Dr. Taiwo Raphael Tejumola

Dr. Taiwo Raphael Tejumola is a Lecturer in the Department of Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering at the University of Southampton, UK, where he focuses on advancing research in space systems engineering. Prior to joining Southampton, he served as an Assistant Professor and head of the Space Payload Laboratory at the International Space University in France, where he led research initiatives on innovative satellite payloads and multidisciplinary space studies for over five years.

Dr. Taiwo began his career at the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) in Nigeria. There, he made significant contributions to the Nigerian space sector, most notably leading a team of Nigerian engineers in the development and operation of NigeriaEduSat-1, Nigeria’s first university CubeSat Launched into space on 3rd June 2017, onboard SpaceX Falcon 9FT, CRS-11 Rocket from the Kennedy Space centre.

This groundbreaking project marked a key milestone for Nigerian space engineering and highlighted Dr. Taiwo’s commitment to capacity building in Nigeria. He has also contributed and supported several space engineering capacity development projects in Angola and Ethiopia.

He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical & Electronics Engineering from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria, and earned both an MSc and Ph.D. in Space Systems Engineering from the Kyushu Institute of Technology in Japan. Dr. Taiwo’s research primarily explores the design and development of plasma instrumentation for small satellites, aiming to advance scientific understanding and practical applications of space plasma.

In addition to his technical expertise, Dr. Taiwo is deeply committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within the space industry, with a focus on supporting underrepresented groups. His professional interests span plasma science, space systems engineering, small satellite development, and project management. Dr. Taiwo has published extensively in international peer-reviewed journals, contributing valuable insights to the field of space technology and its applications.