Cursory: The University on Monday, appointed a Professor of Food Science and Technology, Olayinka Karim, as the first female Vice Chancellor of the institution.
Authority of Fountain University, Osogbo,Osun State has appointed a lecturer with the University of Ilorin, Professor Olayinka Karim, as its new Vice-Chancellor.
Born 52years ago in Ijebu-ode, Ogun State, the varsity don began her academic career in Food Science and Technology in 1992 when she obtained B.Sc (Hons.) degree in the discipline from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Prof. (Mrs) Karim later acquired an M.Sc degree from the University of Ibadan, in 1995 and a Ph.D. degree from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, as the first Ph.D. graduate of the Department of Food Science and Technology in 2005.
She has invested over 24 years of enviable teaching, research, community service, and consulting in Food Science and Technology and to humanity in general.
Teaching and Supervision:
I am a devoted and committed teacher who has taught over twenty courses in Food Science and Technology and Home Economics at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels at Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Yewa Campus, Ogun State, Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete, and the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Ilorin.
In 2015/2016, I was a visiting Professor at KWASU, where I facilitated the creation of the Department of Food Science and Technology from the former Department of Food, Agriculture, and Bio-engineering.
My teaching experience has been commended by many students and been awarded the Best Annual Lecturer by some Students’ Associations seven times at OOU and the most friendly female lecturer at the University of Ilorin. I have successfully supervised and co-supervised 94 B.Sc.; M.Sc.and Ph.D. dissertations and theses in Food Science and Home Economics.
One of my supervised B.Sc. dissertations on cocoyam amala won the GKS African/Latin American undergraduate students exchange scholarship by the Korean Government in 2017. The project student is currently undergoing his Ph.D. in Korea with a full scholarship.
Another supervised M.Sc. thesis on the production of gari won a full scholarship with me as the co-supervisor of his Ph.D. at the University of Adelaide, Australia among many other supervision distinctions.
Administrative Record:
I am the current and first female Dean of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin (2021 till Date. Due to my distinct leadership role, capacity and strong interpersonal skills to successfully handle various assignments, I had the opportunity to serve as Chairman and member of over eighty Academic and Administrative Committees and Boards at Unilorin, KWASU, and OOU.
Community Service:
Beyond academics, my community service is wide-ranging and demonstrates the Town and Gown relationship in many folds. I engaged in different community-based projects to educate and build the capacity of women and youths on different entrepreneurial skills in food processing.
I also consulted for many Food Companies and presented documentaries on some traditional foods on the National Television Authority, national radios, and in newspapers. I was the anchor of Food and Health on Unilorin 93.5 FM (2009-2011). I solely developed Spiced Bread for commercial production during my National Youth Service Corp programme at B.S.B. Bakery Akure, Ondo State. This earned me an N.Y.S.C. Commendation Award in 1993.
I participated in three National Sports Festivals and National Universities Games, where I won one gold and two bronze medals respectively. I am currently the Amirah (Women Leader), Muslim Women Ladies Circle, Unilorin, Secretary, Council of Elders, NASFAT, Tanke Branch, and an Ambassador for Peace, COFP.
Professional Bodies:
As a versatile scientist, I am actively affiliated with several reputable professional bodies locally and internationally. These include the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology (NIFST) as a Fellow, the Institute for Food Technologists (IFT), Women in Agricultural Research and Development (NiWARD), African Crop Science Society (ACSS), Association of African Agricultural Professionals in the Diaspora (AAAPD).
ALLSCHOOL TEAM
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