The second edition of the University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) Science Fair, which brings together researchers and their outputs and industrialists for the purpose of interface for mass production and commercialisation, kicked off today at the institution’s Donald Ekong Library complex and Ebitimi Banigo Hall.
The two-day fair which will end on Thursday, April 25, unlike its maiden edition last year which was mainly inaugural exhibitions, got at least 130 abstracts from within and outside the country to be presented at the parallel sessions that will compliment the exhibition of products by academic and industries.
According to Gregory O. Avwiri, a professor and chairman of the UNIPORT Research Fair and Conference Committee and dean of Graduate School of Natural, Applied and Medical Sciences, this second fair would “provide a forum for industry to select research outputs for further development for mass production and commercialisation.”
Avwiri said, in 2012, during the first edition of the science fair, “We laid the foundation of research fair and conference in this University, after its conception some years ago by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Joseph A. Ajienka, when he was the founding Director of the Institute of Petroleum Studies (IPS).”
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The research fair chairman and Dean of Graduate School of Natural, Applied and Medical Sciences said, “in raising the bar of research fair and conference, the second edition seeks to: exhibit innovative research projects and their outputs from the University and surrounding institutions; highlight innovations and creative efforts of various colleges, faculties and Institutions in research and developments; provide opportunities for networking and collaboration among academic researchers, institutions and between them and industry; provide a forum for industry to select research outputs for further development for mass production and commercialisation.”
Meanwhile, to actualise the above mandates, industries and companies are participating in this edition of the fair, “to cement the bonds of relationship between town and gown, researchers and inventors, researchers and medium-scale enterprises; and establish a sound relationship between science, innovation and technology, a sine qua non for national development,” said Avwiri.
The science fair and conference committee noted that the imperatives of sound research and development policies cannot be overemphasised, as the world in this century has witnessed economic changes which have given birth to constant flow of improved technology, new ideas, new products and services.
“In this global revolution at the development of new products, neglecting active research will continue to place Nigeria a major consumer nation of the outputs of Asian nations’ inputs into research, innovation and technology.”
This second science research fair and conference will feature exhibition from all the colleges, faculties, institution and research centres in the University.
The research fair central committee expressed thanks to Vice-Chancellor, Ajienka, who it described as “driving the concept of an entrepreneurial University through sound research and development policies, and the timely funding of this programme.”
The committee also commended efforts of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Research and Development), W.B. Abbey (a proferssor) for her uncommon pace, effort and leadership in motivating, mobilizing and transforming research activities in the University.
