Professor Edwin Ikenna Ekwue


Faculty of Engineering

The University of the West Indies, St.Augustine, Trinidad

St. Augustine

Trinidad and Tobago

Telephone: 868-662-2002 Ext. 82072

Email: Edwin.Ekwue@sta.uwi.edu


A Brief Biographical Note

Edwin Ikenna Ekwue is a Professor in the Biosystems Programme and former Dean, Faculty of Engineering at the University of the West Indies (UWI) in Trinidad. Prior to this he was Deputy Dean (Research and Postgraduate Student Matters from August 1, 2015 to July 31, 2018. During this period, he acted as the Dean of Engineering from June 13 to July 24, 2016; July 17 to August 13, 2017 and from June 18 to July 28, 2018. He was Head of the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing from August 1, 2009 to July 31, 2015. Before joining UWI in January 1992, he was a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Engineering, University of Maiduguri (UNIMAID), and Nigeria. He is a citizen of Nigeria by birth and of Trinidad and Tobago by naturalization since 2004.

Professor Ekwue is the Chairman of the Publication Board and former Associate Editor of the West Indian Journal of Engineering and was an Associate Editor of the Journal of Arid Agriculture in Nigeria. He has completed a number of research projects both at UNIMAID and UWI. His main contribution to knowledge has been increasing the understanding of the influence of organic and other amendments on soil erosion, strength, cultivation, compaction, thermal properties and compression. He has also made inroads into his wider area of specialty (Soil and Water) by conducting research and publishing in the areas of Water Resources, Hydrology and Irrigation. His subsidiary area of specialization is Structures and Environment, in the area of which he has teaching capabilities, has conducted research and published journal papers. He has also published papers dealing with the development and design of simple devices and equipment for use in agricultural technology. In all, he has written or contributed in writing about 108 academic papers, 70 of which have so far appeared in refereed journals. He has also been involved in a number of consultancy and professional activities.

Professor Ekwue was Deputy Dean (Postgraduate Students and Outreach), Faculty of Engineering, UWI in the 2008/9 academic session. He was the Chairman of Continuing Education Committee in the Faculty of Engineering and the Manager of the Engineering Institute, an outreach arm of the Faculty from 2005 to 2009. He served as the Deputy Dean (Undergraduate Student Affairs) in the Faculty of Engineering in 2003. He has been the Head of Mechanical Engineering and Manufacturing Engineering in acting capacity on five (5) separate occasions. His teaching is multidisciplinary. He teaches introductory Mechanical Engineering courses of Engineering Statics and Strength of Materials which have now been merged into a single course: Statics and Strength of Materials. He also teaches the specialized Biosystems courses of Basic Engineering Infrastructure, Drainage and Irrigation Engineering and Soil and Water Engineering, all of which he re-designed and upgraded from the then existing courses. He is first examiner of Introduction to Engineering; Engineering Fluid Mechanics and Communication Skills. He is a Second Examiner to many courses including Engineering Dynamics and was second examiner to two Biosystems Engineering courses offered by students from the School of Agriculture. He was an external examiner to the University of Trinidad and Tobago.

Professor Ekwue was awarded the Prestigious UWI/Guardian Life of the Caribbean Premium Teaching Award in September 2006. Professor Ekwue participated in the UWI initiative aimed at improving the offerings at the University of Belize and other tertiary Institutions in Belize, as part of a delegation led by UWI’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor E. Nigel Harris to Belize in June 2006. He was nominated by the Vice-Chancellor and was a member of the Academic Board of the UWI Open Campus from December 2008 to January 2011.

 

Qualification

  • B.Eng. June 1981 (Second Class Upper) Agricultural Engineering University of Nigeria, Nsukka
  • MSc Completed: September 1984 Agricultural Engineering (Soil & Water Engineering) Silsoe College, Cranfield University
  • PhD Completed: December 1987 Agricultural Engineering (Soil & Water Engineering) Silsoe College, Cranfield University

Research Interests

  • UWI Research and Publication Fund (July 2003). Investigation into the Thermal Properties of Trinidadian Soils. Project was carried with Dr. R.J. Stone. Resulted in procurement of research equipment and the publication of four journal papers.
  • International Development & Research Centre of Canada (IDRC) Research Grant 2001. Collaborative Management of Coastal Resources in the Caribbean.
  • UWI Research and Publication Fund (October 1998). Engineering Properties of Wetland Soils. Project was carried out with Dr. R. J. Stone. Resulted in the publication of a journal paper.
  • United States Information Agency UWI Project (1997 to 1999). Integrated Protected Area and Conservation Management of the Nariva Swamp.
  • UWI Research and Publication Fund (May, 1996). Sewage Sludge Characteristics in Trinidad and Effects on Soil Properties and Plant Development.
  • University of the West Indies (UWI) Research and Publication Fund (May, 1992). A study of Soil Compaction, Water Relations and their Influence on Maize growth.
  • University of Maiduguri, Nigeria Grant 1990: Construction of a Morin-Type Rainfall Simulator.
Soil and Water Engineering with emphasis on organic amendments as they affect soil strength, erosion, compaction, thermal properties, compressibility, cultivation by mechanical implements as well as plant development and environment. Also interested in Hydrology and Water Resources, Water Supply and Management and Irrigation and Drainage Engineering research as well as computer applications in Water Resources Engineering including computer simulation modeling and analysis of hydrologic data. Currently involved in the evaluation of thermal and electrical conductivities of Trinidadian soils; use of sensors to measure soil moisture content and the development and design of simple devices and equipment for use in agricultural technology.

Professional Experience

  • Member of project team of the Queen’s Park Cricket Club Assessment of the Outfield (August 2016)
  • Consultant, study of the potentials of e-Learning as a training mode in integrated water resources management in the Anglophone Caribbean. Caribbean WaterNet (December 2007 to March 2008).
  • Co-ordinator and Facilitator, Advanced Workshop in Agricultural Water management for Agricultural Engineers and related professionals from the Caribbean region. (October 3 to 7, 2005).
  • General Consultant to Engineering Institute on Continuing Engineering Education Courses (June 2005 to August 2009).
  • Consultant, Environmental Impact Assessment of Nariva Swamp. In Charge of Soils, Hydrology, Irrigation and Drainage, Machinery and Roads.
  • Consultant, Pat Feeder Canal Rehabilitation and Improvement Project for the Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority.
  • Consultant, Survey of Irrigation Equipment and Services in Nigeria for Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources (October 1991).
  • Consultant, National Tractor Rehabilitation Survey Programme of the Federal Government of Nigeria (North East Zone), March to December 1991.
  • Consultant, Training Workshop on Irrigation Practice for Agricultural Extension Workers of the Borno State, Nigeria, Ministry of Agriculture, July 1989.

UWI Service

  • June 2018 to August 2023 - Dean - The Faculty of Engineering
  • October 2007 to Present - Professor - Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering. The University of the West Indies.
  • August 2006 to 2007 - Senior Lecturer above the Merit bar - Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering. The University of the West Indies.
  • August 1998 to 2006 - Senior Lecturer above the Merit bar - Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering. The University of the West Indies.
  • September 1995- July 1998 - Lecturer on Academic Tenure and Above Merit bar
  • January 1992 to August 1995 - Lecture below Merit bar - Department of Mechanical & Manufacturing Engineering. The University of the West Indies.

Public Service

  • Member of Editorial Board, Coupled Systems Mechanics – An International Journal. ISSN: 2234 – 2184 eISSN: 2234 – 2192 (2015)
  • Founding Member Caribbean Capacity Building Network for Integrated Water Resource Management (Caribbean WaterNet) (December 2006 to present)
  • President, Nigerian Community in Trinidad and Tobago (February 4, 2007 to March, 2014).
  • Member, Committee of Board of Engineering/Association of Professional Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago and UWI Launch of Continuous Professional Development Programme in July 2007.
  • Second/External Examiner, B.Tech Programme in Mechanical Engineering Technology, University of Trinidad and Tobago, 2005 to 2009.
  • Manager, Engineering Institute, Faculty of Engineering (from July 2005 till August 2009). Engineering Institute is the outreach arm of the Faculty of Engineering in charge of Projects, Consultancy work and Continuing Engineering Education Courses.
  • Chairman, Faculty Committee on Continuing Engineering Education (from July 2005 to August 2009)
  • Member, Faculty Publication Committee, West Indian Journal of Engineering (from December 2001 till date)
  • Coordinator of the Enron Oil and Gas/UWI Faculty of Engineering Essay Writing and Technical Presentation Competitions, 2004, 2005 and 2006.
  • Member, Faculty Committee on Continuing Engineering Education (from December 2001 to August, 2009)

Professional Memberships

  • Member Engineer, American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (1993 till date)
  • Member, Nigerian Society of Agricultural Engineers (1991)
  • Associate member, Institution of Agricultural Engineers, U.K. (1987 - 1989).

Courses Taught

  • MENG 1010: Statics and Strength of Materials (Full Course)
  • MENG 3004: Soil and Water Engineering (Full Course)
  • MENG 3030: Basic Engineering Infrastructure (Full Course)
  • MENG 3007: Drainage and Irrigation Engineering (Full Course)
  • MENG 3019: Mechanical Engineering Project (Course Coordinator up to July 31, 2018
  • AENG 6005: Reading course in Agricultural Engineering (Full Course, occasionally)
  • AENG 6007: Irrigation and Drainage Engineering (Full Course, occasionally)

Graduate Students

  • Lall Piterahdaue (2018). A Critical Analysis into the Operational Efficiency and Organizational Effectiveness of the National Drainage and Irrigation Authority (NDIA)
  • Samantha Deoraj (2018). Optimization of the Performance and Management of Selected Wastewater Treatment Plants in Trinidad.MSc. Project in Engineering Management (Supervisor and Examiner, Completed).
  • Anthony Chadee (2017). Development of a Standardized Measurement System for Disaster Preparedness Indicators (MPhil Project, Second Examiner, Completed).
  • Dale Ramcharan (2017). The Soft Path Approach to Water Management: Case Study of the Water and Sewerage Authority, Trinidad and Tobago. MSc. Project in Engineering Management (Supervisor and Examiner, Completed in August).
  • Goldie Davis (2017). Filtration of turbid river water. MPhil Project in Progress. Joint Supervision with Dr. Vincent Cooper.
  • Nalini Narain (2016). Development of a wastewater treatment system for dairy processing plants: a case of sterling products limited (SPL) in Guyana. MSc. Project in Project Management (Second Examiner)
  • Edmund Thomas (2016). Implementation of an efficient and sustainable closed loop effluent management system at Readymix West Indies Limited Aggregate Processing Plant. MSc Project in Project Management (Supervisor and Examiner, Completed in February).
  • Vijai Gosein (2015). Towards sustainable development of the agriculture sector in Trinidad and Tobago: a situational analysis utilizing a value chain model for the hot pepper industry. MSc Project Management (Second Examiner, In Progress).
  • Ronald Roopnarine (2015). The physicochemical and engineering properties of Trinidadian soils and their relation to mass movement. PhD Thesis (Internal Examiner, completed).
  • Andrew Frection (2014). An agricultural water management approach to enhancing crop intensification in Central Trinidad. MSc. Project Management (Second Examiner, completed).

Publications and Presentations

THESIS AND PUBLICATIONS.pdf

Curriculum Vitae

PROFESSOR EKWUE'S Dec 2023 CV.doc


Top of Page