río Grande de Loíza watershed, where satellite-based tools were deployed to assess water conditions and identify indicators linked to turbidity, suspended sediments and changes in chlorophyll.
The award recipient recently completed a Master of Science degree in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University in the US, having obtained his first degree in Agricultural Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State.
His postgraduate research focused on developing a three-dimensional device capable of measuring the speed and direction of groundwater movement through heat-based detection technology.
The device uses a heater to generate a thermal signal, while sensors measure temperature changes as groundwater carries the heat through surrounding materials. The data are then analysed to determine the velocity and direction of underground water flow.
Oni’s research combined computer simulations, electronic systems, sensor calibration, laboratory experiments and field testing. The technology could help scientists understand how contaminants travel underground and assess the risks they pose to nearby wells and other water sources.
Beyond groundwater monitoring, the researcher has interests in flood modelling, environmental sensing and geospatial analysis, including the use of artificial intelligence and remote sensing to investigate groundwater pollution.
He believes that combining these technologies with established engineering methods could improve water management in Nigeria, where groundwater remains an important source of supply for many communities.
However, Oni stressed that technologies developed to address environmental challenges must be affordable, easy to maintain and practical for the communities and institutions expected to use them.
