His Excellency,
Chief Ikedi Ohakim
Executive
Governor Imo State
Int'l & LOC
Members
Prince Dr Philip C.
Njemanze
Chairman
Int'l & LOC.
Chairman


Mars is very dusty and cold and has a thin atmosphere that is saturated
with carbon dioxide gas. Facts point to a climate change on Mars. Mars
could have had an Earthlike climate. The climate change could be as a
result of natural processes, which among other things dried up flowing
water. There is a possibility that life existed there and might exist even at
present. The study of Mars provides us with a useful model to study the
effects of climate change on Earth.
The adaptational neurophysiology of human is key to survival in the event
of climate change on Earth. With the effects of global warming apparent in
the artic, Africa could experience a transition from warm to cold climate as
iced-water shifts occur. Two major extreme condition effects need to be
studied for a successful exploration of Mars. First, the effects of
microgravity, and hypothermia on neuropsychophysiology.
The conference focuses on the effects of microgravity on human higher
cognitive functions including general intelligence, facial processing,
language processing, color processing, and motor function. Other topics
include issues on adaptational neurophysiology and neurobiology. Studies
using animal models that help to elucidate these issues are welcome.
Studies on the effects of hypothermia on human neurophysiology are of
interest. Panel discussions will be held on the issues of human cognitive
function in Space, integration of Africa into the Peaceful Exploration of
Space and Adaptive Space technology from spinoffs used in Space.   
Prof. Felix Nweke
Onyii Akagha
Ngozi Nwachukwu
Subthemes
Policy issues on Space Exploration
Enivironment and Climate Change
Extra-terrestrial Microbial Lifeforms
Third World and Space and Science Development
Gender and Space Exploration
Space Technology and Spinoffs for Use on Earth
Space Food Support

Prof. Celestine Onwuliri            Conference President
                                         Vice  Chancellor,                                                    
                                         Federal University of Technology, Owerri.
                                        
 onwuliri@yahoo.com
Prince Dr Philip C. Njemanze -LOC Chairman, Institute of Space Medicine
                                         and Terrestrial Sciences,
                                         International Institutes of Advanced
                                         Research and  Training,                                
                                         Chidicon Medical Center, Owerri
                                        
philip_njemanze@yahoo.com  

Prof. Felix Nweke                       Michigan State University Michigan, USA.
                                                    
nwekefel@yahoo.com
Prof.Masamichi Yamashita      Institute of Space and  Astronautical               
                                                    Sciences /JAXA, Japan
Dr. Polycarp Nwoha                   Dept. of Anatomy and Cell Biology
                                                    University of  Ife.  
polycarpu@yahoo.com    
Prof. Ben Jiburum                      Imo State University, Owerri.
Dr Ifeanyi Okoro                          Imo State University, Owerri
Prof. Uche Osunkwo                 Chairman, University of Maidugiri Teaching
                                                   Hospital, Maidugiri. & NIPRD Abuja
Prof. George DeVries                University of Illinois, Chicago, IL
Prof. Gwendolyn Kartje             Loyola University of Chicago, IL
Dr Alphonsus Ekwerike            Science medicine Dallas, TX.
Dr Chuma Okere                        Atlanta, GA. USA.
Prof. Amagh Nduka                   Federal University of Technology, Owerri
Prof. Alex Anumalu                     University of Nigeria, Nsukka           
Prof. Gozie Asiabaka                 Federal University of Technology, Owerri        
Prof. C. Akujor                             Federal University of Technology, Owerri
Dr O. C. Abanobi                        Federal University of Technology, Owerri
Mr U.M. Chukwuocha                Federal University of Technology, Owerri
Dr I.N.S Dozie                             Federal University of Technology, Owerri
Dr Jones Lemchi                       Federal University of Technology, Owerri
Ms. Onyii Akagha                       Chidicon Medical Center, Owerri
Ms. Ngozi Nwachukwu             Chidicon Medical Center, Owerri
Mrs Mercy Onwunali                  Chidicon Medical Center, Owerri
Ms. Patience Ikeh                      Chidicon Medical Center, Owerri
Ms. Adaeze Chukwu                 Chidicon Medical Center, Owerri
Ms. Constance Peters              Chidicon Medical Center, Owerri
Ms. Ola Ukanacho                     Chidicon Medical Center, Owerri
Ms. Patricia Alakwe                   Chidicon Medical Center, Owerri
Ms. Gina Ibechukwu                 Chidicon Medical Center, Owerri
Ms. Chika Ugwo                        Chidicon Medical Center, Owerri             
Ms. Stella Ugo                            Chidicon Medical Center, Owerri
Ms. Faith Oluigbo                      Chidicon Medical Center, Owerri

International Links
Aerospace Medical Association, Alexandria VA. USA

International Neurotoxicology Association
ABSTRACT GUIDELINES

Abstracts should be typed in single space 12 point font. The abstract
should include a maximum of 250 words with the following subheadings:
Background; Methods, Results and Conclusion. There should be no
images attached to the abstract, and no reference section.
Abstracts could be assigned for poster or podium presentation by the
scientific committee.
Deadline: 15th September, 2007.
Format: All abstracts should be prepared with MS WORD processor and
attached as a file to an email sent to:
 philip.njemanze@chidicon.com



All presenters of accepted abstracts would be required to registration fees.
Registration Fees:
Nigerians               N10,000.00
Africans                  US$100.00
Others                    US$250.00 or EURO 200
Students                N5,000.00

Advanced Registration
Foreign Transfers  to:
Bank of America
Bank Number:      063100277
Account Number: 3515405755
Account Name:     Philip C. Njemanze MD
Conference Int'l and LOC Chairman,
Chairman Institute of Space Medicine  &
Terrestrial Science, Chidicon Medical Center,     
No 1 Uratta Road, Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
Local Transfer:         
Bank:                      Guaranty Trust Bank Plc.
Bank Branch No.  0571
Account Number: 5502323110
Account Name:     Chidicon Medical Center
Conference on Mission to Mars: African Perspective
October 22-23, 2007, Owerri, Nigeria.
Venue: Concorde Hotel Owerri
The main venue of the conference is
Concorde Hotel Owerri, Imo State.
About 30 minutes drive from Sam
Mbakwe Airport, Owerri Imo State.
This is a Five Star Hotel with very
modern facilities including room
internet connections.

Imo Concorde Hotel
Concorde Boulevard
Off Owerri-Port Harcourt Rd, Owerri.
Tel: +234-83 231409, 231371 Fax:
231961. Rates per night: N12,000 or
$100
Concorde Hotel Owerri
Concorde swimming pool
Concorde Room
Owerri Plaza Hotel
All Seasons Owerri
Online Registration
* Required Field
Your name:
*
Email:
*
Company:
Job title:
Subject:
Questions, comments, or feedback:
*
His Excellency, Umar Musa Yar'Adua
President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Conference Theme
Brain Neuroplasticity
Chidicon Medical Center,
International Institutes of Advanced Research and Training, Owerri, Nigeria
Concorde Village
Organizing Committee
Mission to Mars: The African Perspective
Other Hotels
Bonbolini Hotels
Off Concorde Avenue, Owerri
Tel: +234-83 234603,
Mobile: +234 8033598325
Rates: N5950-6,950 or $50

All Seasons Hotel
Off Concorde Owerri
Rates: N10,500-12,000 or $100


Owerri Hotel Plaza
Plot 80 Port-Harcourt Rd, Owerri
Tel: +234-83 231807, 234538.
Rates: N4,700-5,900 or $50

Dreamland Hotel & Casino Ltd
Area A, Plot C12,
Whiteman Street Junction,
World Bank House Estate, Owerri.
Tel: +234-83 233589, 232431
Rates: N4,200-4,500 or $40

Newcastle Hotel,
Whiteman Street,
World Bank Housing Estate, Owerri.
Rates: N4,800-6,500 or $50

Villa Marie Hostel
Wetheral Rd. Owerri.
Rates: N1,000 or $10.
The Technology to Know The Sympathy to Care
Mission to Mars: The African Perspective
Prof. C. Akujor
Dr Jones Lemchi
Dr I.N.S. Dozie
Conference on
Mission to Mars:
African Perspective
October 22-23,
2007, Owerri,
Nigeria.
Venue: Concorde
Hotel Owerri
Dr O. C. Abanobi
Adaeze Chukwu
Constance Peters
Ola Ukanacho
Patience Ikeh
Chika Ugwo
Mr U.M. Chukwuocha
Gina Ibechukwu
Mercy Onwunali



Our Vision
The Federal University of Technology, Owerri seeks to become a centre
of excellence in Science and Technology by training high level manpower
capable of contributing to the development of society.

Our Mission
The University is to be a model citadel of learning and scholarship with
emphasis on imparting not only theoretical knowledge, but more
importantly practical aspects that can provide solutions and service to
humanity through teaching, research, and extension services.
Our Philosophy
The University aims not only at imparting theoretical knowledge, but also
at placing greater emphasis to practical experience in the field and the
development of appropriate skills by the students. It seeks to make sure
that it produces “Finished Products”, who are morally sound and
dependable, be gainfully employed within the society on graduation. To
this end, all programmes of the University will provide for adequate
practical experience on campus and reasonable periods of industrial
attachments, as well as, for a common foundation year stressing basic
sciences.

The Federal University of Technology, Owerri, will continue to ensure that
technological courses are given prominence. Cognizance must,
however, be taken of the fact that technology must serve social needs
and that the trainees must understand the society in which they operate
and the impact of their work on that society. Therefore, students will be
adequately exposed to the humanizing and the liberalizing influences of
the social sciences and the humanities as necessary ingredients in the
general development of our technological manpower. There is an urgent
need to undertake a thorough identification of indigenous technologies
currently used by our people in the food and industrial sectors with a view
to upgrading and modernizing them.

ii.        It is a duty for the University to harness its resources most
profitably, in servicing, as well as, giving leadership to industrial and
technological development in the country.

iii.        The general academic programmes must take into account the
need for relevance and the location of the University, as well as, the
general needs of the nation.


An Address by Professor C.O.E. Onwuliri, Vice Chancellor, Federal
University of Technology Owerri Nigeria and President, International
Conference on Mission to Mars: The African Perspective, 22-23 October,
2007  on the occasion of the opening ceremony at Imo Concorde Hotel
Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria


His Excellency, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar-Adua, GCFR, President and
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria,
His Excellency, Chief Ikedi Ohakim, KSc, Executive Governor, Imo State,
Members of the Imo State Executive Council,
Members of the Diplomatic Missions here represented,
Fellow Vice-Chancellors and Heads of Higher Institutions in Nigeria and
from abroad,
His Royal Majesty, Eze Emmanuel Njemanze Ozurigbo V of Owerri,
Our visiting international scientists,
Other distinguished participants,
Gentlemen of the Press
Ladies and Gentlemen

I am delighted to welcome all our distinguished participants in this
international conference with the theme “Mission to Mars: The African
Perspective” to Nigeria and to Imo State. This conference was initiated by
a group of eminent Nigerian scientists and co-sponsored by the Institute
of Space Medicine and Terrestrial Sciences, International Institutes of
Advanced Research and Training, Chidicon Medical Center Owerri,
headed by Prince Dr Philip Njemanze (the LOC Chairman), and the
Federal University of Technology, Owerri, where I preside as the Vice
Chancellor. As Vice Chancellor of a University of Science and
Technology, it falls within my scope of duty to sensitize and help our
politicians define challenges that will spur sustainable national
development through various technological innovations. Investment in
the Space programme has helped to revolutionize science and
technology, bringing about satellite telecommunications, Global
Positioning Systems we use in our cell phones today, rapidly advanced
medical technology, specifically accelerated development of magnetic
resonance imaging and computerized tomography, as well as
development of telemedicine.

The history of science and technology has borne witness to the fact that
without set high goals, human development would be stalled. Earlier
explorers from Britain, France and Spain set out to discover new worlds,
and by so doing spurred development of the industrial revolution in
Europe. In recent times, both advanced nations and developing nations
have set their goals on conquering the Space frontier. Rapidly developing
nations like China, India, and Brazil have set very high goals in their
Space programs, and by so doing advanced their science and
technology, which has consequently transformed their economies.  On
January 14, 2004, President Bush of the United States of America set a
new agenda for the American Space Program. The have been joined by
the Russian, European and Japanese Space agencies. The conquest of
Mars though several years’ away would be the greatest milestone of
achievement for humanity. Regrettably, Africa would not be represented
on this mission as was originally designed. In my view therefore, this
conference is timely and most appropriate on the theme “Mission to
Mars: The African Perspective”.

Part of our vision at FUTO is to develop space-based technologies
particularly, remote sensing and geographic information system
technologies in partnership with other institutions under our new initiative
tagged “Imo Research Triangle” involving FUTO, Imo State University
Owerri and Institute of Space Medicine and Terrestrial Sciences,
International Institutes of Advanced Research and Training, Chidicon
Medical Center Owerri. Already, we have started collaboration with the
Institute of Space Medicine and Terrestrial Sciences, International
Institutes of Advanced Research and Training, Chidicon Medical Center
Owerri, on health applications using these new technologies. Another
major challenge at FUTO is to develop full capacity in biotechnology, and
nanotechnology faculties that have space applications and spin-off
technologies for use in industry. We hope to develop high-technology
man-power in these fields in the next decade, in order to provide Nigeria
with the much needed workforce that will promote international
competitiveness.

During this conference, you would witness that our present collaboration
with the Institute of Space Medicine and Terrestrial Sciences,
International Institutes of Advanced Research and Training, Chidicon
Medical Center Owerri, is providing high-technology research that are
first class in world literature.  Many would not know that the first
published literature in 1999 on risk analysis technique called
probabilistic layer analysis for the prevention of diarrhoeal diseases was
developed in Imo State, at the Institute of Space Medicine and Terrestrial
Sciences, International Institutes of Advanced Research and Training,
Chidicon Medical Center Owerri, with participation of FUTO graduates.
Similarly, our graduates are participating in neuroscience developments
at the Institute of Space Medicine and Terrestrial Sciences, International
Institutes of Advanced Research and Training, Chidicon Medical Center
Owerri, which was ranked one of the best in World, and won a place in
the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) project on the
study of the brain in Space.

We are also expanding international collaborations, for example, we are
initiating collaboration with the Japanese Space Agency on Space
agriculture that will support the further development of cassava, as one of
the crops to be used on Mars. We hope to add to efforts towards the
genetic improvement of cassava yield and resistance to disease on
earth. We also hope to develop astronomy and build an observatory for
Space related research activities. We already have astrophysicists
working in our faculty and look forward to obtaining national and
international grants to support an earth observatory. We are also
developing a theoretical and solid state physics and mathematics that
would one-day make it possible to have vehicular systems for lunching
our satellites into space.

We join the laudable call at this conference for the establishment of
Federal Research Granting Agencies such as the National Science
Foundation of Nigeria (NSFN) and the National Institutes of Health of
Nigeria (NIHN). These granting agencies would provide the necessary
funds to support research in our institutions for nation building.

Once more, I welcome all our distinguished participants especially those
that have come from outside Nigeria to this two-day conference in Owerri,
Imo State, a state noted for hospitality, peace and tranquility and wish you
very successful deliberations. Please I encourage you to make time out
of your crowded schedule to embrace the rich social and cultural
endowments of Imo State Nigeria.

Thank you and May God Bless us all


Professor C.O.E. Onwuliri KSJ, JP
V ice Chancellor,
Federal University of Technology Owerri, Nigeria.
Prof. Celestine Onwuliri
Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology
Conference President
Information About Mars
Masamichi
Yamashita
(Institute of
Space and
Astronautical
Sciences /JAXA,
Japan)
Prof. Celestine Onwuliri
Vice Chancellor
on
Federal University of Technology
Mission Goals
Prof. Amagh Nduka
Prof. BEB Nwoke
Prof. Uche Osunkwo
Praise Ijezie
Chinwe Ofoegbu
Ekeoma Ekeocha
Uloma Orjinta
Faith Oluigbo
Adanna Ako
Amarachi Uzoho
Dr Polycarp Nwoha
Journal of Environmental Neuroscience and Biomedicine (JENB).

All submitted and accepted abstracts to the conference -
Mission to Mars: The African Perspective
will be published in the Journal of Environmental Neuroscience and
Biomedicine (JENB) 3rd Issue, December 2007.

Authors are requested to submit full papers for publication in the special
issue of the journal.
Please download and read the attached:  
Instructions to Authors.
Dr Ifeanyi Okoro