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Bertha Onyenachi Akagbue is working at the intersection of science and policy as the world faces growing concerns about climate change, public health, and industrial safety.
Trained in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta, Akagbue now serves as the Radiation and Chemical Safety Officer at Marshall University in West Virginia, United States. Her work involves monitoring radiological materials, ensuring compliance with chemical safety standards, and investigating laboratory violations.
Before moving to the United States, Akagbue spent over ten years working in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector, focusing on environmental safety and response. She was involved in managing offshore operations, chemical clean-up projects, and oil spill recovery efforts. She also helped design emergency response systems and coordinated environmental assessments in impacted areas, including Ogoniland.
“My foundation was built in crisis,” she said. “From flaring fields to oil-slicked rivers, I’ve seen firsthand what neglect and poor policy can do to a people and a land.”
Her experiences in the Niger Delta inspired her to advance her education. Akagbue obtained a Master’s degree in Environmental Health and Safety at Marshall University, where she combined practical experience with research and policy understanding. Since completing her studies, she has become a key figure in ensuring safety and compliance in the university’s research and teaching laboratories.
In her role, Akagbue trains staff and students in proper laboratory procedures, develops safety protocols, and works with regulators to meet federal and environmental standards.
Her career reflects the link between local experience and global application. With her background in Nigeria’s challenging environmental conditions and her current work in the United States, Akagbue continues to promote stronger safety cultures in science and industry.
As Nigeria faces ongoing environmental challenges, she remains optimistic about the role of education and leadership in building safer systems.
“We must build a new generation of safety scientists—people who see regulation not as red tape, but as protection for life,” she said.
Akagbue’s work shows how lessons from the Niger Delta can inform global approaches to environmental protection and sustainable development.
