Thirty-two (32) Principal Investigators (PIs) from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi have been awarded research grants totalling One Million, Four Hundred and Eighty-Two Thousand, Two Hundred and Thirty-Four Ghana Cedis (GHȻ1,482,234) from the KNUST Research Fund (KReF). The award ceremony was held on Monday, 2nd September 2024 at the Council Chamber.

According to the Director of the Office of Grant and Research (OGR), Professor Phillip Antwi-Agyei, KReF has provided an internal funding source for innovative research projects aimed at addressing specific societal challenges since its inception. He highlighted that the primary objective of KReF is to encourage faculty members to develop research projects with practical and implementable outcomes. Additionally, the Fund seeks to build staff capacity in securing and managing external research grants.

Professor Antwi-Agyei revealed that the 9th cycle of KReF received fifty (50) applications from the six (6) Colleges in the University. After a rigorous peer review process, the KReF Scientific Review Committee shortlisted forty-seven (47) applications, of which thirty-two (32) were approved by the OGR Advisory Board. The successful applications comprised seven (7) Seed Grants and twenty-five (25) Multi Grants.

Looking forward, Professor Antwi-Agyei acknowledged challenges encountered during the KReF process, particularly rising research costs and delays in fund disbursement. He stressed the importance of addressing these issues to ensure the initiative's continued success. Furthermore, he announced that the 10th cycle of KReF will be dedicated solely to Early Career Researchers and focused on specific priority areas aligned with the University’s research agenda. He also highlighted that KReF will continue to prioritise early to mid-career researchers and female faculty members.

In line with the University’s drive to enhance efficiency, Professor Antwi-Agyei disclosed plans to digitize the KReF submission process, enabling awardees to submit their mid-award and end-of-award reports remotely. He added that to qualify for future KReF support, applicants will be required to demonstrate success in attracting external grants, regardless of the amount, or at least show evidence of leading a grant proposal submission to an external funding body.

He commended the awardees for their exceptional proposals that stood out in the highly competitive selection process. Professor Antwi-Agyei urged all awardees to adhere to the Terms and Conditions of the Award and make good use of this opportunity to enhance the University’s research visibility and impact.

The Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Professor (Mrs.) Rita Akosua Dickson lauded the visionaries behind the KReF initiative and congratulated the awardees on receiving their grant awards. She emphasised that the University believes in its research intensiveness agenda and encouraged the awardees to use the grant as a motivation to springboard them to attract bigger grants from external funders.

The multi-grant awardees were; Professor (Mrs.) Mariam El Boakye-Gyasi, Pharmaceutics; Dr. Jeffrey Nii Armah Aryee, Meteorology and Climate Science; Dr. Emmanuel Kwesi Arthur, Materials Engineering; Dr. Kofi Amanor, Economics; Professor Francis Kemausuor, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Dr. Vincent De Paul Kanwetuu, Sociology and Social Work; Dr. Levina Nyameye Abunya, Language and Communication Sciences; Dr. Kennedy Gyau Boahen, Clinical Microbiology; Dr. Evelyn Asante-Kwatia, Pharmacognosy; Dr. Evans Amponsah, Civil Engineering; Dr. Cyril Dziedzorm Boateng, Physics; Dr. Yaw Oppong Frimpong, Animal Science; Dr. Michael Ntim, Physiology; Dr. (Mrs) Anita Odame Adade-Boateng, Construction Technology; Dr. Francis Alemawor, Food Science and Technology; Dr. Samuel Bimpong, Anatomy; Dr. Emmanuel Adu Amankwah, Food Science and Technology; Dr. Isaac Okyere, Surgery; Dr. Faizal Adams, Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension; Dr. (Mrs.) Mary Amoako, Biochemistry and Biotechnology; Dr. Serwah Bonsu Asafo-Agyei, Child Health; Dr. William Amponsah, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering; Dr. Charles Kumi Hammond, Child Health; Dr. (Mrs.) Linda Amoako Banning, Computer Science; and Dr. Adwoa Bemah Boamah Mensah, Nursing.

The seed grant awardees were Dr. Micheal Konney Laryea, Chemistry; Dr. (Mrs.) Akua Afriyie Ocran, Child Health; Dr. Rogerson Anokye, Wood Science and Technology; Dr. Paul Osei-Tutu, Forest Resources Technology; Dr. Elvis Twumasi, Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Dr. Frank Ofori Agyemang, Materials Engineering; and Dr Lord Jephthah Joojo Gowans, Biochemistry and Biotechnology.