Dr Modinat Adekunle
About me
Dr Modinat M. Adekunle is a Research Fellow at the Environment and Physical Infrastructure Policy Department of the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER). She has a background in geography from the University of Ibadan (UI) and a joint PhD in environmental management from the Pan African University and UI, with a full scholarship from the African Union. Her research focuses on waste management, climate change, sustainability and gender inclusion in environmental management. She has published and presented works on sustainable transport, waste governance, and the socio-economic dimensions of climate adaptation in international journals, book chapters and conferences.
Dr Modinat Mosunmola Adekunle is an environmental management scholar and policy researcher with expertise in waste management, climate change, urban environmental systems, and transportation studies. She is currently a Research Fellow II in the Environment and Physical Infrastructure Policy Department of the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Ibadan, where she contributes to interdisciplinary research on environmental sustainability, infrastruture development, and urban policy in Nigeria.
Dr Adekunle obtained her PhD in Environmental Management from the Pan African University (hosted at the University of Ibadan). She also holds an MSc in Geography and a BSc (Hons) in Geography from the University of Ibadan, reflecting a strong academic grounding in environmental systems, spatial analysis, and human-environment interactions. Earlier in her academic trajectory, she earned a Diploma in Secretarial Studies from The Polytechnic, Ibadan. Her doctoral training was supported by a PhD Scholarship Award from the African Union Commission, recognising her academic promise and commitment to research in environmental management and sustainable development in Africa.
At NISER, Dr Adekunle participates in institutional and collaborative research projects addressing pressing environmental and infrastructure challenges in Nigeria. Her work involves data collection and analysis, literature synthesis, policy-oriented research, and mentoring of interns and young researchers. She has contributed to several major research inititiaves, including studies on the socio-economic effects of the Lagos-Ibadan passenger rail corridor; climate variability and resource conflicts in Nigeria; remote sensing for natural resource management, and urban mobility challenges in Nigeria. These projects reflect her broader interest in linking environmental dynamics with socio-economic and policy outcomes.
Prior to joining NISER, she worked as a Research Associate at the University of Ibadan, supporting research on urban resilience, waste management , air pollution, and planning systems. Her earlier professional experience also includes several years as a Geography teacher in secondary schools, where she taught both the Nigerian and Cambridge curricula and coordinated environmental eduation initiatives such as the Geography Green Schools Project. These roles strengthen her capacity for research communication, curriculum development, and mentoring young learners.
Dr Adekunle's research focuses on environmental management and policy, climate change, sustainable development, population and migration, and transportation systems. Her work has been published in peer-reviewed journals, edited volumes, and policy-oriented publications. Notable contributions include research on household waste separation and waste picking in Ibadan, studies on groundwater quality near municipal dumpsites, and collaborative research on climate variability and resource conflicts in Nigeria. Her work integrates environmental science with policy analysis to generate evidence that informs sustainable urban and environmental governance.
She has presented her research at national and international academic forums, including the American Association of Geographer (AAG) Annual Conference and the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) Scientific Conference, where she has contributed to debates on urban environmental risk, climate adaptation, and digital public discourse on environmental governance.
Beyond research, Dr Adekunle is actively engaged in professional and scholarly networks. She is a member of the Association of American Geographers (AAG), Organizaion for Women in Science for the Developing World (OWSD), Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) and SustyVibes, a youth-led sustainability organization promoting climate and environmental awareness in Africa.
Through her research, mentorship, and professional engagement, Dr Adekunle continues to contribute to knowledge production and policy dialogue on environmental sustainability and urban development in Africa. Her work seeks to bridge scientific research and policy practice, supporting evidence-based solutions to complex environmental and infrastructure challenges across Nigerian and African cities.