Prof Eno Ebenso obtained his PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Calabar, Nigeria (2004); MSc in Physical Chemistry from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria (1990) and BSc Honours in Chemistry with Second Class Upper Division from the University of Calabar, Nigeria in 1986.
He started his university Teaching career at the University of Calabar, Nigeria in 1990 as an Assistant Lecturer. He was promoted to Lecturer II (1993), Lecturer I (1997) and Senior Lecturer (2001). Prof Ebenso proceeded to the Institute of Materials Research, Technical University of Darmstadt in Germany for a postdoctoral fellowship in 2005. In 2006, he was on sabbatical leave at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Uyo, in Nigeria.
He continued his academic career at the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Technology at the National University of Lesotho, Southern Africa. Upon joining the North-West University (Mafikeng Campus) in South Africa as a Full Professor of Physical Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry in 2009, he has served in several administrative positions in the university system as Subject Chair – Chemistry; Director – School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences; Executive Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Science and Technology as well as Acting Director of the Material Science Innovation and Modelling Research Focus Area (MaSIM). Prof Ebenso was the Acting Vice-Rector (Research and Planning) at the North-West University, Mafikeng Campus (South Africa). He was also the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the entire North-West University until December 31st, 2019.
Prof Ebenso's research interest spans through physical chemistry (electrochemistry, kinetics, adsorption, thermodynamics of corrosion – extensive researches on corrosion inhibition in different media using electrochemical, gravimetric, gasometrical and thermometric methods; synergistic and antagonistic studies. Plant extracts, exudate gums, polymers, ionic liquids, synthetic organic and inorganic compounds have been investigated as inhibitors. Quantum chemical/molecular modelling and theoretical studies of compounds used for corrosion inhibition studies using density functional theory (DFT) and other semi-empirical methods, solid-state chemistry/contemporary materials chemistry and physics (thin film deposition using nebulized spray pyrolysis technique).
He is currently interested in using some quantum chemical methods like density functional theory (DFT) and other semi-empirical methods, to study corrosion inhibition efficiencies of compounds/surface analysis and interface reactions; extensive quantitative structure-activity relationship studies (QSAR) as well as Molecular dynamics/ Monte Carlo Simulation studies.
Prof Ebenso has also Published papers on electrochemical sensors for detection of neurotransmitters and thermodynamics of solutions. He has Published extensively in local and international peer-reviewed journals of wide readership with over two hundred (200) publications (articles in newspapers, plenary/ invited lectures and conference proceedings not included).
Prof Ebenso has been a Visiting Scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bangalore, India (1999); Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Universitat des Saarlandes, Saarbrucken, Germany (1999 -2000) and the Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany (2006) through Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) (1999) and German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) (1999-2000, 2006) Fellowships, respectively.
