Nigerian-born researcher Ayobami Oni has received the Blue Integrated Partnerships Extra Mile Award for his contributions to water and environmental research during a 2026 summer programme in the Caribbean.

Oni was recognised for his performance during the Blue Integrated Partnerships Summer Institute, which brought together researchers to investigate rainfall patterns, watershed conditions and surface-water changes across Puerto Rico and the United States and British Virgin Islands.

The research examined precipitation trends from 2000 to 2025 using long-term rainfall records, geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis to identify seasonal and annual variations.

Oni also contributed to a study of the Río Grande de Loíza watershed in Puerto Rico, where satellite-derived indicators were used to assess surface-water conditions, including turbidity, suspended sediments and changes in chlorophyll.

The award recognised his research contributions, commitment and performance throughout the programme.

Oni 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.

His postgraduate research focused on developing a three-dimensional device capable of measuring the speed and direction of groundwater movement.

The device uses heat as a tracer. A heater generates a thermal signal, while temperature sensors detect how groundwater carries the heat as it flows past the equipment. Researchers then analyse the resulting temperature differences to estimate groundwater velocity and direction.

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 to assess the technology’s performance and identify factors that could affect measurement accuracy.

Understanding the speed and direction of groundwater movement can help researchers trace how pollutants travel underground and determine whether contamination could reach nearby wells and other water sources.

Oni’s wider research interests include hydrologic modelling, flood behaviour, environmental sensing and geospatial analysis. He has also explored the use of machine learning and remote sensing to investigate groundwater pollution.

He believes these technologies could help address water-management challenges in Nigeria, where many communities depend on groundwater and face concerns over water quality, flooding and changing rainfall patterns.

He has emphasised that environmental technologies must be affordable, practical and maintainable to ensure that communities and institutions can use them effectively.

The recognition highlights the contribution of interdisciplinary research to understanding water systems and developing tools that can support environmental monitoring, groundwater protection and sustainable water management.