OUR FELLOWS
Joan Modupe Babajide understands first-hand the challenge of balancing a career and a family. She and her husband were busy raising their first child during her undergraduate studies, yet she still graduated with second-class (upper division) honors. Joan had her next two children during studies for her master’s degree. She went on to obtain her PhD in food science and technology in 2005. Now she is helping other Nigerian women by creating a new time- and labor-saving food product.
What I am aiming at is elubo produced in the most energy-efficient way, which will produce the most preferred dish,” says Babajide. Working with a female master’s student, she plans to patent and commercialize her method, and then teach rural women how to start their own production, which, she says, will earn her the honored title “Iya Elelubo”—a woman who sells elubo.
Field of Research
Processing and quality improvement of traditional dried yam (gbodo), yam flour (elubo), and other related food products.