Olatokunbo Arinola Somolu (born 1950) is a Nigerian structural engineer. She was the first Nigerian woman to gain a PhD in any engineering field.[1][2]

Early life and education

Olatokunbo Somolu was born in Lagos State on 11 October 1950. She received primary education at the Anglican Girls' School, Lagos, and secondary schooling at Queen's College, Lagos.[3] She studied Civil Engineering at the University of Lagos, graduating top of her class with a B.Sc. degree in 1973. In 1978 she gained her PhD in Civil Engineering (Structures).[4]

Career

Somolu became.a Pupil Engineer with Sokoto Waterworks in 1973. She lectured at Yaba College of Technology from 1977 to 1982. In 1982 she joined the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) as Assistant Chief Civil Engineer. In 2005 she became the first woman to head the Engineering and Technology Division of NNPC as the Group General Manager. She retired in 2009.[4]

In 2007 Somolu was inducted into the Nigerian Women Hall of Fame.[4] In 2017 she was honoured for her pioneering professional achievement by the Professional Excellence Foundation of Nigeria (PEFON).[1][2] She is a fellow of several professional bodies like Nigerian Academy of Engineering, Nigerian Society of Engineers and member, Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM).[5]

References

  1. 1 2 Ijeoma Thomas-Odia, PEFON honours professional ‘first ladies’ at induction, The Guardian, 4 March 2017. Accessed 19 May 2020.
  2. 1 2 Zika Bobby, When PEFON honoured professional ‘first ladies’, The Sun, 8 March 2017.
  3. ↑ Folorunsho-Francis, Adebayo (2017-03-01). "Meet Nigeria's 1st Female PhD Holder In Engineering". Citypulse Nigeria. Retrieved 2020-05-29.
  4. 1 2 3 Olatokunbo Arinola Somolu (Engr. Dr.), DAWN Commission, 27 July 2016. Accessed 18 May 2020.
  5. ↑ Laze; Amana, Destiny. "The Nigeria Academy of Engineering Fellows Profile :: promoting excellence in technology and engineering training and practice to ensure the technological growth and economic development of Nigeria". www.nae.org.ng. Retrieved 2020-05-25.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.