In an effort to expose secondary school students to state-of-the-art laboratory equipment, the National Association of Academic Technologists, Osun State University Chapter, under the leadership of its Chairman, Comrade Samuel Olawumi, launched a mobile laboratory outreach on Tuesday, 22nd November, 2022.
This outreach was launched at the 2nd edition workshop of the National Association of Academic Technologist, Osun State University Chapter, which held between Tuesday, 22nd November and Wednesday, 23rd November, 2022, at the Multipurpose Hall, Osun State University, Osogbo main campus.
The Uniosun NAAT Chairman, while informing participants of the workshop on the launch of the outreach, laid down the modalities for its implementation. He said “As Academic Technologists, there is the need for us to identify problems and proffer solutions to them. We noticed that secondary school students in Osun State are not exposed to contemporary laboratory equipment. With this in mind, we have decided to launch a mobile laboratory outreach in all the six geopolitical zones of the state. We would be visiting one secondary school in the zones where each of our six campuses is located in the course of this outreach to acquaint them with modern laboratory equipment, howbeit minimal.”
The Uniosun Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Mallam Yusuf Olaolu Ali, SAN, who was represented as the Special Guest of Honour by a member of Council, Dr. Femi Abanikanda recognized the input of the university’s academic technologists to the successful accreditation and re-accreditation of academic programmes by the National Universities Commission.
The NAAT 2nd edition workshop had seven brilliant minds deliver papers that revolved around the theme “Science & Technology: Panacea for Nation Building”. They are: the former Provost, Adeyemi College of Education and incumbent Director of the Office of Research, Innovation, and Management, Osun State University, Professor Olukoya Ogen; the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Rave 91.7FM, Osogbo, Dr. Femi Adefila; the Chief Operating Officer, Opolo Global Innovations Limited, Mr. Femi Kalejaiye; the Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Science Laboratory Technology, Samonda, Nigeria, Mr. Yemi Hezekiah Gbadegesin; the Chief Executive Officer, Armstrong Paint, Osogbo, Mr. Uthman Adekunle Adisa; and two Artificial Intelligence specialists from Australia by the name Dr. Miroslav and Dr. Peng.
Four topics were discussed by the experts in the two-day workshop. They are: “Publish or Perish Syndrome: Role of Laboratory Scientists and Technologists”, “Accreditation Exercise, a Major Yardstick for Standards: The Influence of Academic Technologists and Scientists in Achieving Results”, “Living Beyond Your Salary in the Face of Economic Challenges: Opportunities in the Digital Economy”, and “Artificial Intelligence as a Tool for Economic Breakthrough”. A Runlinc Artificial Intelligence coding (AI coding with only 6Lines) was introduced in the workshop.
Earlier in his keynote address, the Uniosun Vice-Chancellor, Professor ‘Ayo Clement Adebooye, highlighted the need for the drivers of knowledge to keep updating their skills and upgrading their expertise to conform with the requirements and demand of 21st century educators
