Nigerian researcher Ayobami Oni wins a US award for his contributions to groundwater, water and environmental research

Nigerian-born groundwater researcher Ayobami Oni has received a United States award for his contributions to water and environmental research during a 2026 summer programme in the Caribbean.

Also read: Yira Sor Returns to Training After Six-Week Injury

Oni received the Blue Integrated Partnerships Extra Mile Award after participating in interdisciplinary research examining rainfall patterns, watershed conditions and surface-water changes across Puerto Rico and the United States and British Virgin Islands.

The award recognised his commitment, research contribution and performance during the Blue Integrated Partnerships Summer Institute, according to a statement announcing the honour on Friday.

As part of the programme, researchers examined precipitation trends between 2000 and 2025 across Puerto Rico and the two island territories.

The study used long-term rainfall records, geographic information systems and spatial analysis to investigate seasonal and annual variations in precipitation.

Oni also contributed to research in the Río Grande de Loíza watershed in Puerto Rico, where satellite-derived indicators were used to assess surface-water conditions.

The research examined signals linked to turbidity, suspended sediments and changes in chlorophyll.

According to the statement, Oni went “above and beyond expectations” and made exceptional contributions to research conducted during the 2026 summer institute.

The recognition comes after Oni recently completed a Master of Science degree in Agricultural and Biological Engineering at Purdue University in the US.

He previously studied Agricultural Engineering at the Federal University of Technology, Akure, in Ondo State.

His postgraduate research focused on developing a three-dimensional device capable of monitoring groundwater movement by estimating its speed and direction.

The device uses heat as a tracer. A heater generates a thermal signal while temperature sensors detect how groundwater carries the heat as it moves through the system.

The resulting temperature differences are then analysed to estimate the velocity and direction of groundwater flow.

The project combined 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 device’s development involved sensor calibration, circuit-board design and data acquisition.

Testing progressed from controlled laboratory conditions to groundwater wells, allowing the research team to assess the technology’s potential for measuring groundwater movement and identify factors that could affect the accuracy of its readings.

The ability to determine the direction and speed of groundwater movement could help researchers investigate underground contamination.

By understanding how groundwater travels, researchers can better assess how pollutants may spread underground and potentially affect nearby wells and other water sources.

Oni’s research interests also include hydrologic modelling, flood behaviour, environmental sensing and geospatial analysis.

He has explored the use of machine learning and remote sensing to investigate groundwater pollution, with a focus on approaches that could help address water-management challenges in Nigeria.

Groundwater supplies many communities in Nigeria, while concerns around water quality, flooding and changing rainfall patterns continue to underscore the need for better environmental monitoring.

The statement said environmental sensors, GIS, satellite remote sensing, hydrologic modelling and artificial intelligence could strengthen the way water-related problems are monitored, predicted and managed.

It noted that artificial intelligence could help researchers process large volumes of environmental data while complementing established engineering principles and physical models.

Oni, however, stressed that technologies developed for water management must be affordable, maintainable and practical for the communities and institutions expected to use them.

Also read: Yira Sor Returns to Training After Six-Week Injury

His approach reflects a broader emphasis on developing research solutions that can move beyond laboratories and provide practical benefits for communities facing water and environmental challenges.