The International Network of Women Engineers and Scientists (INWES) has conferred an award of excellence on the wife of the Vice Chancellor, University of Uyo and chairperson of the University of Uyo Women association (UWA), Mrs Rosalyn Essien.
The president of the association, Dr. Uduakobong Okon while giving the award to the recipients at the end of a 3-day African Regional Network (ARN) conference held in De castle hotel, Ewet Housing Uyo said INWES singled out Essien for honour due to her contributions and life touching programmes and activities in UWA which has rubbed off on the girl child and the women,
According to Okon, “the award conferred on Mrs. Essien was in recognition to her partnering role in using the UWA platform to better the lots of women and the girl child.”
She explained that INWES seeks to promote the growth and functionality of women in the engineering profession, pointing out that the event which started on June 26, had paper presentation by many scholars within and outside Nigeria with the Minister of Education, Vocational and Professional Training of Burundi, Professor JanviereIndirahisha being the keynote speaker.
She maintained that the aim of the conference was to explore avenues of promoting Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) among female scholars and students.
Receiving the award, the wife of the Vice Chancellor explained that she has been honoured severally in the past but the award conferred on her by INWES for leadership role in the association, was very unique as the network is primarily established to basically promote and advance the course of the female gender which UWA seeks to galvanize in the society
She noted that her role in promoting the affairs of the girl child and the women on the platform of the UWA is an issue of need in relation to several social challenges stirring these categories of people, in education and leadership.
She however commended INWES for bringing the conference to Uyo to brainstorm on the challenges facing women in education and the way forward to reposition female engineers for optimum service delivery in line with the theme of the conference Sustainable Innovation in STEM Development: Challenge and Way Forward.
Highpoint of the event was the command performance by students of the Department of Theatre Art on the piece Beyond My Scars directed by Dr Ifure-Uffort Ozobo of the Theatre Art Department.
Dr Uduakobong Okon also was conferred with an Award of Excellence as the pioneer chairperson of INWES
The event was attended by the Deputy president of INWES, Dr Sarah Peers and the former Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) UNIUYO, Professor Godfrey Udoh
