"DILIGENCE, HARDWORK AND COMMITMENT ARE THE KEYS TO SUCCESS"
Education
- 2010 : Ph.D. Mathematics. University Of Ado-Ekiti
- 2004 : M.Sc. Mathematics. University Of Ibadan
- 1999 : B.Sc. Mathematics. Ekiti State University.
Professional experience
Ekiti State University 2001 to date
- 2001 - 2004 : Graduate Assistant
- 2004 - 2007 : Assistant Lecturer
- 2007 - 2010 : Lecturer II
- 2010 - 2013 : Lecturer I
- 2013 - 2016 : Senior Lecturer
- 2016 - To date : Associate Professor.
Questionnaire
Your story with mathematics
Why did you join the field of Mathematics? How did you discover your passion for mathematics? When have you decided to be a mathematician and why?
I joined the field of mathematics because of my interest in mathematics. My passion for mathematics was discovered while in secondary school because I find it so interesting having my mathematics teachers around. I decided to be a mathematician at a very tender age.
What fascinates you about Mathematics?
Mathematics is a very simple subject that could be interesting if you give yourself to studying it.
Did you have a role model that influenced your decision to become a mathematician?
My mathematics teachers in secondary encouraged me and my university Professors.
Has anyone supported you in your choice and during your career?
Yes. I got support from national mathematical centre in Abuja Nigeria because they sponsored my first degree
Were there any specific factors that helped you succeed? What challenges did you encounter on the way?
Diligence, hard work and commitment. it has not been so easy but with full dedication in excelling. Mathematics needs time. So combining with home as a mother may not be too easy.
What is the funniest or most memorable thing that has happened to you while working in mathematics?
The most memorable thing that ever happened to me was how I made 5 points out of 5 in some semester in my undergraduate days. That involved making grade "A" in all my courses for some semesters this actually encouraged my determination.
Career and Family
Do you come from an academic family? How does your family regard your career choice?
No, my parents are not even educated. They see it as a demanding career. Is it hard to manage both career and private life? Managing career with private live may be hard. I try to strike a balance so my private and home will not suffer.
Do you have kids? Tell us about balancing family life with work life?
Yes I have 3 kids but I try to let them realize the fact that mathematics is time demanding. I do most of my work in the night when most of them are asleep. I give maximum support to my kids so I do not deny them access to me when needed.
Women and Mathematics
What were the biggest obstacles you had to overcome?
The biggest obstacle I had overcome was obtaining Ph.D. because the research took me about five years.
Did you ever have the impression that it would be easier/harder if you were male?
It would have been easier if I were a male because there won't be distractions from children and this would have given me enough time but I am coping.
Did you encounter any specific difficulties relating to the field of mathematics?
Some problems may be difficult while solving, we actually do not have enough resources for research in my country Nigeria.
Tell us about the organizations for women mathematicians that you are a part of? How has this helped your career?
- Organization of women in science in developing world (OWSD)
- National association of women in academics (NAWACS)
- Association of Nigerian of women in mathematics (NWM)
- African women in mathematics Association(AWMA)
We meet to discuss mathematics and research. We also organise programmes that could help the younger ones like going to colleges to encourage the girls.
Do you consider it necessary to organize special programs like Girl’s Day promoting mathematics for girls in schools? What else, do you think, could further be done to support woman with mathematics as their career?
Yes, it is a very good one. Fellowship opportunities and grants for research Teaching mathematics, especially to non-mathematicians, can be a challenge.
What is your strategy to catch and keep the attention of your audience?
To keep the attention of the audience is to teach them mathematics with things around them that they can see this will catch their attention and make mathematics easier for them to understand.
How would you explain your research to a layman?
My research area is numerical analysis and this involves finding approximate solutions to problems. it goes beyond having solutions to problems in variable forms.
Can you tell us about the applications of your research, if any?
My research is applicable in so many field of study. i have developed some numerical methods capable of solving initial value problems of first and higher order which can solve problems in economics and the field of engineering, though most problems in engineering are of partial differential equation, i have also developed algorithms that could solve some of these problems.
Conclusion
What are your biggest achievements, and what your biggest failures?
My biggest achievement has to do with my being able to develop good schemes and methods that compares favorably with some existing methods and that also compares with the analytical solutions. on the other hand some stiff problems can be very difficult in solving.
Do you have a dream? any particular problem you dream to solve now?
I have a dream. I dream to develop a model/ method that will help my government out of the present unsecured situation.
Which advice would you give to young girls who want to engage a career in mathematics? or if you had the option to give advice to a younger version of yourself, what would that be?
The younger ones are to be dedicated and hardworking. The diligent shall increase definitely.