Nigerian Researcher Wins US Award for Groundwater Study

Nigerian-born groundwater 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 work during the Blue Integrated Partnerships Summer Institute, which brought researchers together to investigate rainfall patterns, watershed conditions and surface-water changes across Puerto Rico and the United States and British Virgin Islands.

According to the award announcement, the recognition reflected his commitment, research contributions and performance during the programme.

The research examined precipitation trends from 2000 to 2025 using historical rainfall records, geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial analysis to identify seasonal and annual variations across the territories.

Oni also contributed to a study of Puerto Rico’s Río Grande de Loíza watershed. The research used satellite-derived indicators to assess surface-water conditions, including signs associated with turbidity, suspended sediments and changes in chlorophyll levels.

The award follows Oni’s recent completion of 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 heating element generates a thermal signal, while temperature sensors detect how groundwater carries the heat as it flows past the equipment. Researchers then analyse temperature differences to estimate the velocity and direction of underground water movement.

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.

The technology could help researchers investigate groundwater contamination by providing information about how pollutants travel underground and whether they may reach 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.

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

However, he has emphasised that technologies developed to address these challenges must be affordable, practical and easy to maintain for communities and institutions expected to use them.

The recognition highlights the role of interdisciplinary research and environmental monitoring technologies in improving understanding of water systems and supporting sustainable water management.