Professor Sherifat Adeyinka Aboaba is a Professor of Organic and Natural Product Chemistry with over twenty-five years of teaching and research experience. Her academic career began at the Laboratory Technology Training School, University of Ibadan, where she worked as a teaching assistant from 1999 to 2002. She joined the Department of Chemistry, University of Ibadan, as an Assistant Lecturer in 2004 and rose through the ranks, becoming a full Professor in 2019. She has served as the Director of Research Management Innovation and Translation at the Foresight Institute of Research and Translation, a private research institute, during her sabbatical leave for one year in 2022 where she coordinated several entrepreneurial workshops and the students’ research group (SRG) of the institute.
Professor Aboaba has published widely in reputable international journals, with over 60 peer-reviewed articles, two book chapters, and a book to her credit. She has reviewed and still reviewing for several local and international journals. She is an external examiner to Universities and Mono-technics including University of Ilorin, Lagos State University, Ladoke Akintola University (LAUTECH), Alex Ekwume Federal University (AEFUNAI) and Federal College of Agriculture Ibadan. She has assessed more than 5 professorial promotions locally. Professor Aboaba has supervised over 50 undergraduate and postgraduate research projects, including five PhD students.
Her research interests include the synthesis of natural products, the chemistry of essential oils, and environmental chemistry.
Professor Aboaba is a member of several professional associations, including the Chemical Society of Nigeria, Science Association of Nigeria, the Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria, and the American Chemical Society. She is currently the pioneer President of the Society of Essential Oil Distillers and Analysts. She has served on various committees within the University of Ibadan, including the departmental registration committee, departmental examinations officer, the Faculty of Science promotions and appointments committee, and the departmental undergraduate curriculum development committee.
Professor Aboaba has been invited to present papers at several international and national conferences as well workshops. She has won several grants and awards, including the MacArthur Foundation Grant for Female Faculty and the TWAS-UNESCO Associateship Award as a Visiting Scholar at the International Centre for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Pakistan.
Professor Aboaba has passion for the advancement of Education in Nigeria both at the secondary and University level particularly in the area of technology transfer. She was awarded in June 2023 the most approachable lecturer (female) in the Faculty of Science by the Students Association of the Faculty based on her mentorship prowess. Her vision includes promoting and supporting research and development in science and technology, enhancing the use of technology in all sectors of the economy, and improving the quality of science education in the country.
