CITATION OF PROF. ROSE UZOMA OSUJI, FSESN (Ph.D., M.Sc., B.Sc. [University of Nigeria])
Prof. Rose Osuji was born on the 4th day of September 1947 into the elite family of Late Hon. Francis Alek Mgbulu-Amadi, an Oxford and Cambridge trained foremost educationist and mathematician, founder and premier Principal of Igbo-Etiti Grammar School, Adada River, Nsukka (1959), a member of the Federal House of Parliament in the First Republic of Nigerian Government and Madam Mary Ulodek Amadi, of blessed memory, a London trained Home Economist, a renowned educator in her own right and the daughter of Late Fabian Edoga of the Edoga Ugwuanyi lineage who was an accomplished business mogul of his time, the first man to own a vehicle in Aku, Igbo-Etiti Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Being a chip off the old block, with a great passion for education and very sharp intellect, Rose did her nursery, primary, secondary and university education in some of the most prestigious institutions in Nigeria. She was always graduating with enviable accolades that culminated in a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Solar Energy Physics and Materials Science. Like her parents, she took to educating the upcoming generations in the teaching profession at different levels spanning from Secondary school (1981 -1985) to University education for over thirty-four years (1985 to date). She rose progressively through the ranks from Graduate Assistantship through to Lectureship cadre and Professorial cadre in a male-dominated field of Physics.
With an astute mind, sound in academics and great poise in research, Rose Osuji has and is still replicating herself in the academic arena. An intellectual giant who has successfully mentored and produced many students at the graduate and postgraduate levels, some of who are now Professors in their rights and have become influential researchers across the globe. To her credit, she has successfully graduated about 6 PhD students, over 25 students in the level of MSc, while currently supervising about 7 PhD and 12 MSc students.
She has also contributed immensely to science in the area of research as evidenced in numerous publications in the areas of Solar Energy, Materials Science and Nanomaterials. She has participated in many National and International scientific conferences/workshops and has carried out research works in numerous Research Centres like The James Frank Institute, University of Chicago, USA, The Abdus Salam-International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste Italy, The Ettore Majorana Centre for Scientific Culture, Erice, Sicily, and the iThemba Laboratory for Accelerated Sciences, Somerset West, South Africa.
As a seasoned administrator, she was the Head, Department of Physics and Astronomy University of Nigeria (2012 to 2015), a position she had previously held from 2006 to 2008. Prof. Rose Osuji has also served in higher administrative positions; as a member of the University of Nigeria Governing Council having been elected from the floor of the University Senate (2013 – 2017) and in many other capacities within the University of Nigeria Committees. She has also served several times in the National Universities Commission (NUC) Accreditation Teams to different Nigerian Universities and as the Chairman of a Team. She at present serves as External Examiner to many Nigerian Universities.
Prof. Osuji holds a membership position in various professional organisations,
Ø The International Solar Energy Society, ISES, 1988 to date,
Ø The American Institute of Physics, AIP, 1987 to date,
Ø The Organization of Women in Science for the Developing World, 1988 to date,
Ø Committee on the Status of Women in Physics, CSWP, 1989 to date,
Ø Materials Society of Nigeria, MRS, 2006 to date,
Ø The NanoSciences African Network, Somerset West – Republic of South Africa, 2013 to date, e.t.c
She is a Fellow of the Solar Energy Society of Nigeria and a renowned expert in her field of specialisation and is well recognised locally, nationally and internationally.
She has as well served in various capacities at the National Executive Councils of some of the Bodies.
Ø 1st Vice President of the Solar Energy Society of Nigeria, 2010 – 2012;
Ø National Treasurer 2003 – 2010; National Asst. Sec. 2001 – 2003.
Specifically, Prof. Rose Osuji served meritoriously as the National Assistant Secretary from 2004 to 2008 in the National Council of the Nigerian Institute of Physics, NIP.
She has research interest in the areas of Thin Film Photovoltaics- Growth and Characterization of crystals, nanomaterials and their Applications, Materials Science, Solar Energy, and Climate Change. She has published over eighty quality papers both nationally and internationally in highly rated impact factor journals; some conference proceedings, technical papers and an Undergraduate University textbook. Her inaugural lecture in the University of Nigeria, which was the 107th Inaugural Lecturer of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka featured the topic ‘Lovely Surprises Come in Small Packages: Thin Film Photovoltaics’. For want of space, a comprehensive list of her publications is on her website at www.goroseway.org and www.nanotechunn.com. From Google Scholar citation, her h-index is 17; her i10-index is 25 and her current journal citations are 820.
Professor Rose Osuji is currently leading a formidable research team – The UNN NANO RESEARCH GROUP that is actively involved in fundamental studies on nanomaterials and thin films for photovoltaic applications. She has successfully organised many well-participated International conferences on Nanotechnology. She has served the University of Nigeria, Nsukka meritoriously for over thirty-four years before her retirement in September 2017. She is currently serving as a Consultant in the University of Nigeria, Consultancy Unit.
Rose was married to late Prof. Louis Okechukwu Osuji of the Business School, Chicago State University, USA, an erudite scholar and educationist from Ibeme, in Isi-Ala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria and to the glory of God, they have six children.
Mr President, Sir, it is with honour and great privilege that I present:
This TrailBlazer,
This Rare Astute Internationally Acclaimed Researcher,
This Formidable Organizer,
This Loving Educator,
This Seasoned Academic, Prof. Rose Uzoma Osuji
For the award of the prestigious Fellowship of the Nigerian Institute of Physics.
THANK YOU.