ASUU-NAU Chairman Ufoaroh, others receive awards, as Faculty of Physical Sciences holds 9th annual lecture

The Faculty of Physical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka has awards to deserving awardees for their meritorious service to the university and Departments in the faculty including the Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) UNIZIK Chapter (ASUU-NAU), Comrade Engr. Dr. Stephen Ufoaroh for Diligence in Service and Administration.

Others awarded were Prof. Nkechi Obiekezie, Honourable Commissioner for Youth and Creative Economy, Chief Sir Cyril Okoye, Dr. Mrs. Chioma Ezenyimulu, Prof. Gloria Obuzor (Guest Lecturer), Engr. Marcel Ifejiofor, The class of 1998, Department of Geological Sciences.

Awardees included some deserving retirees from the faculty like Prof. Isaac Okerulu and Dr. Paul Nwakor both of Pure and Industrial Chemistry Department, Chukwuelobe Nathaniel of the Dept. of Physics and Industrial Physics and Mrs Veronica Ezechukwu of the Department of Computer Science.

The Faculty of Physical Sciences on Thursday successfully held it’s 9th Faculty Annual Lecture series with a retinue of scholars and eminent researchers given opinions and suggestions on the need to effectively manage chemical products and it’s waste.

The theme of the 9th Annual Lecture Series “The implications of a Chemical Product and its Waste” had it’s Guest Lecture as Prof. Gloria Ukalina Obuzor from the University of Port-Harcourt with the former Vice-Chancellor of Enugu State University of Technology (ESUT), Prof. Luke Anike as the Chairman of the Occasion.

In his address the Dean, Faculty of Physical Sciences, Prof. Josephat Ogbuagu expressed his gratitude to UNIZIK Vice Chancellor, Prof. Charles Esimone, FAS for his immense support for the Lecture series.

The University Don stated that under his watch the Faculty is set to commence a Master of Science degree programme in Integrated Water Resources as well as the move to create three new Departments.

Prof. Ogbuagu also pointed out that the Faculty has keyed into the vision for ‘Project 200’ by the restoration of the Journal of Basic Physical Research.

While delivering her lecture on ‘The Implications of a Chemical Product and its Waste’, the Guest Lecturer, Prof. Gloria Obuzor highlighted that the Chemical Industries are central in the modern world economy as they convert raw materials into more than 70,000 different products with Plastic as one of its major products. The scholar grouped plastics into two main polymer families, Thermoplastics (which soften on heating and harden again on cooling) and Thermosets (which never soften once they have been moulded).

Prof. Obuzor also posited that plastics especially microplastics are accumulating in the world’s water bodies at an alarming rate which is not good for the natural ecosystem, she pointed out that various chemicals incorporated into plastics as raw materials or additives can leach from plastics into the environment. She enumerated the various plastic types such as Polyethylene Terephthalate, High Density Polyethylene, Polyvinyl Chloride, Low Density Polyethylene, Polypropylene and Polystyrene. The scholar harped on the need to embrace Green Chemistry as a measure in prevention of pollution at the molecular level and reducing the negative impacts of chemical products on human and the environment health.

Present at the occasion were the Deans of the Faculty of Biosciences and Management Sciences, Prof. Stanley Udedi and Prof. Lilian Orogbu respectively, the Head of the Departments in the Faculty, Professors, teaching and non-teaching staff as well as Post Graduate and undergraduate students of the Faculty.