Sep. 1983 – Jan. 1989

Doctor or Philosophy (Ph.D.) in plant systematic with emphasis on taxonomy of the genus Cordia (Boraginaceae) species and infra-specific taxa known to occur in Arabia and tropical Africa. The study and research work were conducted and published in the Department of Systematic Botany of Uppsala University. - Uppsala, Sweden. The findings including, a species (Cordia longipetiolata) and subspecies (C. crenata subspecies meridionalis) both new to science were discovered among others, and reported to the world.

Sep. 1977 – Oct. 1980

Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Botany with emphasis on geobotany, biogeography, and biodiversity of tropical plants; vegetation dynamics (climax, desertification, dune formation and movement, aforestation, etc.); and photo interpretation to land use and management. The study was mostly conducted in the Department of Botany, University of Florence. – Florence, Italy. The photo interpretation of land use and management was conducted (shortly) in the Department of Botany, University of Camerino. - Camerino, Italy.

Jul. 1971 – Nov. 1975

Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in General Agricultural Sciences with emphasis on crop husbandry, animal husbandry, soil, irrigation, and plant protection, among others. The study was conducted in the College of Agriculture of the Somali National University (now destroyed). - Afgoi (Mogadishu), Somalia.
  

EMPLOYMENT

Aug. 1998 – Present

Adjunct Professor of Biology, Department of Biology, Salt Lake Community College, Salt Lake City, Utah (USA).

Duties: (1) Teach or lecture on biological courses (10-15), including general biology; cell biology; cell chemistry; foundation of biology; anatomy and physiology; etc., to students applying dental, nursing, midwife, and/or general studies, among others. (2) Prepare mid-term exams, three in total on monthly basis and a final, as well as preview exams for each of the upcoming official exams, including the final. The scope of the preview exams (zero values) is to provide review of chapters on which the upcoming exam is based. The final is a comprehensive exam which includes all lectures conducted by myself and laboratory works taught by a number of lab instructors. (3) Finalize student grades and forward to the Science Division office through the college's Internet in a timely manner.
 

Jun. 1998 - Present

External examiner for "Master of Herbalist seminar," and instructor of plant classification for local classes at the School of Natural Healing in Springville, Utah. The Master of Herbalist seminar is held once or twice a year in Springville, Utah. Speakers from around the US, including myself are invited to give lectures on subjects relevant to the seminar. The successful students of the exams receive Master of Herbalist certificates.  

Apr. 2004 – Apr. 2005

Principal and owner of the "Walk-in Tutoring School" in the State of Utah. The school is privately owned and managed by the principal. The school has a 45-student capacity. ESL and science classes are taught. One-on-one teaching program for elementary, junior high, high school, and pre-college and/or university students is also available.

Jul. 1997 – Mar. 2003

Senior botanist in the Department of Quality Control & Quality Assurance of TwinLab. Corporation, formerly known as "Nature's Herbs & Alvita," Utah Division (USA).

Duties: (1) Identify all plant products or "botanicals" (root, stem, leaf, flower, etc.) used in the dietary supplements or "health foods." On the basis of their identity and quality, reject or accept the botanicals in question. If botanical's identity conforms to the standard specification, conduct further botanical, chemical, and/or microbiological analyses as needed. Of course chemists and microbiologists conducted chemical and microbiological tests. If a botanical is rejected, it is returned to the supplier, reconditioned, etc. (2) If accepted, it is sent to manufacturing as finished product in the form of capsule, tablet, powder, tea bag, bulk, etc. The finished product is retested before shipping to the world market. (3) Verify the label claim of each product. (4) Review all standard product specifications and adjust as deemed appropriate with the current scientific findings, or re-write obsolete standard specifications. (5) Provide on-the-job training to newly recruited college graduate technicians. (6) Call and chair all botany section staff meetings. (7) Report, update, and advise the director of the department on matters related to the presence in botanicals of contaminants and/or adulterants which may have been added intentionally or accidentally to the product.
  

Sep. 1997 - Dec. 2000

Adjunct Professor of Botany in the Department of Botany & Range Sciences at the College of Biology and Agriculture, Brigham Young University (BYU), Provo, Utah (USA).

Duties: (1) Taught or lectured on Botany 105 (plants through the ages) for undergraduate students of the college. The course entailed the evolutionary trends of the living kingdoms of the earth with special reference to bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. Most chapters focused on sea and land colonization of organisms; adaptation and survival of these organisms; and hybridization and hybrid speciation among other aspects of evolution.  (2) Prepare mid-term exams, three in total on monthly basis and a final. The final was a comprehensive exam, which included all lectures conducted. (3) Finalize student grades and forward to the botany and range science department for record keeping.
Also taught or lectured on Botany 520 (ethno-botany) for graduate students of the above-mentioned college. The course focused mainly on   the following: (1) The classification, identification, and nomenclature of the plants/parts used in the traditional medicine. (2) Observation of empirical and traditional methods used by the healers and herbalists in the context of patient treatments. (3) Diagnosis, symptoms, and evaluation of disease challenges facing the healers. (4) Dosage and possible side effects caused by miscalculation, etc. (5) Confidentiality of experience of one healer over another, poor record-keeping, and lack of problem sharing. For course content, exams, and grading system see above.
Mr. Bill Popin, my part-time assistant lecturer, gave me a hand in handling the herbarium work, active ingredients, and markers identification as well as exam preparation. The course was conducted in the period between January 1998 and April 1998.
 

Sep. 1997 – Dec. 2000

Principal investigator of the medicinal flora of Utah conducted in the Department of Botany & Range Sciences, College of Biology and Agriculture, Brigham Young University (BYU), Provo, Utah (USA).

Duties: (1) Review literature related to medicinal flora of Utah. (2) Survey and inventory of plants currently used in the traditional medicine of Utah. (3) Collect herbarium specimens for identification and for heritage. (4) Start drafting the "Medicinal Flora of Utah." A checklist of 450 species used in the traditional medicine of Utah was produced. As to the validity of their medicinal properties, the plant species have not been evaluated. However, the opera did not go through because of lack of funding and manpower.

Nov. 1996 - Aug. 1997

Adjunct research collaborator at the herbarium of Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum of Brigham Young University (BYU), Provo, Utah.

Duties: (1) Conduct taxonomic revision of the genus Mertensia (Boraginaceae) in North America. (2) Prepare an account of the Mertensia species and infra-specific taxa for the "Flora of North America." (3) Borrow herbarium specimens worldwide. Under this revision, 30 new synonyms to science, large number of new combinations, and electrotypes are reported. The remaining portion of the revision is in preparation (see under publications).
 

Jun. 1995 – Sep. 1995

Consultant for the Life & Peace Institute (LPI) of Sweden Regional Resident Representative, Horn of Africa program, Nairobi, Kenya.

Duties: (1) Assist and advise the LPI resident representative in identifying programs related to training of the Somali district and regional councils established by the Somalis and supervised by the United Nations Operations in Somalia (UNOSOM). (2) Assist the representative in selecting and/or choosing the expatriates for training of the above-mentioned councils. (3) Similarly, assist the representative in selecting and/or choosing Somalis applying for positions as future trainers. (4) Assist and advise the LPI resident in setting up a pilot program on institutional building in the Bay and Nugal regions of Somalia. The training of the councils focused on the three branches of the government (legislative, executive, and judiciary). It focused also on regional, district, and regional level administration as well as regional autonomy policy. Under this program, hundreds of district and regional council members have been trained and received certificates of attendance.

Nov. 1994 - May 1995

Senior Adviser for the Office of the LPI Regional Resident Representative, Horn of Africa Program (see above), Nairobi, Kenya.

Mar. 1994 – Sep. 1994

Senior adviser for the United Nations Operations in Somalia (UNOSOM) liaison office, Nairobi, Kenya.
 

Apr. 1993 – Dec. 1993

National liaison officer of LPI and UNOSOM, Mogadishu, Somalia.
 

Oct. 1992 – Mar. 1994

National Affairs Officer of the United Nations Operations in Somalia (UNOSOM), Mogadishu, Somalia.

Duties: (1) Under the auspices of the UNOSOM political division, I planned, scheduled, facilitated, and coordinated all day-to-day contacts such as trips, gatherings, and meetings held between UNOSOM officials at the headquarters and Somalia on village, district, region, and national levels. These contacts involved all segments of the Somali society of the area including religious groups, paramount chiefs, chiefs of clans, elders, youth, women,  local NGOs (usually headed by women groups or intellectuals). (2) Likewise, planned, scheduled, and coordinated all day-to-day contacts, gatherings, and meetings held between UNOSOM and Somali faction leaders. (3) All contacts between UNOSOM and Somalis focused on the importance of the cease-fire signed by the warring parties. Also, the need for pacifying and reconciling and confidence building among Somalis including the faction leaders, tribes, clans, and/or groups. (4) Through district and regional representatives of UNOSOM, inform all segments of the Somali society including factions to send members of their choice to all upcoming conferences. (5) Provide transportation (air and land) and accommodations to all Somalis participating in the UNOSOM organized conferences in Ethiopia, Kenya, or elsewhere. (6) For peace conferences held outside Somalis, recruit secretariat team composed of translators, interpreters, typists, and operators. (7)  Assist and/or advise the special envoy of the Secretary General of the United Nations and the director of the political division of UNOSOM in implementing, monitoring, and follow-up of all agreements reached and signed by the Somali factions. To this end, none of the society's segments (youth, women, intellectuals, minorities, unarmed groups, etc.) were left out in the peace process. Of course, unhappy with what they have signed, most of the faction leaders have often withdrawn from agreements.
 

Jan. 1992 – Oct. 1992

Field Coordinator of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Emergency and Relief Programs in Somalia, Mogadishu, Somalia.

Duties: (1) Under the auspices of the FAO emergency officer in charge, survey, assess, and evaluate extent of destruction and looting of the agricultural centers in southern Somalia. The Central Agricultural Research Station (CARS) in the Afgoi district and Bonka research station in Baidoa district were among the centers of consideration. (2) Carry out emergency and relief operations aiming at restoring the farmers and their families (wherever possible) from civil war crises and flooding in the regions of Hiran, Middle Shabelle, Lower Shabelle, and Bay. (3) Some of the former agricultural research and extension services employees were also rescued and recruited as emergency and outreach team workers. (4)   FAO emergency and relief program focused on the distribution of seeds (untreated) and small agricultural tools to the farmers as appropriate. Also a small supply of food packages to needy families was provided. Although the emergency program was successful, it did not last long (five months) as the renewed inter-clan fighting broke throughout most of southern Somalia. (5) To function as the "senior national adviser" of the United Nations Operations in Somalia (UNOSOM), however. I once again had a chance to travel throughout Somalia and spend emergency fieldwork for more than two years of civil war crisis evaluation. To this end I have visited more than 100 villages and districts distributed into 16 regions of Somalia. The scale and size of killing, looting, subjugation, rape, and internal displacement inflicted to the unarmed groups in general and minorities in particular by militias of major clans was unprecedented, an act that leaves one wordless and little to be desired. The emergency relief and rehabilitation work conducted under UNOSOM was more comprehensive than that of the FAO. (6)  Submit report of findings to the special envoy of UNOSOM and the director of the political division.
 

Mar. 1991 – Oct. 1993

Elect interim president of the Somali National University, which has been destroyed, Mogadishu (Somalia). Due to the civil war crises in Somalia, this function was not undertaken.
 

1983 - 1986

Head of the Department of Biology and Range Management in the college of agriculture at the Somali National University, Mogadishu, Somalia.
 

1976 - 1984

Acting dean (eight times) of the College of Agriculture at the Somali National University, Mogadishu, Somalia.
         

1988 - 1990

Professor of Botany in the College of Agriculture at the Somali National University, Mogadishu, Somalia.
 

1984 - 1988

Associate Professor of Botany in the College of Agriculture at the Somali National University, Mogadishu, Somalia.

1980 - 1983

Senior lecturer of botany in the College of Agriculture at the Somali National University, Mogadishu, Somalia.

1975 - 1983

Lecturer and assistant lecturer of botany in the College of Agriculture at the Somali National University, Mogadishu, Somalia.

1989 - 1990

Chairman of the National Agricultural Research Review Council (NARRC) of Somalia, Mogadishu, Somalia.

Duties: (1) Along with other members of NARRC, review and evaluate all project proposals associated with experimental trials on crop rotations, intercropping, spacing; resistance to pests and drought; weed control; and fodder production, among others. The trials focused on irrigated and rain-fed experimental stations in Afgoi, Baydoa, and Aba-Reen of Somalia. (2) Submit sound proposals to the Agricultural Research Institute (newly founded), FAO and other related agencies for funding. (3) Supervise, monitor, and/or follow up through the respective team leaders all experimental activities. (4) Call and chair all meetings of the council members. (5) Liaison between college of agriculture of the Somali national university, Somali ministry of agriculture, and the agricultural research institute on the status of various trials and progress made by the Somali researchers.
  

1978 – 1990

Part-time consultant for the National Herbarium of the National Range Agency (NRA), Mogadishu, Somalia.

Duties: (1) Assist and advise the Director of the National Herbarium in the field of plant classification, identification, and nomenclature, as well as strengthening herbarium size with newly collected specimens. Before the civil war, the herbarium in question had 10,000 specimens collected throughout the country.
 

Jul. 1985 – Aug. 1985

Consultant of forestry and wildlife sub-sector project of the World Bank, Task Force #2 (Somalia), Mogadishu, Somalia.

Duties: (1) Review, examine, and evaluate reports related to Somali Ministry of Livestock, Forestry, and Wildlife activities. (2) Assess on the status of overgrazing management, sand dune fixation, agro-forestry and tree-planting programs funded mostly by the World Bank, European Union (EU), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and German Technical Assistance (G.T.Z.). (3) Submit recommendations to the World Bank and Ministry of Planning of the Somali government.
 

1983 - 1985

Part-time consultant of incense and myrrh production at the Gums and Myrrh Trading Agency, Mogadishu, Somalia.

Jan. 1983 – Aug. 1983

Member of the steering committee at the Central Rangeland Development Projects (CRDP) funded by the World Bank, Mogadishu, Somalia.

Duties: (1) Along with other members of the committee, steer, monitor, and follow up the implementation of such rangeland development projects. (2) Participate actively as consultant the range-flora component of the project.
 

1988 - 1990

National research coordinator of the "Somali Flora" project, funded jointly by the Somali Academy of Sciences & Arts (SOMAC) and Swedish Agency for Research Cooperation with Developing Countries (SAREC), Mogadishu, Somalia, and Stockholm, Sweden.

Duties: (1) Like the "Domestication of Frankincense and Medicinal Plant Projects," collaborate with SOMAC and SAREC officials, plan, schedule, and coordinate all field trips carried out in Somalia by Somali and/or Swedish researchers. The plan included but was not limited to the provision of transportation, field equipment, lodging, local guides (if necessary), collection of plant specimens, etc. (2) Submit progress reports to the funding institutions on project activities. During my involvement with the project, several thousand Somali plant specimens distributed into more than 3,500 species known to occur in Somalia were collected. A fairly large number of the specimens were found as new to science, distribution, or new endemic. As a result of this plant exploration throughout Somalia, Crotalaria warfae in Papilionaceae "species nova" was coined under my name. The current Flora of Somalia, edited by Mats Thulin of Uppsala University, includes four volumes, two of which have already been published. 
 

1982 - 1988

National research coordinator of the "Domestication of Frankincense" project, funded jointly by SOMAC and SAREC, Mogadishu, Somalia, and Stockholm, Sweden (see under publication).
 

1982 - 1988

National research coordinator of the "Domestication of Frankincense" project, funded jointly by SOMAC and SAREC, Mogadishu, Somalia, and Stockholm, Sweden.

Duties: (1) In collaboration with SOMAC and SAREC officials, plan, schedule, and coordinate all field trips carried out in Somalia by Somali and/or Swedish researchers. (2) Submit progress reports to the funding institutions on the project activities deemed necessary. (3) Submit recommendations to SAREC and SOMAC for training of Somali researchers in Sweden. The project consisted of three components: (a) community medicine, (b) chemistry, and (c) flora. During the lifetime of the project, about 400 Somali plant species were collected, identified, and recorded as medicinal. However, in a number of these species no medical or biological activities were found. Some of the plants studied were found poisonous or precursors of the illnesses they were claiming to be good for. This included the "Suaeda monoica" in the Chenoprodiaceae family (Daluug or Magaad, its Molai vernacular names) that was reported to be beneficial against asthma, but chemists and physicians working with the project found that Suaeda monoica was the main cause of asthma. The last but not the least group of plants was found containing biological activities that were comparable almost with those of modern medicine. This group includes the exudates of Acacia tortilis in the Mimosaceae family (Qurac is the Somali vernacular name), which was found good for resolution of rheumatic problems. Qurahol, an alcohol, is the active ingredient found in the "Qura’" exudates, and was named after the plant from Somalia.  

Oct. 1983

Coordinator of the "National Workshop for the Application of Satellite Images, Remote Sensing and Aerial Photos to Land Use and Resource Management," organized jointly by the FAO, college of agriculture of the Somali national university, and the ministry of agriculture of Somalia, Mogadishu, Somalia.
 

AWARDS

2003

Youth Leadership Distinguished Speaker Award
 

2001

Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts & Letters Award

1986

Fulbright Scholarship Award in the United States for African Scholars (not utilized because of teaching commitment at home and coordinator of research projects, jointly funded by SOMAC-SAREC).

1985

Scientific Paper Award on incense, presented to the International Symposium on the African Horn, held in Egypt.
 

Sep. 1983 – Jan. 1988

Scholarship Grant, University of Uppsala, Uppsala, Sweden.

Jun. 1982 – Jun. 1984

Research Grant on medicinal plants and incense by the International Foundation for Science (IFS), Stockholm, Sweden.

Sep. 1977 – Oct. 1980

Scholarship Grant, University of Florence, Florence, Italy.

Jul. 1971 – Nov. 1975

Scholarship Grant, University of Somalia, Mogadishu, Somalia.

PUBLICATIONS

(Partial list)

Warfa, A. M. 1998

Taxonomic revision of the genus Mertensia in North America (in prep.)

Warfa, A. M. 1998

Identity of Mertensia oblong/folia (Boraginaceae) and its allies in western North America. Great Basin Naturalist, 58(1), 38-44.
 

Warfa, A. M. 1989

Taxonomy and distribution of Cordia sinensis and C. nevilli (Boraginaceae), a widespread species pair in Africa and Asia. Nord. Journal of Botany, 9.

Warfa, A. M. 1989

A new species of Cordia (Boraginaceae) from Kenya. Nord. Journal of Botany, 9(3).

Warfa, A. M. 1989

Taxonomy and distribution of Cordia crenata (Boraninaceae). Nord. Journal of Botany, 8(6), 613-618.

Warfa, A. M. 1988

Cordia (Boraginaceae) in northeast tropical Africa and tropical Arabia (doctoral defense). Acta Universitatis Uppsaliensis, 174.

Warfa, A. M. 1985

Domestication of frankincense trees in Somalia, I. Proceedings of International Symposium on the African Horn. Cairo, Egypt.
 

Warfa, A. M., 1984

Domestication of frankincense trees in Somalia, 4th seminar. IFS: Research in Arid Zones, Rabat, Morocco.

Warfa, A.M. 1975

Biology of weeds in the middle and in the lower Shabelle regions of Somalia (thesis of degree). College of Agriculture, Mogadishu, Somalia.

Warfa, A. M., & Person, A. 1984

Domestication of frankincense trees in Somalia. Mimeographed at SAREC, Stockholm, Sweden.

Warfa, A. M., & Person, A. 1983

Domestication of frankincense trees in Somalia. Mimeographed at SAREC, Stockholm, Sweden.

Warfa, A. M., & Vecchio, V. 1982

Weeds of canals and cultivated lands in the Afgoi areas (Somalia). Riv. Agr. Trop. & Sub-trop. 76(3-4), 287-294.

Warfa, A. M., & Noor, M. A. 1978

Residual effect of Gesaprim (herbicide) in various crops. Studio & Richerche 2, 125-129 (Florence, Italy).

Thulin, M., & Warfa, A. M. 1989

Cyclamen (Primulaceae) in tropical Africa. Pl. Syst. & Evol. 166, 249-252. 

Thulin, M., & Warfa, A. M. 1987

The frankincense trees (Burseraceae) of northern Somalia and southern Arabia. Kew Bull. 42(3), 487-500.

Pignatti, S., & Warfa, A. M. 1983

The boscaglia vegetation complex in southern Somalia. Tuexenia 3, 159-168.

Raimondo, F. M., & Warfa, A. M. 1979

Preliminary phytosociological research in synanthropical vegetation in southern Somalia. Not Fitosoc. 15, 189-206.

Person, A., Tholin, M., & Warfa, A. M. 1987

Domestication of frankincense trees in Somalia. Mimeographed at SAREC, Stockholm, Sweden.

THESES GUIDED AND/OR ADVISED

1990

Control of weeds and residual effects of herbicides in various crops at the Central Agricultural Research Station (CARS), Afgoi (Somalia). Mogadishu, Somalia.

1990

Preliminary study of Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) cultivated in Somalia. Mogadishu, Somalia.

1982

The dynamics of weed flora in the Afgoi experimental farm. Mogadishu, Somalia.

1982

Botanical study of pasture (herbaceous flora) at Afgoi. Mogadishu, Somalia.

1982

Extraction of steroidal sapogenins from some spontaneous plants in Afgoi. Mogadishu, Somalia.

1982

The Catha edulis (Celastraceae) and its manifold aspects. Mogadishu, Somalia.

1979

Productivity and qualitative characteristics of four spontaneous Gramineae species in Somalia. Mogadishu, Somalia.

1978

Comparative studies and performances of local and introduced Clitoria ternatea (Leguminosae) races, under irrigated conditions in Somalia. Mogadishu, Somalia.

1978

Fertilizer trials of wild pasture in Somalia. Mogadishu, Somalia.