International Sociology and International Sociology Reviews

Climate change in Africa

‘Climate change in Africa’ is our Topic of the Month for December 2020. On this topic, enjoy Free Access all month to this article by Ayodele Adekunle Faiyetole (EarthSpace Climate Change Research Labs, Innovations to Society, Nigeria) published in International Sociology, Outside-in perspectives on the socio-econo-technological effects of climate change in Africa. Read on to know more about the author’s trajectory and work:

Ayodele A. Faiyetole

Why are you working on this topic? Could you share an experience, a fact or a person who made you get engaged on that research?

A.A. Faiyetole: In 2003, I had the opportunity as a graduate student in International Space University (ISU) in Strasbourg to choose one out of three thematic team projects to work on, which were space exploration, technology transfer, and climate change. My natural instinct for space sidled me to space exploration, more precisely, lunar exploration, despite not being from a space exploration country. In fact, the notion that “you haven’t solved poverty and other mundane issues, yet you are considering a space project” is common parlance in reference to African countries’ pursuit of space efforts. While I am forever proud of this choice and achievement both in knowledge gained and lasting friendships made on the project, it dawned on me later however, that coming from a peripherical African country we are most hit by the consequences of climate change yet the least contributor to this menace. Thus, I started feeling a sense of responsibility towards this ever since and sought ways to research and contribute to the nexus of space technology and climate change particularly with a focus on the African continent. So, when an opportunity to pursue a doctoral arose, I made space technology and climate my research focus, and dipped into my net-worth to make this happen. So I am glad I was able to get qualitative indigenous-out perspectives on the social and technological aspects of climate change as they may likely have impacted or will impact on the continent and vice versa. This is my drive, and I hope to get more opportunities to work more in this sphere, for instance, climate change and transportation interconnection is of serious interest to me at the moment.

Do you have any video, recorded conference, or online material that you would like us to share with others?

A.A. Faiyetole: I have a TV News interview I answered with my team on inspiring, educating and developing secondary school students on STEM and environmental responsibility.

What would you emphasize about your academic trajectory? Can you highlight which have been your academic positions, universities, awards, departments and research centers?

A.A. Faiyetole: From a core scientist to a social scientist, I obtained an undergrad degree in Physics from the University of Ilorin and a Master’s suite that emphasized on the interdisciplinarity of fields including the physical sciences, technology, engineering, social sciences, law and policy, arts, management, and much more, from the International Space University in Strasbourg. From a doctoral program that attempts to fuse two extremes of these disciplines, I have designed my background to allow me the necessary flexibility to work on any area of interest. I have, thus, been ready to work in different institutions, from interning with Cisco Global Defense and Space Group (GDSG) at the Institute for Telecommunication Research (ITR), University of South Australia (UniSA), Adelaide, to working as a teaching associate at the Space Studies Program (SSP) of the International Space University held at the Graz University of Technology (TU Graz). I have also pushed my nonprofit educational project, www.theEarthSpace.com, the Young EarthSpace Scientists (YESS!) Academy, which recently collaborated with Ad Astra Academy (www.adastra.world) to co-create Innovation Labs: Nigeria that all benefit from my published works, “Scientific but People-Oriented Education and Multi-Cultural Adaptations of International Heliophysical Year Education Resources: A perspective from a Developing Nation” and “EarthSpace Educational System and the Scientific but People-Oriented Education”. These works emphasize the need for a deliberate mix of technology field with humanities, and an “EarthSpace, Climate Change and Renewable Energy Education Initiative”. I currently work as a tenured researcher at the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA) teaching sustainability transport, with an emphasis on noise, emission, hence climate change, and Intelligent Transport System (ITS). I am a Todd B. Hawley Space Visionary Award recipient, a professional member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), Reston, VA, and a member of the Institute of Transportation Engineers (ITE), Washington, DC.