From Feb. 8 to 11, scientists from academia, industry, and more gathered at the International Conference Centre at the University of Ibadan in Nigeria to discuss “Emerging Technologies in Chemistry for Sustainable Development” as part of the 11th Annual Symposium hosted by the American Chemical Society Nigeria Chapter.
Kayode Oyebode Adebowale, vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan, was the chief host of the event, which included other speakers: Franklin Aigbirhio, professor of molecular imaging, University of Cambridge; Martin Onani, professor of inorganic chemistry, University of the Western Cape; Martins S. Oderinde, scientific associate director, Bristol Myers Squibb; Mary Anti Chama, associate professor of chemistry, University of Ghana; and Nevila Jana, assistant professor of chemistry, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.
Opening remarks included local organizing-committee chair Ganiyat Oloyede, who encouraged engagement as a means to catalyze research partnerships and create impactful collaborations; chair of the ACS Nigeria Chapter, Edu Inam, who emphasized chemistry’s role in addressing challenges such as public health, climate change, energy security, and more; and the Nigerian minister of innovation, science, and technology, Kingsley T. Ude, who reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening the country’s science, technology, and innovation ecosystem, stressing the need for deployable technologies, research commercialization, and policy-relevant scientific evidence to enhance industrial competitiveness, among other goals.
Monday and Tuesday were jam-packed with a keynote and plenary lectures; technical sessions including a younger-chemist session, women-in-chemistry session, and industrial session; workshops, including one on artificial intelligence and publication; and an exhibition focused on publishing.
Themes discussed in the technical sessions included emerging technologies in natural products; physical, theoretical, and mathematical chemistry; sustainability and innovations in chemical industries; green chemistry and nanochemistry; analytical chemistry; advances in AI-inspired chemical systems; and inorganic chemistry. “Emerging technologies in natural products and organic chemistry were the favorites, as there were many presentations in these areas,” Inam says.
The symposium has seen growth over time, with this year’s attendance being higher than last year’s. And Inam forecasts that next year should attract even more attendees, and not just from academia but also from industry, from government, and early-career scientists.
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