Glory Oden

PhD candidate

Thesis topic: Using palaeoecological methods to analyse the vegetation history of the fynbos-forest ecotone of the Western Cape, South Africa

Supervisor: Prof Lindsey Gillson; Co-supervisor: Prof M. Timm Hoffman 

Background:
Glory is a PhD researcher in the University of Cape Town (UCT) specialising in applied palaeoecology and plant conservation. She is presently working on the Fynbos forest ecotone of Western cape in order to deconstruct the extent of the forest change, factors that have influenced relative dominance of the biomes as well as the implication for management of the ecotone, especially fire management.

Glory is also an assistant lecturer in the Department of Plant and Ecological Studies, University of Calabar, where she obtained a B.Sc (Hons) degree in Botany (2011). She taught introductory botany courses, carried out research, helped to organise seminars and conferences, and mentored undergraduate students.  She was also a research fellow at the University of Lagos Palynology lab, where she obtained her M.Sc in Botany (2016). Her thesis was on The Palaeovegetational and Palaeoclimatic Studies Of Itowolo And Iwopin Communities in Southwest Nigeria.

Glory is a member of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, the Palynological Association of Nigeria, and the Botanical Society of Nigeria, and actively volunteers for environment and gender themed causes and non-profits.

Research interests:

Glory is particularly interested in palaeoecological studies and its application to management policies and ecosystem practices, conservation and bio restoration, ecology and ecosystems research, natural resource management, climate change studies and environmental impact assessments.

She looks forward to designing a pollen identification software to facilitate pollen identification of African tropical plants.

Her ultimate career goal is to use targeted advocacy and multi-sectoral approaches, backed up with academic research, in influencing policy and changing individual unhealthy environmental choices and behaviour, to ensure environmental sustainability.

Publications:

  1. Akwaji, PI., Onah, DO., and Oden, GN (2021). Assessment of Structural Framework (Tree Species and Height) of Some Communal Forests in Northern Cross River State, Nigeria. International Journal of Current Research 13(1):15970-15981
  2. Oden, GN., Ebigwai, JK., and Ilondu, ME (2020). Application of Pollen and spore studies to Paleovegetation Inferences of Iwopin, Ogun State, Nigeria. International Journal of Agriculture and Biological Sciences. 4(4):128-140.
  3. Ebigwai, JK., Bassey, RA., and Oden, GN. (2019) Stressor elements inhibiting natural mangrove regeneration along coastlines in the Cross River Estuary, Nigeria. International Journal of Scientific and Engineering Research. 10(10):2229-5518.