OMOBOLA EKO is a PhD student presently undertaking a traineeship at EFIS Centre in Brussels. Her research work focuses on evaluating the socioeconomic impacts of Italian Integrated Environmental Research Infrastructures (ITINERIS) including their contribution to addressing environmental issues in Europe and around the world.
She is motivated to learn from the team of experts at EFIS Centre about the role of science policy in helping decision-makers solve societal issues. Through precise data obtained from scientific studies and diverse meetings and interactions, she is learning with the support of colleagues at EFIS Centre, about relevant policies for environmental sustainability on a global scale.
During her 2-month training at EFIS Centre, she is participating in various activities including the Horizon Europe funded SUBMERSE project to develop a new world-class research instrument by integrating existing research infrastructures such as the EPOS data infrastructure, the marine science RI (EMSO) and the Copernicus Marine service with data, gathered from telecommunications submarine optical fibres. Furthermore, she will carry out a systematic review of recent reports related to the impact assessment of Research Infrastructures.
Her areas of interest in study are diverse and include environmental policy, social forestry, sustainable land use and forest management, urban forestry, and environmental justice. Her ultimate goal is to leave behind an ecosystem that is more sustainable and liveable for the future generation than the way she met it.
Omobola is from Nigeria and has over 10 years of experience in the field of forestry. She is passionate about promoting a sustainable environment. She graduated in Nigeria with a bachelor’s degree in forestry and wood technology and a master’s degree in forest economics and management. She also earned a second master’s degree in forestry and environmental sciences from the University of Tuscia in Italy, where she is presently enrolled in a fully-funded PhD programme.
She founded the Urban Tree Revival Initiative, a youth-led non-profit organisation, while she was living in Nigeria. Its mission is to promote tree planting as a practical climate solution (www.urbantreerevival.org). Her team promotes grassroots local climate actions in Nigeria, through different projects in the areas of climate education, advocacy and forest restoration.
