Francisca Nneka Okeke is a Professor of Physics, 2000 to date and her areas of research interest include; solid earth geophysics, atmospheric Physics and climate variability. She holds the following qualifications; B.Sc Physics, (21), M.Ed, M.Sc Ph.D and PGDE. Her postdoctoral research was carried out in University of Tokyo, Japan. In her determined academic pursuit, she visited and collaborated with; University of Nathal, Durban, South Africa, University of Tokyo, Japan, CPTEC Brazil, Harvard Smithsonian Centre, Cambridge, USA, Morgan State University, Baltimore etc. She has published extensively (117) in top international journals, articles and books. She is the winner of the prestigious award of L’Oreal-UNESCO Award for women in Science for physical Sciences, 2013, representing Africa and Arab States. This Award has placed Nigeria and Africa on the World map of honours in science. She is one of the five laureates on the globe- an award for which the former governor of Anambra (Governor, Peter Obi) honoured her in the government house. Former President Good Luck Jonathan appointed her a member of Governing Council of Space Science. A governing Council member of ANSTI for years. She has contributed immensely to the academic growth of the Department of Physics and Astronomy and Nigeria at large. She has supervised 36 M.Sc and 23 Ph.D students and still supervising many PhD’s and MSc’s. She has written articles that encouraged girls/Women in reading Physics in Nigeria/Africa at Large. She attracted CNN to her University/her home town that covered her in African voices for a period of one week. She is a member of several learned societies. She was the first female HOD of Physics and Astronomy, 2003- 2006, the first female Dean, Faculty of Physical Sciences, 2008- 2010. The first female Professor in the Faculty of Science and Engineering of the UNN and in the Eastern part of Nigeria. She is; Fellow; The World Academy of Science, (FTWAS), African Academy of Science, (FAAS), Nigerian Academy of Science, (FAS), Japanese Society for Promotion of Science (FJSPS), and Nigeria Institute of Physics (FNIP). She has proved that Physics is not only male domain but female domain. Her accomplishments notwithstanding, she is an avid listener, very humble, highly dedicated, committed, humane and a respectful lady. Her unassuming personality makes her a natural bridge-builder and a team player.
