Congratulations to Benard Omogo, who was recently awarded research funding through the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Program for his project with Wesley Omwoyo of Maasai Mara University, Kenya, titled "Noble Nanomaterials Synthesis, Characterization, and Application on Degradation of Organic Pollutants."

This prestigious fellowship, now in its 10th year, is designed to strengthen capacity at the host institutions and develop long-term, mutually-beneficial collaborations between universities in Africa and the United States and Canada. It is funded by Carnegie Corporation of New York and managed by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in collaboration with the Association of African Universities. The fellowship supports academic collaborations between African-based institutions and African-born scholars who are based in the U.S and Canada.

Omogo, who earned a Ph.D. in physical and inorganic chemistry from the U of A in 2014, is currently a visiting scholar from Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology in Kenya and an instructor within the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences.

Omogo has dedicated his career to advancing nanotechnology while investing in the communities from which he came. His research seeks to bridge the gap between nanoscience advancements in industrialized and developing countries.

While nanotechnology research has been extensively developed in industrialized nations, many African institutions lack funding, infrastructure, and expertise in the field. At the same time, Omogo said, severe pollution from industrial waste and organic contaminants continues to pose significant environmental threats.

His and Omwoyo's work seeks to address these challenges by providing training and mentorship to African students and instructors. Their project will focus on:

• Synthesis and application of noble nanomaterials for environmental remediation
• Training new faculty and students in chemistry and physics
• Hands-on mentorship utilizing cutting-edge characterization techniques, including UV-Vis spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, light and transmission electron microscopy, XRD analysis, and pollutant degradation studies

The CADFP supports fellows like Omogo to spend up to 90 days at African higher education institutions, engaging in curriculum co-development, collaborative research, and graduate-level teaching and mentoring.

This also marks the first time a U of A professor has received this prestigious fellowship — a significant milestone for both Omogo and the institution.

"We're proud of Dr. Omogo and the research he's conducted with and on behalf of the U of A and our Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry," said the department's chair, Colin Heyes. "Being selected for the CADFP further underscores the importance of his work, and the potential it has to not only advance nanotechnology research but also strengthen scientific capacity-building in Africa, paving the way for future breakthroughs in the field."

"This fellowship also provides a strong opportunity to further strengthen international collaborations between the U of A and universities in African nations on scientific research, as well as for graduate student and faculty development for many years to come," he added.

Through this fellowship, Omogo said he will personally mentor students and faculty, equipping them with the skills to conduct independent research and contribute to the growing field of nanoscience in Africa.

"I hope my work in nanomaterials and pollutant degradation will help create sustainable solutions for environmental challenges, while also fostering long-term collaborations between African and international institutions," Omogo said.

---

This story also appeared in the Fulbright REVIEW publication.