Dr Adelaja Osofero

Biography

Dr Osofero is a Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in the School of Engineering at the University of Aberdeen. He is a Chartered Engineer, Member of the Institution of Civil Engineers, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, UK. He has experience in academic leadership, applied research, and industry engagement. Research interests include sustainable construction materials, natural fibre-based composites, self-healing cementitious materials, and the structural behaviour of materials under extreme and long-term loading. He also has an established record of research leadership, doctoral supervision, external funding, professional engagement, and EDI-related roles, alongside sustained outreach and widening-participation activity.

Qualifications

• PhD (Structural Engineering, Imperial College London)
• MSc (General Structural Engineering, Imperial College London, Distinction)
• BSc (Civil Engineering, University of Lagos, Nigeria, First Class)
• PGCert (Academic Practice, University of Aberdeen)

Brief career history

• Senior Lecturer (May 2019- ), Lecturer (2015 - 2019)
• 2013 - 2015: Lecturer in Civil Engineering, Northumbria University, UK
• 2011 – 2013: Assistant Engineer/Civil Engineer, Atkins/Airport Authority, Hong Kong
• 2008 – 2011: Research Assistant, Imperial College London, UK

Prizes and Awards

2016 - Aberdeen City Council community star award 

Research Overview

I lead applied research in sustainable and low-carbon construction materials, working across experimental testing, computational modelling, and long-term collaboration with industry. My work focuses on the whole-life performance of structural materials, including fibre-reinforced concrete, natural fibre composites, and self-healing cementitious systems. 

My research addresses industry-defined challenges in infrastructure resilience, carbon reduction, and material durability, and informs engineering practice and education.

Current Research

Sustainable & Innovative Structures

• Construction Materials
• Natural Fibre Reinforced Concrete
• Sustainable Construction
• Structural Steel Engineering
• Whole Life Cycle assessment of structures
• Use of Waste/Natural Materials in Construction

Research Methods

• Experimental methods (large and reduced scale)
• Numerical Modelling 
• Development of design guidance   

Research Assistants

Justice Tamunokonbia: Declaration of Performance - Stone Cladding System for Flood Protection (January - July 2023), Line Manager.

Sunny Uguzo: Declaration of Performance - Stone Cladding System for Flood Protection (February - July 2023), Line Manager.

Matuesz Wrobel: Self-healing cement-based functional material for well abandonment and carbon capture applications (August 2025 - January 2028), Line Manager.

Subhan Zahid: Development of sustainable road bonding materials (Since November 2025), Line Manager.

Visiting Research Students/ academics

Giulia Benedetti - University of Perugia, Italy (October 2018 - December 2018), Behaviour of Repaired Timber Structures.

Dr Meng Fu - Harbin Engineering University (September 2025 - February 2026)

Collaborations

Resolute Energy Solutions

RedStag Materials

Recycl8

Hydrodive Nigeria Limited

Denfind Stone Limited

Robert Gordon University

Tongji University

Harbin Engineering University

University of Huddersfield

Funding and Grants

• A Collaborative Model for Tailored Guidance for STEM Students across the Scottish Tertiary System, Scotland’s Tertiary Enhancement Programme (STEP) (2026), £10k, Co-Investigator.
• Development of sustainable road bonding materials with Redstag Materials Ltd (2025), £15k - Consultancy.
• Self-healing cement-based functional material for well abandonment and carbon capture applications, Innovate UK and Resolute Energy Solutions, (2025 - 2028), £281k, Knowledge Transfer Partnership - Innovate UK, Principal Investigator.
• Self-healing cement for well abandonment and carbon capture - Feasibility study with Resolute Energy Solutions Ltd (2024), £15k - Consultancy
• Development of hemp-based aerogel with PlanetCool Ltd (2023), £10k - Consultancy.
• Analysis of Diver umbilical connection failure with Hydrodive Nigeria Limited, £3k - Consultancy.
• Experimental testing of Incinerated Bottom Ash Concrete with Recycl8 Ltd, (2023), £12k - Consultancy
• Comparative planetology: some pilot investigations from a Mars analogue environment, Internal Funding to Pump-Prime Research and Research Networks,  (2023), £10k, Co-Investigator with Dr Lydia Sam (School of Geosciences), Principal Investigator and Dr Anshuman Bhardwaj (School of Geosciences), Co-Investigator.
• Development of a Pre-assembled Natural Stone Cladding System with Denfind Stone Limited, (2023 - 2025), £225k, Knowledge Transfer Partnership - Innovate UK, Principal Investigator.
• Development of Sustainable Alternative Material to Bitumen in Highway and Utility Applications with Redstag Materials Ltd (2022), £10k - Consultancy.
• Declaration of Performance - Stone Cladding System for Flood Protection, Built Environment - Smarter Construction (BE-ST) (2022 - 2023), £37k Principal Investigator.
• Development of Affordable Indigenous Construction Materials, Scottish Funding Council (2020), £8k, Principal Investigator.
• Strengthening academia-industry linkage and research space in the area of civil engineering for food security - Royal Academy of Engineering programme on Higher Education Partnerships in Sub-Saharan Africa, led by INES, Rwanda. (Total award - £200k, University of Aberdeen portion - £30k). Co-Investigator for the Aberdeen part.
• Natural Fibre Reinforced Concrete, Petroleum Technology Development Fund, Nigeria (PhD Studentship), £49k, 2018 – 2021, Principal Investigator.
• Development of Design Guidelines for Prestressed Stayed Structures (2017 - 2020), £59k, part of Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) UK, Doctoral Training Partnership, University of Aberdeen, Principal Supervisor.
• Northern Research Partnership, PECRE Research Award, Behaviour and Design of structural steel and the use of Innovative material (Shaped Memory Alloy) in Structural Engineering applications, £3k, 2016, Principal Investigator.
• Binks Trust Fund, Research Fellowship to Zhejiang University Hangzhou, China, £4k, 2016/2017.
• Structural Behaviour and Classification of Historic Masonry Typologies of North-East England - £8k: Research Support Fund for UoA C16 Architecture, Built Environment and Planning, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, 2013/2014.
• Mechanical behaviour of Brick Masonry Structures under Extreme Loading - £6k: Research Support Fund for UoA C16 Architecture, Built Environment and Planning, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, 2014/2015.