Student Spotlight (Toyin Comfort Akinleu): Presenting Research on Groundwater Vulnerability

From Conference Presentation to Award-Winning Environmental Research
Presenting the initial findings of our research poster, “Beneath Urban Growth: Landfill-Driven Groundwater Vulnerability and Waterborne Disease Risk in Lagos, Nigeria,” at the Nigerian Association of Petroleum Explorationists–Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NAPE–NMGS) Mini Conference 2025 marked a significant milestone in my academic journey. Held at Kwara State University, the conference provided an opportunity to share our work on groundwater vulnerability and waste-driven pollution in Lagos State with researchers and professionals in the geoscience field. Through this experience, I strengthened my scientific communication skills and gained valuable feedback on the environmental and public health relevance of our study. The project also challenged me technically, particularly during the multi-criteria analysis stage in ArcMap, which pushed me to independently develop stronger GIS and spatial analysis skills.

Following the conference, the research expanded into more advanced geospatial modelling, including groundwater vulnerability mapping, hotspot analysis, and statistical assessments to better understand the relationship between waste pollution, groundwater systems, and waterborne disease risk. This deeper level of analysis strengthened my technical understanding of environmental risk assessment and multidisciplinary data integration. The completed study was later presented at the Pan-APA 2026 Conference, where it received the Best Abstract Award, accompanied by a Certificate of Excellence and a cash prize. Beyond the recognition, the experience reinforced my passion for applying geospatial and hydrogeological approaches to environmental and public health challenges, while further developing my confidence in collaborative and impact-driven research.