Onyekachukwu F. I. Okeke is from Nigeria and lives in Abuja. She holds a PhD in Public Health and Medical Microbiology and works as a Medical Laboratory Scientist at the Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria.
Please tell us a bit about yourself!
I am a Public Health Medical Microbiologist with a solid academic background in the natural/ medical sciences and other related fields. My areas of expertise include public health, medical microbiology, medical laboratory sciences, public administration, education, transport, logistics, agriculture and rural innovation. My research goal is to explore and exploit the interface between public health and medical microbiology with a view to addressing food safety and other epidemiologically relevant issues of microbial origin.
In my free time I enjoy reading Christian fiction, singing, dancing and listening to Christian music, mentoring and counselling, cooking, playing hostess to house guests and throwing birthday parties.
In 10 years’ time I see myself settling down fully in academia and research. I look forward to teaching students, bringing to the fore a sound didactic approach to lecturing, and working in close collaborations with other researchers. I also see myself as a technical consultant of local and international repute, lending my knowledge, skills and expertise to governments and other stakeholders across the globe.
Which scholarships and/or fellowships have you received?
I have been fortunate to receive various scholarships and awards during my studies and academic career, including the following:
- Scholarship from Global Virus Network (GVN), USA, to participate in the online course on Microbiomes and their Impact on Viral Infections as offered by the University of South Florida (2020), Global Virus Network (GVN), USA.
- Young International Society for Human and Animal Mycology Award/Scholarship, 2015
In addition, I received funding to attend various international conferences and received awards for academic presentations:
- Best Oral Presentation for Postgraduate Students’ (Masters) Category at 3rd Pan African Medical Mycology Society Conference (2009)
- 2nd Best Oral Presentation. 2022. West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science.
- First International Symposium in Tropical African Mycology FISTAM 2019, Parakou, Benin.
How did you experience the Africademics Scholarship Ambassador Programme?
I applied for the Scholarship Ambassador Programme because I have always wanted to make a real difference to the lives of young Africans on a transformative scale. And one very important way I can achieve this is by supporting and encouraging young African students as they strive to pursue higher education that will ultimately culminate in building scholarly career paths that align with their goals and aspirations.
My main personal highlight was getting to experience first hand, the positive impact I was making in my mentee’s life in his quest for academic excellence and progress vis-à-vis securing a relevant scholarship. It’s been a humbling experience for me which I also consider a privilege.
Africademics provided me with a platform to hone my skills and also acquire other requisite knowledge which equipped me to further fulfill the roles and responsibilities of a mentor in a more professional manner.
As a Scholarship Mentor, I had a good learning experience. I also gained a lot and now have more available resources at my disposal which I am already exploring to support my ongoing search for a suitable post-doctoral fellowship which is necessary for me to advance to the next level in my career and professional development.
My mentee was quite studious and exhibited scholarly abilities. In the course of mentoring, I sent him a number of relevant links which he subscribed to, and also introduced him to some other scholarship platforms. Now he checks them regularly for notifications and has also put out a number of applications. We hope for the very best for him as regards positive feedback in respect to his applications.
Why would you recommend the Scholarship Ambassador Programme to others?
It’s a win-win situation for both parties! Students and scholars get exposed to various scholarship funding opportunities available across the globe which they can explore to advance to achieve their goals and objectives.
At the same time, the mentors get the privilege to positively impact the lives of these ones while everyone gets the chance to network and explore other relevant opportunities that hopefully will remain mutually beneficial even beyond the mentoring phase of the Africademics Ambassador programme.
How can Africademics community members get in touch with you?
You are welcome to contact me on Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter/X or via the Africademics online learning platform.
