CONCEPT NOTE FOR NATURAL SCIENCE RESEARCH GROUP SCHOOL OF GENERAL STUDIES
Introduction
We intend to form a Natural Science , School of General Studies based Natural Science research group with the view to harness ideas of interdisciplinary nature of the academic staff ranging from Agriculture, Botany, Chemistry, Biochemistry, Microbiology, Zoology and Environmental Biology, Food Science and nutrition, Physics etc., develop new idea to tackle the challenges on energy, environment and other related areas, especially those related with the Millennium United Nation’s Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs are the world’s time-bound and quantified targets for addressing extreme poverty, hunger, diseases, among others, while achieving environmental sustainability.
The world has made significant progress in achieving many of the goals, but progress has been far from uniform. Sub- Saharan Africa is the epicenter of crisis, with continuing food insecurity, a rise of extreme poverty, stunning high child and maternal mortality, an generally a wide- spread shortfall for most of the MDGs. Thus in Africa, number of stunted children increased from 46 million in 1990 to 59 million in 2013 (WHO,2013), meanwhile child mortality is also still very high in the continent and 75% attributed to malaria, diarrhea etc, with malaria killing a child every minute ( WHO,2013).In addition, 2.4 billion people in the world will remain without access to improved sanitation and safe drinking water by 2015. These achievements are far below the targets of UN come 2015. Currently food, water, health crisis etc have been exacerbated by climate change, making the issue of climate change at the epicenter of achieving the UN MDGs come 2015. 2015 is therefore a critical year in the world and research attention on the MDGs by universities will be a welcomed development globally.
The Natural Science research group will tackle these global problems using multidisciplinary research approaches which are expected to lead to new discoveries as wells as put the university in the global world map.
Name: NATURAL SCIENCE RESEARCH GROUP
Research focus: Basic research as well as applied research in the areas of applications of energy and environment.
Composition of the Group and brief CVs of the members. To be sent later as wider consultation with members is required.
Coordinator of the Research Group: this will be coordinated for now by Dr. Julie Agwu, Natural Science Unit, School of General Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Members of the group include but not limited to:Dr. P.U. Asogwa,Dr. F.I. Ezema,Dr. Nwamara,Dr. GT Otitoju,Dr. A.I. Atugwu,Dr. E.B.I. Ugwu,Dr. Onwubiko,Dr. V.I. Ezekoye, Dr. C.U. Asuzu, Dr. M.N. Awachie, R.O. Ugwoke, F. Ibeanu, B.C. Nweze, F. Okoroigwe
The scientific merit
Proposed
Renewable Energy
Climate change
Food and security
Water
Nutrition and Health
Biodiversity
W A T
