🌍 IE Around the World Webinar Series Returns — Next Stop: Africa!
The IE Around the World webinar series is back, continuing its mission to spotlight voices and research from underrepresented regions. This initiative brings together scholars across the globe to connect, exchange ideas, and showcase diverse perspectives in Industrial Ecology. This May, we’re heading to Africa for our third stop!
🎤 Featured Speakers
- Dr. Mohemmed Isah — Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Tohoku University
- Dr. Yvette Baninla — Lecturer, University of Bamenda; Associate Professor (Special Appointment), Hiroshima University; Postdoctoral Researcher, Queen’s University
- Timothy Na — PhD Candidate, Leiden University
🗓 Date: Friday, May 22
🕐 Time:
- 1:00–2:00 PM (West Africa Time)
- 8:00–9:00 AM (Eastern Daylight Time)
- 2:00–3:00 PM (Central European Summer Time)
- 9:00–10:00 PM (Japan Standard Time)
🔗 Join via Zoom: https://purdue-edu.zoom.us/j/97610289000?pwd=ckau64yAPirFSzaUIBuQF5wSSrvnco.1
Meeting ID: 976 1028 9000 Passcode: 672290
📚 Contents
Title: The Green Transition: At What Social Cost?
Dr. Mohammed Isah is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Tohoku University, Japan, specializing in Life Cycle Assessment, decarbonisation strategies, critical minerals, circular economy, and sustainable resource management. His research advances pathways toward low-carbon, resilient societies, with particular interest in global energy systems and Africa’s role in the international climate agenda. He previously served as a Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant at Tohoku University and holds a master’s degree from Coventry University, UK, where he studied the environmental fate and transport of crude oil spills in offshore Nigeria.
Title: From ESG to SDGs: Rethinking Mining for Sustainable and Peaceful Futures
Dr. Yvette Baninla is an environmental scientist and industrial ecologist specializing in mineral resource governance, sustainability, and human security. She is a Visiting Associate Professor at Hiroshima University, a NERPS Research Fellow, a Postdoctoral Researcher at Queen’s University, Canada, and a Senior Lecturer at the University of Bamenda, Cameroon. Her research examines mineral supply chains, extraction impacts, governance systems, and the social and environmental consequences of the green transition, with a focus on equity, livelihoods, peace, and inclusive resilience.
Title: The Economic and Environmental Impacts of Railroad Construction in Africa
Timothy Na is a PhD candidate in Industrial Ecology at Leiden University. His work explores how infrastructure development can support socioeconomic progress while staying within environmental limits. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Manchester and a Master’s degree in Industrial Ecology from Leiden University and Delft University of Technology. His research focuses on infrastructure demand, service provision, supply chain bottlenecks, resource use, and emissions. His current PhD research examines the socioeconomic and environmental implications of a transcontinental African railway network under the African Union’s Agenda 2063, using environmentally extended input-output analysis. He also contributes to international work on infrastructure measurement through the OECD and UNECE, supporting evidence-based planning for sustainable development.
Join us for an inspiring session highlighting innovative research and perspectives from across the African continent.