Haramaya University has conferred the rank of Full Professorship on Dr. Abi Tadesse.

Abi Taddesse (PhD) is a veteran scholar in Department of Chemistry at Haramaya University (HU). He was born on May 9, 1970 in Dessie, Wollo. When he reached school-age, he went to Memihir Akalewold School, where he attended grades 1 to 6. He joined Dawdo School to pursue grades 7 and 8 education whereas he completed grade 9 at Hotie School. After successfully completing his high school education at W/o Sehen Comprehensive Secondary School, he joined Department of Chemistry at Addis Ababa University (AAU), from which he obtained his BSc degree in Chemistry in 1990.

He was then hired by Addis Glass Factory, which he served as Laboratory Chemist (1991-1994), Head of the Laboratory Section (1994-1996), Head of Raw Material and Batch Section (1996-1997) and Glass Technologist (1997-1998). While working for the factory, he re-joined Chemistry Department of AAU to pursue his postgraduate studies and received his MSc degree in Inorganic Chemistry in 1998, when he was also employed as a lecturer at Haramaya University.

Dr. Abi was one of HrU fellows who got the opportunity to study in the Republic of South Africa (RSA) from a World Bank funded project called Agricultural Research and Training Program (ARTP). In 2004, he was enrolled in a doctoral course at the University of Pretoria, and he earned his PhD degree in Environmental Soil Chemistry in 2008.

Since his return from RSA in 2008, Dr. Abi has been engaged in the area of Nanotechnology with particular interest in fabricating novel materials for various applications in sectors such as environment (photocatalysis, ion-exchange, sorption, sensing), energy (solar cells), industry (catalysis), agriculture (controlled release and bio-insecticidal formulation) and health (antimicrobial). Not only noted for his academic engagements but Dr. Abi has also been acknowledged for his significant contributions in various administrative positions: Head, Department of Chemistry (2008); Dean, College of Natural and computational Sciences (2008-2012) and Dean, School of Graduate Studies (2012 – 2015).

Simultaneously, Dr. Abi has been actively involved in strengthening the Department of Chemistry (HU). As the lead staff, his contribution in shaping MSc and PhD programs at the department has been immense. Moreover, he was a major supervisor for nearly 150 MSc students in various chemistry areas (Analytical, Inorganic, Organic, Physical, Applied etc.) and six PhD students in Soil Chemistry, with emphasis on nanotechnology for agricultural applications. Currently, he is supervising six PhD students, the majority of whom are on the verge of completing their studies in various fields (#3 Chemistry, HU; #1 Engineering, AAU; and #2 Agriculture, HU).

Dr. Abi has also been exemplary in writing winning mega projects. So far, he has won four international and six local grants, for many of which he is the PI. Dr. Abi was a visiting scientist at the Instituto de Catálisis y Petroleoquímica, CSIC, in Madrid, Spain, between 2015 and 2016. He spent considerable time at CSIC, in designing facile synthesis of metal organic framework materials (MOFs) for various applications that laid a foundation for the launch of the PhD program in Materials Chemistry here at HrU in 2017/18.

Dr. Abi has presented his research work in various parts of the globe (Brazil, Ethiopia, Ghana, South Africa, Sweden and UK). He participated in several international and national conferences where he delivered a plenary session in four of the conferences held in Ethiopia. Dr. Abi has published about 66 articles in peer reviewed journals, and several national and international proceedings. He has also been involved in community services such as board member of Dire Dawa University, member of parents committee of HrU Model School, external examiner in the University of Dodoma, Tanzania, executive committee member of the Chemical Society of Ethiopia and anonymous reviewer for several reputable journals such as Science of the Total Environment, Applied Surface Science, and Chemical Engineering, just to mention few of them.

In summary, Dr. Abi Taddesse has contributed extensively in teaching, research & and community services. Therefore, the rank of Full Professor in Inorganic Chemistry is conferred on Dr. Abi Taddesse by the university’s Senate and Administrative Board considering his contributions to the advancement of his field of study at national and international levels. The university congratulates Dr. Abi Taddesse and wishes him the best of luck in his future endeavours.

Haramaya Univetsity