Why did you apply for the Green Talents Award?
When I applied for the Green Talents Award, I was driven by three main motivations. First, I wanted to be part of a truly global network of young professionals who shared my passion for sustainability. The theme of my year was focused on the sustainability of cities, which directly connected to my own research interests. Being among peers who were equally committed to shaping sustainable urban futures felt like an invaluable opportunity for growth and collaboration.

Second, I saw Germany as one of the best places in the world to advance sustainability research. Its strong culture of innovation, robust research institutions, and visible commitment to environmental stewardship made it the ideal setting to refine my skills and broaden my perspectives. Finally, beyond the academic and professional gains, I wanted to experience Germany itself – to learn from its culture, enjoy its landscapes, and embrace the adventure of living and working in a different environment. That experience profoundly shaped me. It gave me not only new knowledge, but also a renewed appreciation of nature and a deeper drive for excellence in research.

In what ways did your research stay with Green Talents influence your future career path?
My research stay in Germany became a turning point in my professional journey. While there, I engaged in projects on indoor environmental quality and green buildings, which opened my eyes to new ways of thinking about sustainable design. When I returned to Nigeria, I was inspired to put this knowledge into practice. I started working as a Green Buildings consultant, where I translated what I had learned abroad into solutions that could work in my local context. This experience gave me the confidence to step into leadership roles, to bridge research with practice, and to help clients and communities embrace more sustainable ways of living and building.

What are you currently working on?
Today, I serve as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Founder of the Green Habitat Initiative, an NGO I established to tackle pressing environmental and social challenges in Nigeria. Our work focuses on Sustainable Development Goals 6 (clean water and sanitation), 7 (affordable and clean energy), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), and 13 (climate action). I lead the organization’s strategy, partnerships, and fundraising efforts, ensuring that we not only deliver impact locally but also contribute to global sustainability conversations.

At the same time, I am in the final stages of my PhD in Urban and Organizational Studies at Malmö University in Sweden. Balancing research and practice has been deeply rewarding – my academic work feeds into my NGO leadership, while my field experience grounds my research in real-world challenges. Looking back, I can clearly see how the Green Talents Award gave me the platform, confidence, and international exposure that continue to shape the path I am walking today.

Why did you apply for the Green Talents Award?

When I applied for the Green Talents Award, I had conducted several research projects in environmental chemistry and environmental engineering. I just also finished my master degree and looked for a PhD program to pursue research in organic solar cells. I hoped to broaden my understanding of how Germany manages to meet so much of its domestic demand through renewable energy sources.

What are you currently working on?

Currently, I am a Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Soka University of America, which is a unique and small liberal arts college in Southern California. My main responsibility is teaching undergraduate courses. My research group works in the computational exploration of molecules and the discovery of nature-inspired drugs. We merge the rich, century-long knowledge of chemistry with the prowess of Computational Chemistry, Computational Structural Biology, and Machine Learning. Before Soka University of America, I was one of the founding faculty members of Fulbright University Vietnam, the first liberal arts college in Vietnam. You can read about the experience of the first year at Fulbright in my article: The Co-Design Year at Fulbright: Surviving and Thriving Under Uncertainty. 

Why did you apply for the Green Talents Award?

I was working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil Engineering at the National Institute of Technology Durgapur, India in the year 2009. As an alumnus of DAAD and the University of Konstanz, I received an email from DAAD about the Green Talents competition. The mission outlined in the Green Talents flyer deeply inspired me and motivated me to apply. I saw the competition as a valuable opportunity to advance my career in the field of water resources management. I believed that, if selected, I would be able to connect and collaborate with likeminded researchers from around the world who are working at the frontlines of climate and environmental solutions. I also saw Green Talents as a platform that aligns closely with my long-term goals—to contribute to sustainable transformation through research, policy, and innovation. The opportunity to spend time at a German research institution was a chance to both grow academically and build relationships that could lead to future collaborations. Fortunately, I was honored to be selected as one of the 15th Green Talents awardees in 2009.

In what ways did your research stay with Green Talents influence your future career path?

My research stay in Germany with GreenTalents had a profound impact on my future career path in various ways. First of all, it significantly deepened my commitment to interdisciplinary research in sustainability both at home and abroad. Being immersed in an international network of top researchers (example, GLEON: Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network) and innovators exposed me to novel methodologies and diverse perspectives across science and engineering. This experience broadened my academic insights and strengthened my practical understanding of sustainable development.

Again, the collaborative environment encouraged me to think beyond my own discipline. Working closely with German research institutions and learning about cutting-edge green technologies inspired me to integrate more systems thinking into my work. I gained hands-on experience with new technologies and scientific tools, learning how to apply them effectively in complex, real-world contexts. This not only expanded my technical skill set but also motivated me to pursue interdisciplinary projects that connect science, policy, and industry – such as my ongoing collaboration with the City University of New York on urban flooding resilience.

Most importantly, the experience solidified my desire to work on a global scale. The connections I made, and the exposure to global sustainability challenges, reinforced my goal of contributing to international research efforts and climate policy initiatives. The stay didn’t just influence my next steps – it gave me a clearer long-term vision for my career.

The outcomes of this experience have been substantial: I was selected for two postdoctoral positions — at the City University of New York and the University of New Hampshire —secured a US EPA Senior Research Associate Grant, received multiple travel grants, and currently serve as a City Research Scientist at the New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP).

What are you currently working on?

Currently, I am working on a project focused on sustainable urban water and wastewater management The goal is to apply hydrologic and hydraulic modeling (InfoWorks ICM) to analyze 14 drainage areas in New York City to assess the hydraulic capacities and performance of the city's wastewater system under varying conditions. Since precipitation is a primary driver of hydrologic and hydraulic models, understanding how rainfall patterns especially under changing climate scenarios affect catchment runoff is critical. This makes stormwater a significant challenge for the city, contributing to flooding and combined sewer overflows (CSOs). That’s why gaining a deeper understanding of the hydrological processes behind urban floods is essential for improving decision-making and minimizing the city's vulnerability to floods. A key part of this work involves developing climate-induced precipitation datasets to simulate various climate scenarios and evaluate their impact on CSO and stormwater mitigation planning, management, and operations in New York City.

Additionally, I am working on a water distribution system modeling project that examines the potential impacts of climate change on water supply and demand projections in the city. Furthermore, I am leading the development of a tool to predict CSO volumes based on rainfall volume and duration, which will inform CSO and waterbody advisory notifications.

What excites me most about these projects is their interdisciplinary nature. They open up opportunities for collaboration across sectors, and I’m currently in discussions with few German universities to seek their support in ensuring the research translates into actionable outcomes with global relevance.