For advancing innovative and technological solutions to tackle flood and other challenges to sustainable urban development, nine students of the University of Ibadan have received cash awards ranging from N50,000 to N500,000.
The winning undergraduate and postgraduate students emerged at the finals of the geo-hackathon, season 2, held at the University of Ibadan, on Tuesday.
For developing a web-based application for automated flood-risk assessment and waste management, Osalor Wonderful, a 200 level student of Computer Science and Waris Sanusi, a 500 level student of Industrial Production Engineering alongside Ajulo Samuel won the grand prize of N500,000.
The application intends to have citizens to be more involved in knowing the possibility of flood in their areas and working towards a cleaner and sustainable environment.
Two undergraduate students of the department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering of the university, Sonny-Egbeahie Akhere, Akinlade Joseph emerged first runner up, winning N300,000, for evolving a flood early warning system using water level sensors.
Ayanda Joy, an undergraduate student of the department of Geography emerged winner in the Innovative Solution/Research category for promoting a Flood Health Risk Mapper concept and got the sum of N300,000.
Closely following Ayanda, in this category, as a team of Onasanya Olugbenga, Akinola Joshua, Olayinka James and Fowowe Akinsanmi for developing an innovative solution for solid waste management to enhance urban resilience.
The “Tell Your Story” category was won by John Adeleye, a postgraduate student of Geography for his work titled, ‘Fire Incidents: A Recurring Menace’.
Adeleye got the sum of N150,000 while the duo of Adekoya Adetomi and Shomide Patricia came in second place and got N75,000 for their work on “Mitigating Sachet and Bottle Water Waste: Panacea for Flooding”.
Second runners-up across the three categories were Alasiri Oluwatosin, the team of Adekanbi Michael, Omoyeni Edamisan, Adeniyi Rasheed and another team comprising Akingboye Mubarak, Arinze Betsy and Olaomo Olayemi.
Other tech-solutions espoused by the other 38 university students who made the finals included a Mobile solution for waste collection and recycling developed by the duo of Adebiyi Sefiyat and Adeleke Richard; a devise that converts human kinetic energy to electricity developed by Adegbenro Benjamin and a software application to control flood in flood prone areas designed by Olagunju Korede.
Asked what plans were in place to ensure that the students’ ideas come to fruition, Geo-Hackathon Implementation Partner, David Afolayan gave the assurance that the student innovators will be supported until their innovations become marketable.
Pointing to assurances of support from industry partners, Afolayan said the student innovators will subsequently go through an incubation process featuring training, patents, 3D prototyping, developing products, entering markets.
In her welcome address, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Research, Innovation and Strategic Partnerships (RISP), University of Ibadan, Professor Olanike Adeyemo, said the university was in sync with geo-hackathon initiative because of its intent to promote research, innovation and develop environmental and industry viable solutions for sustainable development.
Adeyemo harped on the need for the university to come up with solutions to meet societal challenges for sustainable development.
Emphasizing the importance of town-gown relationship, Adeyemo said the University of Ibadan was rising to the task of impacting the local community by supporting innovations promoting Ibadan Urban resilience.
She assured of commitment of the University of Ibadan to promoting, creativity, innovation, entrepreneurship and partnerships and encouraging adoption of geospatial technology as a catalyst for sustainable development.
Speaking, Coordinator, Ibadan Urban Flood Management Project (IUFMP), Mr Dayo Ayorinde noted that such initiatives like geo-hackathon will help proffer practicable solutions to lingering flooding problem in Ibadan.
He however noted that the gains of the IUFMP in curbing flooding continues to be rubbished due to relentless buildings on flood plains, wanton destruction, increasing urbanisation, indiscriminate dumping of solid waste on waterways, climate change and global warming.
Present at the event were representatives of partners to include IUFMP, Environmental Systems Research Institute, Innov8xions-Cheth Limited and GIS Konsult Limited.