COMMUNIQUE OF THE LAGOS STATE UNIVERSITY 7TH BI-ANNUAL FACULTY OF SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE (FOSIC2020) HELD VIRTUALLY FROM THE 2ND TO 4TH DECEMBER, 2020
INTRODUCTION
The Lagos State University 7th bi-annual Faculty of Science International Conference, 2020 tagged LASU FOSIC2020 was held virtually from the 2nd to 4th December, 2020. The theme of the conference was Science and Technology in combating current and future global challenges. LASU FOSIC2020 was the first free and 100% complete virtual international conference organized by any Nigerian University to date.
The conference reflected in its entirety from the opening ceremony to the technical and parallel sessions on possible solutions from different disciplines of Science and Technology at solving global challenges covering biological, chemical and physical sciences. Topical research ranging from agriculture and aquaculture, waste management, pollution remediation, and alternative energy generation, to mathematics, computer and algorithm, weather/climatic conditions and medical science especially in the area of translational research and current strategies in managing the worldwide challenges of COVID-19 in African most populous city, Lagos State and globally.
OPENING CEREMONY AND SPECIAL GUESTS PRESENTATIONS
The LOC Chairman, Professor SL. Akintola gave the welcome speech followed by the host’s welcome message by the Dean of Science, Professor A. Boyo and the Chief host’s opening address by the University Vice Chancellor, Professor AO. Fagbohun (SAN, NPOM) while the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, His Excellency Dr KO. Hamzat officially declared the conference opened doubling as the Chairman and Special Guest Speaker with a paper presentation: “COVID 19 Pandemic: the Lagos State Strategies at Flattening the Curve”. The Keynote address was delivered by a seasoned academic, scholar and administrator, the Director General of the Nigerian Institute for Medical Research, Prof. BL. Salako. The astute scholar presentation was followed by paper presentations by special guests including Dr. MO. Omotayo from the Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital USA, Dr. PK. Nayak (University of Waterloo Canada), Prof. A. Kappo (University of Johannesburg South Africa), Prof. AO. Oyedeji from the Walter Sisulu University South Africa and Dr. O. Onasanya (Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture).
PAPER PRESENTATIONS
A total of 130 abstract papers were presented by Scholars/ Researchers with 334 registered participants from across the world, Africa, America, Asia, and Europe, from different countries including Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, Brazil, Canada, Germany, Malaysia, USA, Peru, Philippines, Russia, Thailand.
Papers presented at the international conference centered around the conference sub-themes including: (a) Medicinal Plants as antidotes to Global Health Challenges, (b) Molecular approaches in curtailing the scourge of diseases (c) Shaping the chemistry of Natural resources for sustainable product development in combating current and future global health challenges (d) The role of Artificial Intelligence in the 4th industrial revolution (e) Post COVID19: Effects on Fisheries and Aquaculture in Nigeria (f) Dynamical System Analysis, Modelling and Optimization (g) Emerging perspectives on epidemiology of infectious disease (h) Demystifying the 5G technology: the role of Physics in tackling the global health challenges (i) Global ecology and challenges of combating infectious Human and Zoonotic Diseases.
Also, several topical issues were x rayed and presented covering several topics: COVID-19, translational research and the Nigerian research policy, academic scientists and the policy response to public health crises, chemistry of natural resources for sustainable product development, research policy for attaining food security during the pandemic and post-pandemic era, machine learning, artificial intelligence, network and epidemiological modelling, riot control, seasonal variation, Bayes model, ferromagnetism, dye solar cells, clouds attenuation effects on satellite signal, small scale fisheries, COVID-19 and vulnerability to viability, medicinal plants/ herbal medicine, molecular techniques, oncology, medical imaging, communicable and non-communicable diseases like stroke and influenza respectively amongst others.
The conference was streamed live on YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/
The conference however observed that:
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There is need for good research policies that will speedily improve development in the country.
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More research funding must be provided and supported by the government, private sector and the general populace as it was done during the COVID-19 lockdown.
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There is need for serious training and retraining for both the civilians and the military for continuous disease surveillance and pandemic preparedness.
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There must be strong collaborations between scientists in co-locality for equipment and material identification and sharing as presented with the Boston experience.
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We must improve and intensify our research efforts on translational multi-disciplinary research targeted at solving known problems and global challenges.
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There must be strong partnership between the research institutions and the private sectors on project design and research outputs.
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Universities and research institutions like NIMR, LASG parastatals must foster strong relationships in the interest of the individuals, research groups and the nation at large.
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There is need for Universities to partner with research institutes in coopting researchers for free teaching and possible assessment of their papers to the professorial cadre when found awardable e.g., those at the level of Director.
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There is need for Nigerian and African institutions to improve on joint proposal writing so as to take the lead in major global grant winning like the NIH and not as co-PI.
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Research mentors must encourage their mentees to enhance fruitful and timely robust research outputs.
APPRECIATIONS
The LOC sincerely appreciate the Lagos State University Dean of Science, Faculty members, and the Vice Chancellor. We are most grateful to the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, the Director General of the Nigerian Institute for Medical Research, the permanent secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and all other eminent speakers including from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital USA, University of Waterloo Canada, University of Johannesburg and of course the Walter Sisulu University South Africa. We hereby specially thank all the abstract presenters and conference attendees/ participants from Nigeria and other African countries including Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, the entire America continents, Asia, and Europe including presenters from Brazil, Canada, Germany, Malaysia, USA, Peru, Philippines, Russia, and Thailand for their kind contributions at ensuring the success of FOSIC2020.
We thank all the Abstract reviewers, Chairmen/ Chairpersons of technical sessions, Sub-Committee members especially the Theme/ Abstract review sub-committee and Events’ Volunteers. Our donors, LASU radio, CIPPR and The Gazelle On-line News medium are particularly acknowledged and appreciated for their contributions. Finally, many thanks to all the LOC members for their innumerable roles, Professor SL. Akintola (Chairman, LOC/ HOD, Fisheries), Dr. RB. Adegbola (Vice-Chair/ Associate Professor of Physics), Dr. HA. Bankole (Secretary/ Department of Biochemistry), Dr. TS. Ewekeye (Treasurer/ Department of Botany), Dr. AA. Anjorin (Theme & Abstract Review Chair/ Department of Microbiology), Dr. OO. Ometan (Publicity Chair/ Department of Physics), Mr. OA. Olabanjo (Technical/ Department of Computer Science), Dr. AR. Mustapha (Fundraising Chair/ Ag. HOD, Mathematics), Dr. OL. Osifeko (Department of Chemistry), Dr. KO. Ajelara (Department of Zoology), and Dr. FA. Awe (Department of Fisheries).
SIGNED SIGNED
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PROFESSOR SL. AKINTOLA (PhD) DR. HA. BANKOLE (PhD)
(LOC CHAIRMAN, FOSIC2020) (LOC SECRETARY, FOSIC2020)
