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AUST BOARD APPOINTS PROFESSOR AZIKIWE PETER ONWUALU ACTING PRESIDENT

The Board of Trustees and Governing Council of the African University of Science and Technology (AUST), Abuja, has appointed, Professor Azikiwe Peter Onwualu, FAS as the new Acting President of the University.

He took over from Professor Charles Ejike Chidume who died recently.

Until his recent appointment, Professor Onwualu was the Head, Materials Science and Engineering Department, Director, Academic Planning, Co-Centre Leader, Pan African Materials Institute (PAMI) and Focal Point, Partnership for Skills in Applied Sciences, Engineering and Technology (PASET) of the university.

Born on April 27, 1959, into the family of Mr. and Mrs. John Onwualu, Oba, Idemili South Local Government, Anambra State, Nigeria, Professor Onwualu attended St. George’s Primary School, Oraifite before he proceeded to Merchants of Light School, Oba in Anambra State, Nigeria where he obtained the West Africa School Certificate (WASC) in 1977 in Division One. He then attended the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he obtained a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering in 1982 with First Class Honours. He later received a Master’s (1987) and Doctorate (1991) degrees in Agricultural Engineering from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and Technical University of Nova Scotia, Halifax, Canada (now Dalhousie University) respectively. He joined the services of the University of Nsukka as a Lecturer 1 and was promoted to the rank of Professor of Agricultural Engineering in 1999.

Professor Onwualu has contributed immensely to the development of Agricultural and Materials Engineering in Nigeria with special interest in Agricultural Power and Machinery, Agro-Processing and Biomass Engineering. He was Head, Agricultural Engineering Department, UNN (2000-2003), Director, Engineering Infrastructure, National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure, NASENI, Abuja (2003-2005) and Director General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Abuja (2005-2013). He was a Visiting Professor at the National Universities Commission (2014-2015) before joining the services of African University of Science and Technology in 2016. He is a member of Board of Directors of African Technology Policy Studies Network (Nairobi) and Chairman of Board of Engineering Materials Development Institute (EMDI), Akure. He is a member of National Research Fund Committee (NRF) of TETFund (2019-2021) and Vice President of Nigeria Academy of Engineering.

He is a Fellow of 12 professional bodies, including Polymer Institute of Nigeria, Agricultural Society of Nigeria, Materials Science and Technology Society of Nigeria, Nigerian Society of Engineers, Nigeria Academy of Engineering, Nigerian Institute of Management, and Nigeria Academy of Science. He is happily married to Mrs. Blessing Nwamaka Onwualu of Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN) and they have four children.

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