Nationality: Nigerian
Institution: University Of Cape Town
Department: Biological Sciences
PAST programme support: Degree support
Project title: Paleoecology of the Fynbos – Forest Ecotone, Western Cape South Africa.
Twitter/X:@thatpollen girl.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glory-oden-36646abb/
Glory holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Botany from the Universities of Calabar and Lagos Nigeria, respectively. She has lectured undergraduate courses in-person in the Department of Plant and Ecological Studies University of Calabar, Nigeria until 2021 when she left to pursue her PhD in Cape Town.
Currently, Glory is a Ph.D. candidate at the Plant Conservation Unit at the University of Cape Town, studying Applied Paleoecology and Restoration Ecology. Her work focuses on long-term vegetation change and its causes in the Western Cape’s iconic Fynbos-Forest Ecotone. Her thesis will offer Landscape Managers with conservation baselines and stakeholder involvement to support sustainable land use.
Glory is passionate about environmental and gender-themed causes as well as mentorship programs. These include Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) where she engage in Climate and community advocacy for promoting local food systems. Afrika Youth Movement, serving successfully on the Education committee, participating in the literacy project/old books drive, which resulted in the donation of over 200 children-friendly books for a library setup at an Orphanage in Calabar, Nigeria. Lex Initiative for Rights and Advocacy (LIRAD), as a gender advocate where she planned and executed advocacy workshops in schools within Calabar Municipality, reaching over 400 adolescent girls from low to medium-income homes, equipping them with information on sexual and reproductive health, mental health and pad donations.
With lecturing, she has helped to pique the interest of the next generation in environmental protection and management. Glory finds joy in mentoring and guiding students through accessing careers in environmental fields. She also wishes to continue contributing to the transformation of the Lecturer-Student relationship in Nigeria. Ultimately, Glory hopes to employ targeted advocacy and multi-sectoral methods backed by academic research to influence policy and change individuals’ harmful environmental choices and behaviour to ensure environmental sustainability and equitable use of nature’s dwindling resources.