Professor Cecilia Olufunke Akintayo has been appointed Provost of the College of Science, Federal University Oye-Ekiti. She is an accomplished academic and distinguished scholar renowned for her expertise in Industrial Chemistry, particularly in the use of plant oils as renewable resources for the development of value-added polymers. With a career spanning over two decades, she has demonstrated a sustained commitment to excellence in teaching, research, academic leadership, and community engagement.
Professor Akintayo began her academic career at the Federal Polytechnic, Ado-Ekiti, in 1997 as an Assistant Lecturer and rose through the ranks to become a Lecturer I in 2008. In June of the same year, she joined Ekiti State University before moving to FUOYE in June 2012. In 2019, she made history at FUOYE by delivering the University’s first inaugural lecture following her attainment of professorial rank, marking a significant milestone in the institution’s academic history.
A prolific researcher, Professor Akintayo has earned national and international recognition for her outstanding contributions to science and technology. Her research achievements have attracted prestigious grants and fellowships, including the International Foundation for Science, the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (AvH), the Schlumberger Foundation’s Faculty for the Future (FFF) programme, TWAS, and TETFund. More recently, her research activities received a significant boost through the award of a Seedling Lab grant valued at approximately US$200,000, further strengthening her capacity for advanced scientific research.
Beyond her research and teaching accomplishments, Professor Akintayo has demonstrated considerable administrative experience and leadership across higher education institutions. At FUOYE, she served as Acting Head of the Department of Industrial Chemistry from 2014 to 2016 and as Director of the Academic Planning Unit from 2018 to 2021. She has also served as a Senate representative on the Appointments and Promotions Committee. From 2022 to 2023, she served as Provost of the College of Postgraduate Studies at Bowen University, Iwo. She is currently the pioneer Dean of the Faculty of Physical Sciences at FUOYE, a position in which she has contributed to the development and advancement of the University’s academic programmes.
Professor Akintayo is equally committed to mentorship, postgraduate training, and the development of future generations of researchers. She has supervised numerous postgraduate students and served as an external examiner and professorial assessor for several universities in Nigeria and abroad. Her contributions to academic assessment, scholarly development, and institutional advancement reflect her dedication to strengthening higher education and scientific research.
Congratulations to Professor Cecilia Olufunke Akintayo on this well-deserved appointment.