Applied And Environmental Biology

Professor Adaobi Patricia Ugbomeh

The Current Head of Department

Applied And Environmental Biology

The BSc degree in Applied Biology was one of the pioneer programmes of this University as it evolved from the Higher National Diploma in Applied Biology in the Department of Biological Sciences of the former College of Science and Technology. The College of Science and Technology was upgraded first to Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt in August 6, 1980 and now Rivers State University.

The programmes were rigorously revised and enlarged to include Botany option (with specialised interest areas such as Plant Physiology, Plant Pathology, Taxonomy and Systematics), Microbiology option (with Microbial Systematics, Environmental Mi-crobiology, Industrial Microbiology, Food and Veterinary as well as Pharmaceutical Microbiology) and Zoology option (Entomology, Marine Biology and Environmental Biology). As the department got involved in environmental impact studies due to our peculiar environment (the Niger Delta Eco-logic zone and oil exploratory / industrial activities), our departmental programmes became en-larged to accommodate Postgraduate programmes that reflect environmental studies. In October 2002, The Senate approved a change of name from Department of Biological Science to the De-partment of Applied and Environmental Biology so as to reflect the current interests of the pro-gramme to the surging awareness of the place of Biology to man’s environment.

The Department of Animal and Environmental Biology was created from the Department of Ap-plied and Environmental Biology in 2014. The Department runs a four-year programme that leads to the award of BSc. in Animal and Environmental Biology. The undergraduate programme in the first three years provides fundamental knowledge and deepens the students’ grasp of Animal and Environmental Biology. In the last year of study, the students are introduced to techniques and tools of research, developing in them the spirit of enquiry which launches them into areas of specialisa-tion such as Parasitology, Entomology, Wildlife Biology and Biodiversity Conservation, En-docrinology and Reproduction, Environmental Management, Animal Bioinformatics, Forensic and Medical Entomology among others. Postgraduate programmes leading to the award of PGD, MSc and PhD include Marine Biology and Pollution Studies, Ecology and Environmental Biology, Hy-drobiology and Ecotoxicology and Applied Entomology.

Staff list in the Department

Name	Rank	Area Of Specialisation	Email
Prof. I. K. E.	Professor	Marine Biology/Eco- toxicology	ekweozor@hot-mail.com
Prof. E. R. Daka	Professor	Biology / Ecotox- icology	daka.erema@ust.edu.ng
Prof. E. E. Orlu	Professor	Reprodusive Physiology/ GeneScs	orlu.eme@ust.edu.ng
Prof. G. C. Akani	Professor	Wildlife/ConservaSon Biology	gakaninazooo@yahoo.com
Prof J. Onwuteaka	Professor	Ecosystem Services	onwuteaka.john@ust.edu.ng
Prof. A. P. Ug-bomeh (HOD)	Professor	Aquatic Ecology/Eco- toxicology	ugbomeh.adaobi@ust.edu.ng
Prof N. Ebere	Professor	Entomology Fisheries Biology	eberenwabueze@gmail.com
Dr. M. Miebaka	Snr. Lecturer	Benthic Ecology/Toxi-cology	moslen.miebaka@ust.edu.ng
Dr. K. Bob-Manuel	Snr Lecturer	Marine Biology	bob-manuel.karibi@ust.edu.ng
Dr. C. C. Amuzie	Snr Lecturer	Environmental Para-sitology	nmaamuzie@gmail.com
Mr. C. Wala	Lecturer l	Vertebrate Biology	wala-c@yahoo.com
Dr. G. A.Obulor	Lecturer 1	Molecular Biology/ GeneScs	godwin.obulor@ust.edu.ng
Dr Mrs . A. Green.	Lecturer l	Marine Biology and Pollution Studies	anngreen729@gmail.com
Mr. I. B. Ekerece	Lecturer ll	Entomology	ekerece.idonreny-in1@ust.edu.ng
Mr. H. O. Chukwu	Lecturer ll	Medical Parasitology	harisonwizi@yahoo.co.uk
Dr. G. N. Anaero-Nweke	Lecturer ll	Physiology/ Histology	george.nweke@gmail.com
Dr N. Amadi	Lecturer ll	Wildlife/ Conservation Biology	king.amadi@ust.edu.ng
Ms Membere Oko- rite	Assistant Lecturer	Entomology	okoritemembere2016@gmail.com
Ms Grace Alawa	Assistant Lecturer	Wildlife/ConservaSon	grace.alawal@ust.edu
Mrs Kelechi	Asst-Lecturer	Environmental Biology	kelechitarbo@gmail.com
Mr. Albert Andrew	Asst-Lecturer	AquaSc Biology
Mr. Robert Belema	Asst. Lecturer	Parasitology
Ms Sotonye Obianime	Asst-Lecturer	Parasitology
Mr. G.C. Nwokocha	Departmental Librarian		godwin.wokocha@gmail.com
Miss P. Itolima	Technologist II		itolimaprecious@gmail.com
Mr. A.S. Orotankpo	Senior Store
Ms Christiana	Technologist		christy124ever@gmail.com
Mrs. Edith Owuala	Chief. ConfidenSal Secretary		akun-naedith@gmail.com
Mrs. F. George	Principal ExecuSve		lokzylove@gmail.com
Mrs. Stella Egbema	Cleaner
Mrs. N. Chukwueme- ka	Cleaner
Mr Iseoluwa	Corper
Mr Micheal Ndala	Clerical Officer

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The administrative procedure in the department is outlined in the Fig below. The different units of administration are manned by a staff whose telephone number is made available for easy access to students and staff within the University. The Head of Department runs the department through committee system with assistance of the Departmental Board.

Student advisers

Public Lecture Coordinator

Registration Officer

SIWES Coordinator

STRUCTURE OF THE UNIT

The programme operates on the University modular system, incorporating mandatory, i.e. pre-req-uisite, core and elective courses (modules).

PHILOSOPHY OF THE PROGRAMMES

Animal and Environmental Biology is essential for value creation and value capture in health and environmental sciences today. In accordance with the philosophy of the Rivers State University, the programme in Animal and Environmental Biology aims at promoting general and practical educa-tion in the study of animals, their environment and role in public health, agriculture and other di-verse areas of human endeavour. Such training is essential for the development of human intellect as well as management of our national resources and overall socio-economic, scientific and techno-logical development of the country. The biologist has a lot of challenging opportunities such as problems from soil infertility and food production, pest management, higher productivity from ma-rine resources, oil pollution, economic use and conservation of the mangrove and tropical rain for-est, parasites and disease control. The biologist is poised to find solutions to these challenges.

The Rivers State University is situated in a unique ecological zone. Within easy reach are the man-grove swamps, ocean, fresh and brackish waters, rain forest etc. Urbanisation, industrialisation and population growth are causing radical changes in the environment and these are best solved by the biologist who should have both the knowledge and technique to tackle them.

The Department currently runs programmes at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The pro-grammes are:

BSc Animal and Environmental Biology

PGD Animal and Environmental Biology

MSc. And PhD Ecology/Environmental Biology

MSc and PhD Ecotoxicology/Hydrobiology

MSc and PhD Applied Entomology

MSc and PhD Marine Biology and Pollution Studies

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of the degree in Animal and Environmental Biology are developed to:

Provide a comprehensive education in Animal and Environmental Biology that stresses sci-entific reasoning and problem solving across the spectrum of disciplines within the curricu-lum;
Prepare students for a wide variety of post-undergraduate paths, including graduate school, professional training programs, or entry level jobs in any area of Animal and Environmental Biology;

Provide extensive hands-on training in biotechnology, statistical analysis, laboratory skills, and field techniques;

Provide thorough training in written and oral communication of scientific information

Enrich students with opportunities for alternative education in the area of Animal and Envi-ronmental Biology through undergraduate research, internships, and study-abroad.