UNILORIN Lecturer, Zainab Yaqub Bags PhD in South Africa Varsity
Zainab Yaqub, a lecturer at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), has bagged a PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa.
At the university’s convocation ceremony held on Monday, July 29, 2024, Yaqub was conferred with the doctorate degree for her research on Chemical Looping Combustion of waste paper and sugarcane bagasse with ilmenite as the oxygen carrier.
The research work, which was supervised by Prof. Bilainu Oborien and co-supervised by Prof. Henrik Leion from Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden, explored energy recovery from waste sources with carbon capture.
Her work not only contributes to the field of Chemical Engineering but also offers new insights into the utilization of waste materials for energy production while ensuring sustainable waste management and mitigating environmental hazards.
Commenting on Yaqub’s academic accomplishment, Prof. Oborien said, “She made original contributions to the field of Chemical Looping Combustion of municipal solid waste. Three journal articles from this study were published in high-impact journals, highlighting the significance and quality of her work.”
He further noted that Dr. Yaqub was his seventh doctoral student and the first whom he supervised through both master’s and doctoral degrees.
Reflecting on her achievement, Yaqub expressed gratitude to her supervisors and loved ones for their guidance and unwavering support. She equally dedicated her success to her late father, Prof. Yaqub Muhammad, whom she said was her biggest cheerleader during her PhD programme.
“Completing this PhD has been a challenging yet rewarding journey for me. I thank Allah for this success. I am deeply grateful to my supervisors, Prof. Oborien and Prof. Leion, for their guidance and support. This achievement would not have been possible without their guidance.
“I equally want to appreciate my loved ones, especially parents, late Prof. Yaqub Muhammad and Prof. Jameelah Yaqub for their support and mentorship. I dedicate my PhD degree to my late father who was my biggest supporter and inspiration throughout this journey. I pray Almighty Allah graciously reward both of my parents for their care and service to me and my siblings.
“I am eager to contribute my knowledge and experience to the academic community at UNILORIN and to continue exploring sustainable solutions in Chemical Engineering,” she said.
Yaqub obtained a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Lagos in 2016 before proceeding to the University of Johannesburg, where she bagged both her Masters degree and PhD in 2019 and 2024 respectively.
She joined the services of UNILORIN in December 2023 as a lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering. She’s the Executive Director of Milestone Agenda for Youth Empowerment and Development Initiative (MAFYEDI), a non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting access to quality education for marginalized communities and to empowering young people to drive sustainable development in their communities.