Dr Osarenkhoe Ogbeide, Junior Research Fellow at Churchill College and a member of the Department of Engineering, has been awarded a Royal Society Career Development Fellowship 2025. Dr Ogbeide, who was born in the United Kingdom and has family origins in Edo State, Nigeria, is in the Electrical Engineering Division at the Institution. This highly competitive scheme supports early-career researchers from underrepresented backgrounds in the STEM field. Awardees receive up to £690,000 over four years, alongside bespoke mentoring, training in grant writing and public engagement, and opportunities to connect with world-leading scientists through the Royal Society’s Fellowship network. Fewer than ten fellowships are awarded across the UK each year, making it one of the most selective programmes of its kind.
Pioneering Advances in Nanoengineered Gas Sensing
Dr Ogbeide’s research is at the forefront of nanoengineered sensing technology. During his PhD, he pioneered a first-of-its-kind predictive gas sensor capable of identifying and quantifying multiple gases simultaneously in complex environments. This innovation combined advanced nanostructured materials with machine intelligence to achieve unprecedented sensing performance. Building on this foundation, he now develops low-power, highly sensitive, and scalable gas sensors that integrate graphene and metal oxides to detect harmful pollutants—including formaldehyde and other volatile organic compounds at parts-per-billion concentrations, even under challenging conditions such as high humidity. By integrating these sensors into portable platforms, his work aims to enable applications in Indoor air-quality monitoring, Agri-tech, and Personal healthcare, including early disease detection through breath analysis.
His upcoming project, Pioneering Novel Nanoengineered Gas Sensors for Ultrasensitive Indoor Air Quality Monitoring, seeks to transform how indoor pollution is detected and understood. According to Dr Ogbeide, “Indoor air pollution is a serious but often overlooked health issue.” He went further to say, “We spend most of our time indoors, where pollutant concentrations can be far higher than outdoors. My goal is to develop intelligent, affordable sensing technologies that empower individuals to monitor and improve their own environments.” His work has the potential to make personalised air-quality monitoring accessible to millions, providing evidence to shape future health policy, protect public health, and guide manufacturers toward safer, cleaner products.
Championing Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Beyond his research, Dr Ogbeide is a champion of equality, diversity, and inclusion in education. He has influenced national discussions on representation and belonging in academia and policy, advising policymakers and educational leaders across the UK. He has contributed to debates on discrimination in schools at 10 Downing Street and consulted the Equality and Human Rights Commission on national guidance to prevent Afro hair discrimination in schools, published in 2022.
Creativity, Outreach and Inspiring Future Scientists
Alongside his scientific work, Dr Ogbeide is a talented illustrator and comic creator. Through his company, New Africa Comics, he writes and illustrates original stories that blend culture, imagination, and social commentary, exploring themes of identity, discovery, and resilience. His creative work informs his approach to science. It has become a powerful tool for science outreach, transforming complex research into engaging visual narratives for schools and community programmes across the UK and globally.
Speaking about the Fellowship Award, Dr Ogbeide stated, “I am deeply honoured to receive this award from the Royal Society. It not only supports my research but also connects me with mentors and colleagues who are shaping the future of science. I hope my journey can inspire others from underrepresented backgrounds to see themselves in STEM.” In his congratulatory message, Professor Tawfique Hasan, who leads the Division’s research in advanced materials and nanotechnology, puts it succinctly: “This Fellowship recognises Dr Ogbeide’s talent and the societal impact of his research. It is a tremendous achievement that will allow him to pursue ambitious ideas with real-world significance.”
The Prestigious Royal Society Career Development Fellowship is part of the Royal Society’s mission to support excellence in UK science by fostering diverse talent and perspectives, ensuring that groundbreaking research benefits from the widest possible range of voices. The Team here at TWIN2 Media sends warm felicitations to a great Edo State son and Nigerian on this lofty achievement. Well done, Dr Osarenkhoe Ogbeide, for making us proud.
Credits: Royal society.org news