AI for women in aquaculture AI4WA

Project summary

Aquaculture plays an indispensable role in the livelihoods of the world's population as a whole, from its various levels of production to its significant contributions to the economy. However, there is a wide gender divide in the aquaculture value chain, with women's involvement most evident in post-harvest activities, which are generally less profitable activities. Men, on the other hand, tend to dominate in fishing activities, which are generally more lucrative. The adoption of artificial intelligence techniques in aquaculture will ensure gender equity, diversity and inclusion while minimising unintentional bias and providing many opportunities for women. The project will therefore focus on assessing and analysing the applications of AI techniques in aquaculture systems, and critically analysing gender in the use of AI in aquaculture systems, through extensive data collection, scoping studies, gap analysis and communication with stakeholders and policy makers to develop innovative recommendations.       

Project implementation area : Nigeria

Name of project manager

Mutiat Olaitan MOHAMMED 

She is a proactive and results-oriented team player, an advocate of the circular economy and turning waste into wealth. With over fifteen (15) years of professional experience, her expertise spans the fields of microbiology, nanobiotechnology, teaching and research. 

Mutiat has extensive experience in participating in and presenting research papers on the valorisation of agricultural waste. She is currently Acting Coordinator of the Research and Innovation Unit at Summit University, Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria.

As a researcher, Ms Mutiat's dedication to research and innovation in nanobiotechnology has earned her national and international recognition. 

Members of the team 

Abiodun Musa AIBINU (PhD),

He is an "AcadoPreneur" with over 24 years of experience in mechatronics engineering, teaching and research. He is currently Vice-Chancellor, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Academic Officer of Summit University, Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria, and Professor of Mechatronics Engineering at the Federal University of Technology (FUT), Minna.

Until now, he was head of the mechatronics engineering department at Minna's Federal University of Technology (FUT). 

Professor Aibinu has participated and won several academic and research awards at various international and national exhibitions. Notably, the Promising Researcher Award and the Best Teacher Award at IIUM Malaysia, the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Research and Development Award in 2017 and in 2019, the SERVICOM Excellence Award from the Federal University of Technology Minna . In 2021, he was one of the winners of the Vice-Chancellor's Award for Excellence. He has also won several research fellowships within and outside Nigeria. He has authored and co-authored several publications in local and international journals and conferences. 

Abdulwaheed MUSA (PhD) 

He is an academic with research, teaching, consultancy and leadership experience, with expertise in wireless communications, renewable energy systems, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies. 

Mr Musa is Director of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Systems (CAMS) and Deputy Director of the Centre for Technical, Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training (CTVET), having previously been Founding Director of the Centre for Telecommunication Research and Development (CTRD), Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete.

Nominated for the best PhD student award, Dr Musa holds a mini-MBA from the Tekedia Institute in Boston, USA. Between February 2017 and January 2020, he was a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Johannesburg's Intelligent Systems Institute (one of the flagship institutes and strategic thrusts leading South Africa and the African region into the Fourth Industrial Revolution), where he now holds the position of Senior Research Associate.

He has been awarded university scholarships, prizes and research grants, and has published over sixty (60) articles in reputed journals.

Sakinat FOLORUNSHO (PhD)

She is a member of the research directorate of Globalization Accessibility Innovation and Care (GAIC), a research network that includes Leiden University, Tilburg University, Leiden Institute of Advanced Computer Science (LIACS), Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Addis Ababa University and Mekelle University. She is the Nigerian ambassador for Women in AI (WAI), team leader for IndabaX Nigeria, national co-director and board member of the Virus Outbreak Data Network (VODANA) and a member of Women in Music Information Retrieval (WiMIR). She is the author and co-author of more than 50 publications on artificial intelligence. She is an expert in the development of responsible artificial intelligence systems.

Ganiyat Kemi AFOLABI-YUSUF

She is an academic and researcher in the field of computer science. She is currently the Coordinator of the Innovation and Advanced Science Research Group at Summit University Offa, Kwara State, Nigeria. In addition to her role as coordinator, she is team leader for the Data Science Network within the campus community of Summit University Offa (SUN, Offa). Ganiyat graduated with first class honours in Computer Science from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. She went on to obtain a Master of Science with Distinction in Computer Science, also from the University of Ilorin, Nigeria. Throughout her career, Ms Ganiyat has been actively involved in various professional associations and has held senior positions in various capacities. Currently, she is a graduate member of the Computer Professional Registration Council of Nigeria (CPN), serves as coordinator of the Innovation and Advanced Science Research Group (IASRG), leads the Computing and Innovation Research Group (CIRG) as team leader, and spearheads the Summit University DSN (SUNO DSN) academic community as team leader. She has won several awards, scholarships and grants. 

Taliha Abiodun FOLORUNSO

He is a member of the faculty of the Mechatronics Engineering Department at Minna Federal University of Technology (FUT Minna). He holds a PhD in Computer Engineering, specialising in Artificial Intelligence and Control, from the Federal University of Technology Minna and an MSc in Mechatronics and Automatic Control Engineering from the prestigious Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) in Malaysia. 

Taliha Abiodun FOLORUNSO also holds a bachelor's degree in electrical/electronic engineering from the renowned Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) in Ogbomosho, Nigeria.

He is currently a senior researcher at the Advanced Engineering Innovation Research Group (AEIRG), (www.aeirg.com.ng), specialising in control, robotics, automation, embedded systems development and artificial intelligence, as well as precision agriculture. Deputy Director of the International Centre for Emerging Technologies (ICET), Federal University of Technology, Minna. 

Ibrahim Akinola Salawu 

He is a researcher, lecturer, animator and resource facilitator. He holds a BA in Political Science and Public Administration from Fountain University, Osogbo, and an MA from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria. 

He is currently a lecturer in the Department of Political Science at Summit University in Offa, Kwara State, and currently coordinates the department's activities. His areas of research include gender and minority studies, democracy and elections in African politics. 

He also joined Offa Summit University's Innovation and Scientific Advancement Research Group and was an active member of the University's award-winning grant proposal, funded by the UK's Royal Academy of Engineering (RAENG), on 'Artificial Intelligence for Women in STEM' and the GRAIN-funded AI4WA project. 

Institution

Summit University, Offa (SUN Offa) ,based in Kwara State, Nigeria, is a leading institution in the country, offering a diverse range of programmes, with particular emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). 

SUN Offa specialises in areas such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer vision, robotics, cybersecurity, data science, drone technology, media technology and mass communication. 

The university is committed to gender diversity and inclusion. With over 60 % female students and over 41 % female staff, SUN Offa is at the forefront of promoting gender balance in Nigerian higher education. 

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