Lecturer II, Department of Biology

Mrs VivianMaria C. Ajuruchi


Mrs VivianMaria Chioma Ajuruchi

Lecturer II

BSc., PGDE, MSc., PhD(In-Progress)
Email: ajuruchivivianmaria@futo.edu.ng

 

Biography

Ajuruchi Vivian Maria Chioma (Mrs.) is a B.Sc. Degree holder in Biological Sciences and Botany from the University of Nigeria Nsukka (1990). She is an educationist, holds a post-graduate degree in Education from the F.C.T. College of Education, Zuba, Abuja and an M.Sc. degree in Environmental Health Biology, from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri. Currently, she is a PhD. Research Fellow in Plant Physiology and Systematics, Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.

An active member of the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria, she has pioneered the establishment of various private schools in Niger State and the Northern part of the country and also helped in the growth and development of schools under the Primary and Secondary Schools Education Board in Niger State. She served as the Financial Secretary, Association of Private Schools Proprietors Madalla Niger State Chapter. (2001-2011).

From the rank of a graduate assistant, she rose to the rank of Lecturer II in the Department of Biology, School of Biological Sciences, the Federal University of Technology Owerri in 2019 and is currently the academic adviser to students of 2017/18 academic session of the Department of biology.  A dedicated plant scientist and keenly interested in Agriculture, she is currently the State Welfare officer of The United Association Of Grassroot Arable/Livestock farmers of Nigeria Imo State Chapter. She is also a Lay Apostolate Catholic Marian Missionary. A Devotee of the Most Precious Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, She is also a member of various pious Associations/ groups such as Opus Dei, The Universal Living Rosary of St. Philomena, St. Theresa’s Corpus Christi Association, The Little way Movement, The Sacred Heart special Evangelizers to mention but a few.

Vivian Maria is actively involved in evangelization and has continued to spread the faith through seminars, motivational talks, spiritual exercises, personal interactions among Christians and in particular Catholics both with the church and outside.

Academic Qualifications

  • BSc. (Botany/Biological Sciences) –Second Class (Upper Division)     –     August 1987 – July 1991
  • Post Graduate Diploma in Education (PGDE) 2008 – March 2010
  • MSc. Environmental Health Biology Jan. 2011 – Nov. 2015
  • PhD. Plant Physiology/Systematics     –    Jan. 2016 – in progress

Membership of Professional Bodies

  • Member, Botanical Society of America (BOSOA)
  • Member, Botanical Society of Nigeria (BOSON)
  • Member, Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN)
  • Member, Society for Environmental Health of Nigeria (SEHON)
  • Member, Foundation for African Development, Through International Biotechnology (FADIB))
  • Member, Organization of Women in Science for the Developing World  (OWSDO)

Courses Assigned to Teach

BIO 206, 301, 304, 305, 310, 313, 411, 401, 407, 501, 503, 513, 511, 508 & 512.

Introduction to Genetics, Genetics II, Seed Plants, Seedless Plants, Soil Science, Evolution of Plants and Animals, Plant Physiology, Animal Physiology, Basic Limnology, Plant Ecology, Principles of Aquatic Resource Management,  Research Projects in Biology, Seminar Topics in Biology, Economic Botany, Plant Pathology

Work Experience

  1. Assistant Lecturer, Plant Taxonomy (BIO – 314)
    • Department of Biological Sciences, Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) Kaduna     –        1991 – 1992
  2. Administrative Supervisor, Fotowik Industries Ltd. 26
    • Ikwere Road (Port Harcourt)     –   1994
  3. Science Teacher, Queen’s Science Secondary School
    • Rafinsenyi Suleja, Niger State   –    1997 – 1998
  4. Head Teacher/Head Mistress, Calvary Nursery and Primary
    • School Madalla Niger State    –     1998 – 2000
  5. Head Mistress/School Administrator, St. Theresa’s Catholic
    • Day Care Nursery/Primary School Madalla, Niger State     –    2001 – 2002
  6. Proprietress/Head Mistress I, Mater Dei Day Care
    •  Nursery/Primary School Madalla, Niger State     –     2003 – 2011
  7. Graduate Assistant, Biology Department
    • Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO)     –    2011 – 2015
  8. Assistant Lecturer, Department of Biology FUTO    –     2015 – 2019
  9. Lecturer  II, Department of Biology  FUTO     –     2019  – till  Date

Research Interest

Ethno botany  (Ethno botanical surveys of traditional foods i.e  Vegetables, Cereals, staple diets etc.), Ethno Pharmacology, Nutritional  Biochemistry,  Food preservation and  Conservation,  Plant Ecology.

Publications

  1. C.M. Duru; R.I. Okechukwu and V.C. Ajuruchi (2014). Antimicrobial Activity and Phytochemical Analysis of Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts of the  Fruit of  Hedrathera barteri Hook (F) Pichon. International Journal of Environmental Health and Human Development. Vol. 15, No. 2: 33039.
  2. Adjeroh, L.A.; Ajuruchi, V.C.; Nnokwe J.C; Azuwike C.O. and Mgbemena, I.C. (2015).  Preliminary Phytochemical Screening and Antibacterial/Antifungal Activities of leaf Extracts of Euphobia hirta. Journal of Natural Science Research. Vol. 1, No.16: 153-158.
  3. Ajuruchi, V.C. and Duru, C.M. (2015). Efficacy of Xylopia aethiopa (Dunal) A. and Afromomium melegueta (ROSC) K Schum Fruit on Sitophilus zea. International Journal of Food Science and Quality Management. Vol. 42: 75-79.
  4. Ukaoma, Adanma Augustina; Okocha, P.I. Okechukwu, Ijeoma Rosita; Ezea Celestine and Ajuruchi VivianMaria C. (2015). Correlation Studies between Yield Related Attributes of F1 Hybrid Rice (Oryza sativa L.) Genotype at Umuahia, Abia State, South Eastern Nigeria. Vol. 4, No. 2: 1373-1381.
  5. Ajuruchi VivianMaria Chioma (2016). Effect of Nitrogen Fertilizers Application on Corchorus olitorius linn. Jute Mallows (‘ahihara’) Grown in Humid Tropical Environment. International Journal of Biotechnology, Agriculture and Environment Science Research: 2488-9324.
  6. Azuwike, Catherine O.; Ihejirika, Chinedu; Ajuruchi Vivian Maria C. and Ononiwu Ezinne Z. (2016). Antibacterial and Antifungal Potentials of Extracts of Caladium bicolor. (Spotted Cocoyam). International Journal of Biotechnology, Agriculture and Environment Technology Research, Vol. 1, No. 1:240-28.
  7. Ukaoma, A.A.; Okechukwu, I.R.; Ukaoma, V.O.; Ajuruchi, V.C (2016). Inhibitory Potential Capacity of Lantana camara L Extracts on Pathogenic Microorganisms using Dehydrogenase assay. Journal of Scientific and Engineering Research. ISSN: 2394-2630. 3(5). 112-120.
  8. M. O. Nwachukwu, O.C. Ezea, L.N. I. Allison,V C. Ajuruchi, C.I. Nwachukwu and A.A. Amaechi (2016). Efficacy of powdered peel extract of Orang on Pearl Millet (Pennisetum glanucum) stored pest (Cryptolestes furrugieus). Proceedings of the 50th Annual Conference of Agricultural Society of Nigeria (ASN) “Abia 2016”.
  9. V.C. Ajuruchi, C.M. Duru, M.O.E. Iwuala, J.N.Okereke, T.I.N. Ezejiofor, C.O.Azuwuike, A.A.Ukaoma, L.A. Adjeroh, and J.C.Nnokwe (2017). Assessment of Heavy Metals Bioaccumulation in Corchorus olitorius Linn. (Jute Mallows ‘Ahihara’) in some parts of Imo State, Nigeria. International Journal of Environmental Health and Human Development. Vol. 18(1):18-29.
  10. V.C. Ajuruchi and M.O.E. Iwuala (2017).Studies on Concentration of Heavy Metals and Soil Nutrients in Differential Soil Samples From Parts of Imo State Nigeria with Comments on Some Effluent Discharge  Indices and Their Implications. International Journal of Environmental Health and Human Development. Vol.18(1): 1-11.
  11. Adanma A. Ukaoma, Rosita I. Okechukwu and Vivian Mary Ajuruchi. Introduction To Genetics,Chapter Eleven : Foundation Year Biology For University Students. Revised Edition. ISBN :978-219-034-9:187-210.
  12. Azuwike C. O., Ekwerike C. U.,  Ajuruchi  V. C. and  Braide W.(2019). Antibacterial susceptibility pattern of biofilm producing bacteria, isolated from packaged water sold in Owerri Metropolis,  Imo  State Nigeria.  European  Journal  of Pharmaceutical  and  Medical Research. Ejpmr,6(3), 33 -38.