Prof. Anthony Effiong Akpan

MBBS (Sydney), FRACS (Paediatric Surgery)

Professor Anthony E. Akpan is a seasoned and erudite scholar, innovative consultant and astute administrator, who is well-grounded in both theoretical and Applied Geophysics, Physics and Administration. He has, over the years, acquired unique skills and capabilities in planning, equipment deployment, data acquisition, modelling and geological interpretation of geophysical data. Prof. Anthony Akpan is endowed with rare entrepreneurial spirit that enables him to identify opportunities and consequently, creates great economic benefits from them. Prof. Akpan was awarded a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Physics by the University of Calabar in 1994, M.Sc. degree in Exploration Geophysics from University of Benin, Benin City in 1997 and Ph.D degree in Geophysics from the University of Calabar, Calabar in 2009. Finally, he holds a certificate in C and C++ Programming from Promac Computer Institute, Secunderabad, India. He joined the services of University of Calabar in 1999 as Assistant Lecturer. He rose through the ranks and was promoted Professor of Geophysics in October, 2016. Since joining the University, he has been teaching, mentoring and contributing to the graduation of students in the University at all levels. He has successfully supervised and co-supervised over ten graduate students comprising six M.Sc. and six Ph.D students. His major research areas include electrical resistivity, electromagnetic (magnetotelluric) induction, environmental radioactivity, geomagnetism and potential field techniques, and their applications in investigating wide range of environmental, groundwater and mineral investigations in different environments. Other include renewable energy (wind, geothermal and solar), modelling and interpretation of geophysical data, earthquake investigation, machine assisted learning using artificial neural network technique and instrumentation. Prof. Akpan has served as Acting Head, Department of Physics (2015-2017) and is presently serving the University as Director, Information and Communications Technology since December, 2017. He has also served the University in many Committees including Examinations Officer, member, Committee on Business Premises on Campus, member, Senate Examination Results Vetting Committee, Chairman, Department of Physics Post Graduate Coordinator, member, University of Calabar Post UTME Screening Committee, Secretary, Steering Committee on Unical Solar Power Project, member, Senate Committee on Ranking and Visibility, amongst others. He has authored/coauthored over forty peer reviewed journal articles spread across both local and international peer reviewed journals. Prof. Akpan has been serving many local and international peer reviewed journals as reviewer. He has served as External Examiner in many Universities. Prof. Anthony Akpan is a Consultant to many Organisations in groundwater, environmental and mineral investigations. Tony Akpan, as he is fondly called by his peers, has participated in many local and international conferences where he made presentations. He is a beneficiary of the prestigious CSIR-TWAS Post-Doctoral Fellowship that took him to the famous National Geophysics Research Institute, Hyderabad, India in 2011. Prof. Akpan also received the Institution-based Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) grant in 2014. He is also a recipient of many other awards including Mr Donald Etiebet’s prize for best graduating student in Physics Department (1993/1994), best graduating Physics student (1993/1994) and NMGS/Dr Muslim Idris Prize for 2017. He is presently working on the offshore wind energy resources of the Gulf of Guinea, the hydrocarbon potential of the Calabar Flank and saltwater-fresh water interface mapping in the coastal parts of Nigeria. Prof. Akpan’s achievements cut across several fields including Academics, Environment, Consultancy and Public Service. He is a member of the Nigerian Institute of Physics and Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society. Professor Akpan is married with four children..