Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology

Dr (Mrs) Mercy Gospel Ajuru

Ag. Head of Department

Plant Science and Biotechnology

The Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology (PS&B) started as an option (Botany) in the then Department of Biological Sciences, which later changed to Department of Applied and Environmental Biology in the Faculty of Science.

It became a full-fledged department in 2015, with Prof. B.O. Green as the pioneer Head of Department.

Plant Science is required in diverse fields such as Agriculture, Natural product chemistry, Forestry, Horticulture, Pharmacology, Pharmacognosy, Ecotourism and Wood technology. Biotechnology simplifies understanding of all areas of Plant Science at the molecular level.

Profile of the HOD

Dr Mercy Gospel Ajuru pursued her B.Sc. in Botany from University of Uyo, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria in 1999; MSc. and PhD. Plant Taxonomy and Biosystematics from the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria in 2009 and 2014 respectively. She was employed in the Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria since 2010, and is currently working as a Reader. She is a member of BOSON, OWSD, Science Alert, STAN, etc since 2010. She has published more than seventy (70) research papers in both local and international journals with high index factor and attended conferences and workshops. Her main research work focuses on Plant Taxonomy, Phytochemistry, Medicinal Plants, Ethnobotany, Plant Anatomy and Gross Morphology. She has put in 15 years of teaching and research experience. She is married with children.

Staff list in the Department

Name	Rank	Area Of Specialisation	Email
Dr. M. G. Ajuru	Reader/HOD	Plant Taxonomy/ Biosystematics	mercy.ajuru@ust.edu.ng
Prof. E. T. Jaja	Professor	Plant Physiology	jaja.emylia@ust.edu.ng
Prof. B. O Green	Professor	Plant Taxonomy / Biosystematics	blessing.green@gmail.com
Prof. E.C. Chuku	Professor	Crop Protetion/Plant Pathology	edithchuku65@gmail.com
Prof. A. B. Nwauzoma	Professor	Plant Pathology	akagbuo.nwauzoma@ust.edu.ng
Dr. F. W. Nmom	Reader	Plant Pathology	felicia.nmom@ust.edu.ng
Dr. V. Wilson	Reader	Plant Breeding	victoriawilson2005@mail.com
Dr. N. Amadi	Lecturer I	Plant Ecology	noble.amadi1@ust.edu.ng
Dr. O. S. Chuku	Lecturer 1	Plant Ecology	solomon.chuku@ust.edu.ng
Dr. F. C. N. Okogbule	Lecturer 1	Plant Pathology	fortunenc.okogbule@ust.edu.ng
Mr. C. Worlu	Lecturer 1	Plant Pathology	cworlu1@gmail.com
Dr. C. Njoku	Lecturer 1	Plant Pathology	chibuzor.njoku1@ust.edu.ng
Dr. E. O. Wehke	Lecturer 1	Plant Pathology	emenike.wekhe1@ust.edu.com
Dr. Kpekot. A. Kpekot	Lecturer 11	Plant Physiology	kpekot.kpekot@ust.edu.ng
Mr. S. S. Agbagwa	Lecturer 11	Plant Pathology	samuel.agbagwa1@ust.edu.ng
Mrs. J. W. Nneji	Lecturer 11	Plant Pathology	worukwo-emma.nneji@ust.edu.ng
Mr. N. B. Wofu	Assistant Lecturer	Plant Pathology	bertram.wofu@ust.edu.ng
Mr. V. I. Ajie	Assistant Lecturer	Plant Cytogenetics	victor.ajie@ust.edu.ng
Mrs. J. O. Tariah	Assistant Lecturer	Plant Pathology	julia.tariah@ust.edu.ng
Mrs L. C. Chikere	Assistant Lecturer	Plant Pathology/Biosystematics	lauretta.chikere-chinwe@ust.edu.ng
Mr. E. I. Azuonwu	Technologist I	Science Laboratory Technology	emmanuel.azunwu@ust.edu.ng
Mr. P. I. Owabie	Technologist I	Plant Pathology	precious.owabie@ust.edu,ng
Ms. M. O. Agwor	Technologist II	Plant Pathology	mildred.agwo@ust.edu.ng
Mrs. C. S. Chukwu	Technologist II	Plant Pathology	chidinma.chukwu@ust.edu.ng
Mrs. O. H. Owabie	Technologist II	Plant Ecology	oby.owabie@ust.edu.ng
Mrs. U. G. Mini Amobi	Technologist II	Plant Pathology	udochi.miniamobi@ust.edu.ng
Mr. Allen Owabie	Technologist I	Plant Science and Biotechnology	allen.owabie@ust.edu.ng
Miss C. O. Chukwu	Administrative Officer I	Environmental Science and Resource Management	chizzy.chukwu@ust.edu.ng
Mr. E. C. Cole	Senior Clerical Officer	Environmental Science and Resource Management	emmanuel.cole@ust.edu.ng

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The main responsibility of the Department is to produce students with a sound knowledge and understanding of the concepts and methodologies of Plant Science and Biotechnology in the key areas that meet the needs of the society. A Bachelor degree in the programme will provide a broad foundation in the education of students for positions in the conservation and biodiversity sectors, as well as professional studies in Plant Science at the molecular level.

STRUCTURE OF THE UNIT

The Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology was approved without further divisions or options. All students in a particular level/year of study offer the same courses. Year 2 students (in particular) borrow relevant courses from the Departments of Microbiology and Animal and Environmental Biology. However, at the final year students may choose seminar and project topics in any area of their choice.

The Administrative set up of the department has the head of department at the apex, (reports directly to the Dean of Faculty), overseeing both the academic and non-academic functions in the department. Leadership is provided at the apex. The head of department at the apex is followed by a post graduate coordinator who oversees the post graduate programme of the department. The organogram below gives a detailed outlay of the departmental units and their different hierarchies.

DEAN

HEAD OF DEPARTMENT

TECHNOLOGISTS

ACADEMIC STAFF

ADMINSTRATIVE STAFF

LABORATORY ASSISTANTS

Organizational structure of the Department

In addition, the Department has two Boards that are responsible for the decision making process.

These Boards are:

- The Departmental Board and
- The Board of Examiners

The Departmental Board, which is made up of all academic staff not below the rank of Graduate Assistant senior staff of the Department, including senior non-academic staff, deliberates on issues of general interests to the Department. The Departmental Board of Examiners is made up of only academic staff and it considers academic matters as it affects the students. To facilitate the activities of these Boards, members of staff are allocated specific duties as well. Examples of these include having staff in-charge of issues like Examination, Postgraduate matters, Calendar and Timetable, Research and Publications, and Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES).

To further involve staff in decision making, the Department has in place the following committees:

Curriculum Committee
Equipment Committee
Welfare Committee
Examinations Committee
Postgraduate Committee
Sanitation Committee
Disciplinary Committee
SIWES Committee

PHILOSOPHY OF THE PROGRAMME

The programme has been designed to train men and women who will understand Botany as a discipline in pure and applied science and apply it to everyday life of the people. The programme is designed to promote effective teaching, learning and meaningful researches in the best tradition of Botany. It is also designed to produce graduates that will be able to compete favourably with graduates of other Universities based on their scientific research, their contributions to knowledge and national development; and prepare our graduates to be job creators based on their broad knowledge of the environment and its needs rather than being job seekers.

OBJECTIVES

The specific objectives of the programme are to:

develop students’ appreciation for plants and plant uses;
expose students to practical botany techniques that will enhance their quick understanding of the course;
familiarize students with the names, identity and distribution of plants;
build research culture into students to make them become plant scientists through biotechnology;

acquaint students with the medicinal plant, medicinal uses of plants and general economic importance of plants;
organize training workshops on conservation of plant diversity and management of plant resources for sustainable development.