International fellowship will help Theo Udeigwe contribute to advancement of higher education in Africa.
Theo Udeigwe, an assistant professor in the Texas Tech University Department of Plant and Soil Science, was recently awarded the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship (ADF), a program for educational projects at higher education institutions in Africa.
Sponsored by the Carnegie Corporation of New York and managed by the Institute of International Education (IIE), the same institute that manages the Fulbright scholar program, the Carnegie ADF program supports African-born academics at accredited higher education institutions in the U.S. and Canada in partnership with accredited higher education institutions in select African countries.
Capacity-building education projects are jointly developed by U.S./Canadian scholars and African host institutions and are evaluated and approved by an advisory council.
“This will be a significant international experience and an activity that will lead to future collaborations with the host institution and open up other opportunities with the IIE and IIE-managed programs,” Udeigwe said.
He will collaborate with professor Evans Basweti at Kisii University in Kenya to develop graduate student training and mentoring, hoping to develop strong, research-oriented students who can initiate project proposals for funding and construct scientific papers.
“I am so excited because it has always been my desire to engage in talent development and capacity building in Africa,” Udeigwe said. “This also will serve as part of Texas Tech's contribution to the success of higher education in Africa and could open doors to more.”
Udeigwe has been with Plant and Soil Science since 2012. His research focuses on soil and environmental chemistry, water quality and soil fertility and nutrient management. He came to Texas Tech after earning his bachelor's degree from the University of Nigeria and his master's and doctorate degrees from Louisiana State University.
He was previously awarded a grant by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service to host a Norman E. Borlaug fellow, a two-year fellowship that will conclude this summer.
“I want to congratulate Dr. Udeigwe for receiving this prestigious fellowship,” said professor Eric Hequet, the J.A. Love Endowed Chair in the Department of Plant and Soil Science. “I have no doubt this fellowship will be a success and will open the door for future collaborations with African institutions of higher education. It is my hope this fellowship will help foster the international focus of the Department of Plant and Soil Science.”
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