Nigerian Scholar Honoured for Excellence in Teaching, Leads AI Breakthrough for Environmental Justice in Kenya

A Nigerian academic, Habeeb Abdulrauf, has been awarded the prestigious 2024–2025 Departmental Graduate Teaching Effectiveness Award at Western Michigan University (WMU), USA. The honor recognizes his outstanding contributions to student-centered teaching and his innovative application of artificial intelligence (AI) in communication studies.

The award, one of the institution’s highest distinctions, highlights Abdulrauf’s dedication to inclusive education and his drive to use technology for social good. But his academic journey has extended far beyond the classroom.

Barely a month after receiving the award, Abdulrauf was selected by his supervisor, Dr. Autumn Edwards, to join a groundbreaking Mozilla Technology Fund grant project under the university’s Communication and Social Robotics Lab. The initiative focuses on empowering Kenya’s indigenous Ogiek community in the Mau Forest through AI-generated short message texts (SMS) for environmental justice.

Led by Principal Investigator Dr. Lynete Lusike Mukhongo, the project aims to tackle deforestation and environmental degradation in one of East Africa’s largest water catchment areas. Abdulrauf played a key role in the project, helping to develop the initiative’s website Sauti ya Ogiek dot org and travelling to Kenya to conduct feasibility tests and hands-on workshops with the Ogiek community.

Speaking on the impact of the project, Abdulrauf said, “This work goes beyond technology; it’s about giving voice to indigenous knowledge and using AI as a tool for social justice. The Mau Forest project is proof of the power of combining cultural preservation with technological advancement.”

The innovative project merges traditional indigenous wisdom with cutting-edge AI tools. Through SMS-based prompts, community members are able to access environmental information, creating a bridge between local heritage and modern solutions to climate-related challenges.

Abdulrauf noted that the initiative has broadened his academic outlook and strengthened his resolve to contribute meaningfully to underserved communities. “Working alongside community-oriented individuals like Dr. Mukhongo and being part of a grant that merges technology with indigenous knowledge has been an extraordinary learning experience for me,” he stated.

“It’s been about both giving back to communities that have historically been marginalised and shaping a future where AI works for the benefit of people in the underserved communities.”

His dual accomplishments in teaching and research underscore a growing trend of Nigerian scholars making significant contributions on the global stage, particularly in areas intersecting technology, education, and social impact.

Abdulrauf’s story is not just one of academic recognition, but a testament to the role of African scholars in global innovation and the importance of inclusive, culturally-aware technological development.