Events

STEM Girls Upskills at UI Design Studio

In an inspiring event aimed at bridging the gender gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), a dynamic bootcamp themed "Girls STEM Upskill '' was recently concluded with resounding success. The week-long event was held from 24th of June to 28th of June 2024 at UI Design Studio, NLNG Building, Faculty of Technology, University of Ibadan. The bootcamp, though organized by the Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies (NEST360) Project team, Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies it's being funded mainly by Chevron International. This immersive programme brought together 28 talented young girls from the South-West region of Nigeria, each participant driven by a passion for learning and innovation. Over the course of the bootcamp, these girls were equipped with essential STEM skills, fostering a new generation of female leaders ready to take on the challenges of the future. The "Girls STEM Upskill" bootcamp was organized with a clear vision: to empower young girls by providing them with the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in STEM fields. Recognizing the under representation of women in these areas, the bootcamp aimed to ignite a spark of curiosity and confidence in its participants, encouraging them to pursue STEM careers with determination and enthusiasm. The bootcamp programme was officially opened on Monday 24th of June 2024 by University of Ibadan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research, Innovations and Strategic Partnerships), Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose. To receive her at the event was the NEST360 Principal Investigator Professor Akinwale Coker and Co-PI Professor Ademola Dare. The bootcamp's curriculum was meticulously crafted to cover a wide range of STEM disciplines. From coding and robotics to mathematics and scientific research, the programe offered hands-on experiences and interactive sessions that made learning both engaging and enjoyable. Expert instructors guided the girls through each module, ensuring that they gained a solid understanding of the concepts and practical applications. One of the highlights of the bootcamp was the emphasis on hands-on learning. Participants had the opportunity to work on real-world projects, allowing them to apply their newfound knowledge in creative and meaningful ways. The girls were encouraged to think critically and solve problems innovatively. Throughout the bootcamp, the girls were introduced to inspiring female role models who have made significant contributions to STEM fields. These role models shared their personal journeys, challenges, and triumphs, providing the girls with valuable insights and motivation. Hearing firsthand accounts from successful women in STEM helped the participants see the possibilities for their own futures and reinforced the belief that they, too, can achieve great things.

Eleven teams! Thirty-five brilliant minds! One goal! Limitless Innovations! An event such as the just-concluded “Waste Management and Energy Conservation” Design Competition held at the UNILAG Design Studio signifies the innovative spirit prevailing among young minds in Nigeria. The UI-UNILAG Design Competition 2023 provided a platform for eleven teams, comprising thirty-five enthusiastic individuals, to converge and address the critical issues of waste management and energy conservation, crucial elements in Nigeria's sustainable development. Focused on the theme, teams analyzed diverse design factors encompassing cost-efficiency, energy conservation, waste recycling, cultural integration, safety protocols, and ease of implementation. Each team presented innovative solutions tailored to the theme, and the grand prize-winning team engineered an inventive solution named Triple Usage Incinerator (TUI). TUI incinerates plastic waste through an anaerobic combustion process and simultaneously produces fuel (diesel) and combustible gases (LPG) which can be used to generate electricity. One System, Three Uses. This groundbreaking solution promises substantial strides in waste reduction and energy conservation across diverse settings, aligning with the theme's core objectives.

The impact of this design competition extends far beyond the competition itself. Participants and organizers alike have acquired invaluable insights, fostering an environment ripe for continuous innovation. The ripple effects of this event are bound to reverberate in both personal and professional realms, nurturing a culture of sustainable problem-solving. Heartiest congratulations to all participants, who undoubtedly left this event enriched with new perspectives and heightened capabilities. Acknowledgment is due to the facilitators whose guidance was instrumental in shaping this event. The visionary leadership of the University of Ibadan Design Studio & Innovation Hub and UNILAG Design Studio teams was pivotal in achieving this success. Additionally, the invaluable and objective evaluation of the wonderful judges cannot be overemphasised.

Profound gratitude goes to the sponsors: Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies and Edamol Glassworld. This is another milestone on the path of sustainable generation of solutions to challenges in Africa and the future looks bright!

To support the growth of women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), the Ignite Tech in Girls (ITiG 1.0) bootcamp took place at the University of Ibadan Design Studio & Innovation Hub is adding an important quota to this objective. Through a strong partnership between University of Ibadan Design Studio & Innovation Hub and UNILAG Design Studio, the participants were taken through trainings like Embedded Systems Design, 3D Printing, Computer-Aided Design, Public Speaking and Presentation Skills.
The finale took place on Friday, 9 December 2022 where participants will made their presentations and where addressed by the final two keynote speakers (Dr Adedoyin Adeleye - Lecturer at the Department of Industrial and Production Engineering, Faculty of Technology, University of Ibadan and Dr Afieharo Michael - Consultant Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon at University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria). This bootcamp was sponsored by Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies (NEST360°).

The goal was to stimulate the interest of and increase the representation of women in #STEM. One of the ways this can be achieved is when learning is interesting. Making learning fun was achieved, amongst many other things, in the recently-concluded Ignite Tech in Girls (ITiG 1.0) Bootcamp held at the University of Ibadan Design Studio & Innovation Hub from 4 December 2022 to 9 December 2022.

Team Building, Low-Fidelity Prototyping, Computer-Aided Design, 3D Printing, Introduction to Embedded Systems Design and Public Speaking were some of the valuable skills that the participants gained during the programme. Most of the participants had the opportunity to speak to a fairly large audience for the first time ever!

Kudos to the organising team and staff of the University of Ibadan Design Studio & Innovation Hub and UNILAG Design Studio team, and the amazing leadership of Ashley Taylor, Ph.D., MPH and Padraic Casserly for the success of this bootcamp.

Eight teams! Thirty-eight brilliant minds! One goal! Endless Impacts!

An event such as the recently concluded “Sanitation Technology” Hackathon is one of the ways in which we will overcome many challenges through the innovative ideas that definitely springs up. Hosted by the UNILAG Design Studio, the UI-UNILAG Hackathon 2022 was no less, as it was a platform for thirty-eight young Nigerians to work in teams, in a healthy competition, to tackle the problem of open defecation, which is prevalent in Nigeria. The teams took into consideration many design factors which include cost, portability, accessibility, cultural considerations, safety, ease of maintenance and so on. They came up with various designs based on these factors, and the winning team designed and made a prototype of an improved toilet and sanitary system named DILPAN. Disability Inclusive Latrine(DIL)-PAN was specifically designed for the disabled and girls. DILPAN will also tackle the problem of transmission of diseases by insects and other vectors while also running on relatively low amounts of water compared to contemporary systems. It is also adaptable to different local customs and demands, particularly in rural areas.

So much has been learnt by the participants and the organisers. It is certain that the ripple effects of this event will be continuous, even in the participants’ personal lives and professional careers. Many ideas have been born, many will be fine-tuned in the days to come and creative thinking has been sparked or enhanced in all the participants. A huge congratulations to the participants. They all leave as a better version of themselves. It was a great effort by the facilitators, leading workshops and helping the participants in any way they could. This ideation by Padraic Casserly and WILLIAMS BAAH and their leadership have been really great. Then, there is the ever-amiable Dr Ashley Taylor, Ph.D., MPH who provided so much support to both the facilitators, in the organisation, and the participants through several sessions of coaching. The feedbacks on design by experts from Federal Ministry of Water and Environmental Resources and UNICEF cannot be overemphasised. All this contributed to a successful hackathon.

A huge amount of gratitude also goes to Rice360 Institute for Global Health Technologies, UNICEF, Generation Unlimited, Federal Ministry of Water and Environmental Resources, and many other orga9 nisations for sponsoring such an event as this. It just might be difficult to accurately measure the positive impacts of this hackathon in the near av @23 V2222nd long-term future. Endless Impacts!!!

The University of Ibadan Design Studio Innovation Hub came into existence through the Newborn Essential Solutions and Technologies (NEST360°) program of the Institute of Global Health Technologies at Rice University, Houston, Texas, United States of America. NEST360° is a multi-institutional partnership, consisting of an international team of engineers, doctors, and global health experts from: 3rd Stone Design; APIN Public Health Initiatives; Center for Public Health and Development; Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology; Hatch Technologies; Ifakara Health Institute; London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine; Malawi University of Science & Technology; Northwestern University; Oxford KEMRI-Wellcome Trust; Rice 360° Institute for Global Health; University of Lagos; University of Ibadan; University of Malawi, College of Medicine; and University of Malawi, The Malawi Polytechnic.

The NEST360 program is aimed at partnering with and support for African governments, facilities, universities and hospitals to put in several measures like trainings, development of innovative technologies that will culminate in the prevention of majority of the newborn deaths in Africa. One of such strategies of NEST360° is the creation of a design studio in the University of Ibadan. The Studio is a state-of-the-art digital manufacturing space and it provides the opportunity to quickly fabricate parts from computer-generated designs to rapidly iterate prototype designs. There is access to the latest world-class equipment and machines for research and development in engineering.

The Design Studio team also offer workshops, hands-on trainings, guides and so on to students of the University and members to upgrade skills levels and educate on the appropriate use of the gadgets. All these efforts are aimed at the mission of the studio which is to create innovators and provides access to emerging technologies which can be leveraged to address local and global challenges.