Prof Olubukola Oluranti Babalola ​

Positions: Director - Food Security and Safety Focus Area Pr.Sci.Nat. MASSAF FTWAS FASLP FAS FAAS Vice President: Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), Africa region Vice President: The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) Africa region   NRF Rated Researcher   Qualifications: BSc (Hons) Microbiology (1992) MBA General Management (2019) MSc Microbiology (1996) Ph.D. Microbiology (2002).   Contact Details​​​​​​​ Tel: +27(0)183892568 E-mail: Olubukola.Babalola@nwu.ac.za Postal Address: Food Security and Safety; Faculty of Natural & Agricultural Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X2046, Mmabatho, 2735, South Africa

Work Experience

• 2016/01 - to date:    Full Professor, North-West University, South Africa.
• 2015/06 - to date:    Director, Food Security & Safety Focus Area, North-West University, South Africa.
• 2012/03 – 2015/12:    Coordinator, Faculty Quality Committee, North-West University, South Africa.
• 2010/03 – 2012/02:    Head of Department, Biological Sciences, North-West University, South Africa.
• 2007/03 - 2008/12:    Postdoctoral fellow, Institute for Microbial Biotechnology & Metagenomics (IMBM), University of the Western Cape, South Africa. (Sponsor: NRF holder’s grant).
• 2004/07 – 2006/03:    Postdoctoral Scientist, Life Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel. (Sponsor: Feinberg Graduate School/ International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA).
• 2002/05 – 2002/10:    Post-course trainee Molecular Biology & Biotechnology Unit, International Centre of Insect Physiology & Ecology (ICIPE) Nairobi, Kenya. (Sponsor: OWSD).
• 2001/07 - 2001/12:    Dissertation Research Internship (DRIP) Scholar, Molecular Biology & Biotechnology Unit, International Centre of Insect Physiology & Ecology (ICIPE) Nairobi, Kenya. (Sponsor: OWSD).
• 2001/01 – 2001/06:    Research scholar, Kenya Sugar Research Foundation (KESREF) Kisumu, Kenya. (Sponsor: OWSD).
• 1998/07 - 2000/12:    Visiting Research Fellow, Plant Health Management Division, International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan, Oyo State. Nigeria.
• 1994/01 - 1994/06:    Laboratory Assistant, Total Quality Control Department, Market Movers Nigeria Limited, Plot 22, Block ‘A’ Cocoa Industries Road, Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos.
• 1992/11 – 1993/11:    Tutor, School of Nursing, Ituk Mbang, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria (NYSC primary assignment)

Academic recognitions: Local & International Presentation

• (a) Invited Talks: 140 Botswana 2023; France 2014, 2016, 2023; Ghana 2020, 2022; Greece 2013, India 2012, 2020; 2023 Japan 2007, Kenya 2018, 2020; Mexico 2023; Namibia 2021, the Netherlands 2023; Nigeria 2017, 2022; Portugal 2021; Qatar 2023; Rwanda 2018; Senegal 2022; South Africa 2008, 2014, 2015, 2018; 2022; Sudan 2018; Switzerland 2022, 2023 Tanzania 2019; USA 2015, 2017, 2021, 2023; UK 2023; Zambia 2023.
• (b) Manuscript reviews responsibilities: 23 (Brazilian Journal of Microbiology; Applied Soil Ecology (USA) etc.).
• (c) External Assessor (Academic promotions)/examiner (funding & student thesis evaluation): MSC (35 dissertations), PhD (33 theses), NRF (11 reviews), Promotions (4), BBSRC UK (1), IMARD (1). My services have been provided to the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, the University of Pretoria, University of Limpopo, Rhodes University, University of Kwazulu-Natal, University of the Western Cape, University of Zululand, University of South Africa, University of Fort Hare, North-West University Potch campus, National Research Foundation, Tshwane University of Technology, University of Johannesburg, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) University,  Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University, Karunya University, Bharathidasan University, Tamilnadu, Anna University, Chennai, University of Pune, Ganeshkhind India; Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia; University of Mauritius, Mauritius; Federal University of Technology, Akure; University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. 
• (d) Honors & Awards: 38

Professional association: American Society for Microbiology (ASM)

1. American Society of Agronomy (ASA)
2. Crop Science Society of America (CSSA)
3. International Society of Root Research (ISRR)
4. Organisation for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD)
5. Soil Science Society of South Africa (SSSSA)
6. South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP)
7. South African Society of Crop (SASC)
8. South African Society of Microbiology (SASM)
9. South African Women in Science and Engineering (SAWISE)

Editorial boards

1. BMC Microbiology (Elsevier)
2. Biochemistry and Biophysics Reports (Elsevier)
3. Applied & Environmental Microbiology (ASM, USA)
4. Microbiology Spectrum (ASM, USA)
5. Archives of Microbiology (Springer)
6. Transgenic Research (Springer) https://www.springer.com/journal/11248/editors 
7. Frontiers in Research Metrics and Analytics (Frontiers Media), Switzerland
8. Guest Associate Editor, Research Policy and Strategic Management, Frontiers
9. Guest Editor: Frontiers in Fungal Biology
10. Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry
11. Journal of Advanced Research (Elsevier)

Advisory boards/Panel/Liaison: 

1. The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS)
2. Organisation for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD)
3. F1000Research Plant Science Gateway 
4. Nano-Horizons: An Open Access Nano-African Journal
5. South African Young Academy of Science (SAYAS)
6. Board member and Liaison for Africa, 
7. Africa Community of Practice (CoP) on Forgotten and Underutilised Food Commodities Africa think-tank to respond to emerging technological issues in Africa Agriculture (established under the CAAADP-XP4 project supported by the European Union within its DeSIRA program @FARA)
8. Council of Higher Education (CHE) Quality Committee
9. NRF Advisory panel for Microbiology and Biochemistry (CPRR & CSUR funding program)
10. Convocation of the North-West University
11. Selection Committee for the 2022 OWSD - Elsevier Foundation Awards