My life would have been meaningless without the wonderful training, tender care and love from my parents (Celestino Ladu Yengkeji and Madelina Wasuk Tombe), brothers, sisters and grannies. I have grown to learn a lot from them and they deserve all the praise for their support and encouragement for my life struggles and happiness.
One of the proudest accomplishments of my life was earning my college degree, despite the fact that my early adulthood pointed in the opposite direction. Throughout my childhood I lived as one of the optimistic young men, someone who slipped through the cracks of supposedly historic prosperity. By the age of 19, I was enrolled in the College of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Juba (Republic of South Sudan). I obtained my Bachelor of Science degree (honor, Class I) from the department of Environmental Studies, College of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Juba (Republic of South Sudan). My BSc. dissertation title was: “Solid Waste Management and Its Impact on Human health in El Obied Town, Sudan”.
After I completed my BSc. degree, I was recruited as a Teaching Assistant (TA) in the Department of Environmental Studies, College of Natural resources and Environmental Studies, University of Juba, Sudan.
On September, 2008 I enrolled in the College of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China.
As a student, I feel that my success lies in the fact that I approached my studies as if I were a professional (hydrologist, not student that is). I always enrolled in the most challenging courses and worked with professors I felt were the most qualified in my areas of interest. I never failed a hard subject. If I had difficulties in one, I would ask what I could do to improve--and ultimately, I utilized the advice to strengthen my work.
In April, 2010, I obtained my Master of Science degree from the college of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University, (Nanjing, Jiangsu, China). My MSc. dissertation titled: “Modeling Atrazine Transport in Soil Column with HYDRUS 1D”.
During the course of my studies at Hohai University, I was funded as a scholarship student by China Harbour Engineering Company, whose Head Office is in Beijing and has a branch in Sudan.
After my graduation from Hohai University in 2010, I then went back home (South Sudan) and started my teaching career at the University of Juba. With my MSc. degree in Hydrology and Water Resources, I was then promoted to the post of a full Lecturer, in the department of Environmental Studies, College of Natural Resources and Environmental Studies, University of Juba (Republic of South Sudan) where I started teaching the following courses:
- Principle of Hydrology
- Environmental Geology
- South Sudan Environmental Problem
- Applied Climatology
- Environmental demography
- Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
- Environmental Risk and Disaster Management
My focus as a Masters Degree student has always been with an eye toward Postgraduate school (PhD) and a career as a professional Environmentalist.
While doing my lecturing and consultancy work during my holidays, I was also pursuing my PhD studies in the School of Energy and Environment, Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southeast University. At that time, I was engaged in research studies on small scale rural domestic wastewater treatment at Taihu Lake Environmental Engineering Research Center in Wuxi, Southeast University, China.
In that research, I applied an integrative anaerobic filter, anoxic, oxic and constructed wetland for writing my PhD thesis and publication of some papers in some international journals.
Below are some of the publications from when I was doing my Msc. degree at Hohai University and PhD at Southeast University.
It is very difficult to summarize many years of MSc and PhD research work and life experiences interacting and enjoying life with so many people in just a couple of pages. The hardest part truly comes with the finish in sight. Reaching the finish certainly has been a ride with many unexpected turns. Had I not been so fortunate to have the support and friendship of my promoters (supervisors), family, colleagues and friends, the ride would have been a very short one!
From the onset, I would like to acknowledge my promoter (supervisor), Prof. Zhang Danrong who relentlessly guided my research through the different preparatory stages. Without her enthusiasm and keen guidance, my studies would not have been successful. I would also like to extend my gratitude and appreciation to all the Professors in the college of Hydrology and Water Resources, Hohai University. Gratitude also goes to Professors who reviewed my MSc thesis. It was a pleasure to learn from them and cooperate with most of the experts in their respective fields who offered me such a varied and interesting knowledge. I especially appreciate their trust in me by giving me a large degree of freedom to define and carry out my research.
I would like to express my profound gratitude to all the staff of the college of International Affairs of Hohai University for the enrollment and administrative guidance. I would further like to acknowledge the support I got from the countless colleagues of the college of Hydrology and Water Resources who provided an environment for the feeling of an intellectual atmosphere.
My sincere appreciation goes to the Sudan and South Sudan ministry of higher Education and Scientific Research for providing me this momentous opportunity to pursue my academic profession and especially to the University of Juba administration who unconditionally released me to continue with my career.
I’m indebted to all my family members and all well wishers whose words of encouragement have always given me a leg up..
Finally, I would like to wish Hohai University, a wonderful anniversary and progressive academic achievements.
Long live Hohai Uninversity
Long live the College of Hydrology and Water Resources
Long live the College of International Education
