Nigerian-born researcher, Ayobami Oni, has received the Blue Integrated Partnerships Extra Mile Award in the United States in recognition of his contributions to water and environmental research during a 2026 summer research programme in the Caribbean.
Oni earned the recognition following his participation in the Blue Integrated Partnerships Summer Institute, an interdisciplinary programme that examined rainfall patterns, watershed conditions and changes in surface water across Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.
According to the announcement of the award, Oni was recognised for his commitment, research contributions and performance throughout the programme. The statement noted that he had gone beyond expectations in contributing to the institute’s research activities.
The programme investigated precipitation trends between 2000 and 2025 across the three Caribbean territories, drawing on long-term rainfall records, geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis to examine seasonal and annual variations in rainfall patterns.
Oni also contributed to research conducted in the Río Grande de Loíza watershed in Puerto Rico, where satellite-derived indicators were used to examine surface-water conditions, including turbidity, suspended sediments and variations in chlorophyll levels.
His recognition comes after he recently completed a Master of Science degree in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University in the United States. He previously studied Agricultural Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State.
Beyond his recent award, Oni has focused his postgraduate research on developing a three-dimensional device designed to measure groundwater movement by estimating the speed and direction of underground water flow.
The technology uses heat as a tracer to monitor groundwater movement. A heater generates a thermal signal, while temperature sensors positioned around the device detect how flowing groundwater carries the heat through the surrounding material.
By analysing the resulting temperature differences, the device can estimate the velocity and direction of groundwater movement, offering a potential tool for investigating underground water systems.
The research combines computational fluid dynamics, sensor technology, electronic systems, laboratory experiments and field testing. Oni used ANSYS Fluent software to model groundwater movement and heat transfer through porous materials, while the development process involved sensor calibration, circuit-board design and data acquisition.
Testing progressed from controlled laboratory environments to groundwater wells, allowing the researcher to examine the device’s potential for measuring underground water movement and identify factors that could influence the accuracy of its readings.
The ability to establish the speed and direction of groundwater flow has important environmental implications, particularly in investigating the movement of contaminants beneath the earth’s surface. Understanding these pathways can help researchers assess how pollutants may travel underground and potentially threaten nearby wells and other water sources.
Oni’s broader research interests include hydrologic modelling, flood behaviour, environmental sensing and geospatial analysis. He has also explored the application of machine learning and remote sensing to the investigation of groundwater pollution.
The researcher believes these approaches could contribute to addressing water-management challenges in Nigeria, where groundwater serves as an important source of water for many communities, while concerns about water quality, flooding and changing rainfall patterns continue to demand effective monitoring and management.
According to the statement announcing the recognition, environmental sensors, GIS, satellite remote sensing, hydrologic modelling and artificial intelligence could strengthen the ways water-related challenges are monitored, predicted and managed.
Artificial intelligence, in particular, could help researchers analyse large volumes of environmental data, identify patterns and improve the interpretation of changing water conditions. However, such tools would complement rather than replace established engineering principles and physical models used to understand water systems.
Oni has also emphasised the importance of developing practical technologies that can be maintained and deployed affordably. For him, the value of environmental research extends beyond technical innovation to whether the resulting solutions can be used effectively by communities and institutions that need them.
His award highlights the contribution of Nigerian researchers to international scientific collaboration, particularly in fields addressing environmental sustainability, water security and climate-related challenges.
As Nigeria continues to confront concerns surrounding access to safe water, groundwater contamination, flooding and changing weather patterns, research that improves the understanding and monitoring of water resources could support more informed environmental planning and decision-making.
Oni’s achievement adds to the growing visibility of Nigerian researchers participating in international scientific programmes and developing technologies with potential applications beyond the laboratory.
