Omowunmi Sadik facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Omowunmi Sadik
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| Born | 1964 |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Alma mater | University of Lagos, Wollongong University |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Surface chemistry, Environmental nanotechnology |
| Institutions | New Jersey Institute of Technology |
| Notable students | Samira Musah |
Omowunmi "Wunmi" A. Sadik (born in 1964) is a Nigerian-American professor, chemist, and inventor. She works at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Dr. Sadik is known for creating special tools called biosensors. These tools can find tiny amounts of things like drugs or explosives. She also works on ways to clean up pollution and reuse valuable metals from waste. In 2012, she helped start an organization called the Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization.
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Early Life and Education
Omowunmi Sadik was born in 1964 in Lagos, Nigeria. Her family had many scientists, which helped her become interested in science. She loved learning about physics, chemistry, and biology.
She studied chemistry at the University of Lagos in Nigeria. She earned her first degree in 1985 and a master's degree in 1987. Later, she went to Wollongong University in Australia. There, she earned her Ph.D. in chemistry in 1994.
Her Career in Science
After finishing her studies, Dr. Sadik worked as a researcher. From 1994 to 1996, she was at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. This agency helps protect the environment.
She then became a chemistry professor at Binghamton University in New York. She started as an assistant professor and became a full professor in 2005. She also led a center there that focused on advanced sensors and environmental systems.
In 2019, Dr. Sadik moved to the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). She became the head of the Chemistry and Environmental Sciences Department. She also directs a research center there called The BioSMART Center. She has also been a visiting professor at other famous universities like Cornell University and Harvard University. In 2024, she took on a new leadership role at NJIT, helping with faculty affairs.
What Dr. Sadik Studies
Dr. Sadik studies how chemicals behave on surfaces. She focuses on making biosensors. These are devices that can detect specific substances. She found that certain materials, called conducting polymers, are very good for these sensors.
She created tiny biosensors that can find very small amounts of organic materials. This technology can be used to detect drugs and even bombs. She also researches how to clean up harmful waste, like certain chemical compounds. Her goal is to develop ways to recycle metal ions from industrial and environmental waste. For example, in one project, her work helped change a very toxic form of chromium (chromium VI) into a non-toxic form (chromium III). This process improved from 40% to 98% with the help of tiny living things.
Dr. Sadik has written over 135 research papers. She also holds patents for her inventions, including special types of biosensors. In 2012, she helped create the Sustainable Nanotechnology Organization. This group works to make sure nanotechnology is used responsibly around the world.
Recognitions and Collaborations
Dr. Sadik is a respected scientist. She has been elected as a fellow by several important scientific groups. These include the Royal Society of Chemistry (in 2010) and the American Chemical Society (in 2023). She also works with organizations like the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the National Science Foundation. She has worked with scientists in other countries, including Romania, Turkey, and Japan.
Awards and Honors
Dr. Sadik has received many awards for her important work.
- 2000: National Research Council (NRC) COBASE fellowship
- 2001: Chancellor's Award for Research in Science and Medicine, SUNY
- 2002: Chancellor's Award for Premier Inventors, SUNY
- 2003–2004: Distinguished Radcliffe Fellowship from Harvard University
- 2005–2006: NSF Discovery Corps Senior Fellowship
- 2016: Nigerian National Order of Merit Award (NNOM)
- 2017: Jefferson Science Fellow
- Australian Merit Award
- 2023: American Chemical Society Fellow
- 2024: National Academy of Inventors (NAI) fellowship
- 2024: The Wallace H. Coulter Award for Lifetime Achievement, Pittcon
See also
In Spanish: Omowunmi Sadik para niños
