Two scientists from KNUST have received awards as the best research scientists at the First Ghana Research Science Congress under the theme “Water, Sanitation and Environment: Securing our Future through Science”. The Event which was held at the Banquet Hall of the State House was to award scientists for their immense contributions to the development of Ghana.
The scientists are Prof. Samuel Nii Odai, the Head of the Quality Assurance and Planning Unit, and Prof. Esi Awuah, a Former Dean and Head of the Department of Civil Engineering. The two received the only awards in the “The Best Research Scientist” category.
The two professors from the Water and Environmental Sanitation Centre, KNUST, received these prestigious national awards for recognition of their contributions in the area of Water, Sanitation and Environment.
Prof. Samuel Nii Odai was adjudged the Best Research Scientist in the Gold Award Category and received a plaque, an RLG laptop and fifteen thousand (15,000) Ghana Cedis. He was also given a grant of Ten thousand (10,000) GhanProf Odai receiving award from the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology,Sherry Aryeeteya Cedis from Vodafone to undertake further research.
Prof. Esi Awuah who received the Silver Award took home ten thousand Ghana Cedis (10,000), an RLG laptop and a plaque.
Dignitaries at the event included, John Dramani Mahama, the Vice-President, Sherry Aryeetey, the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, and Betty Mould-Iddrisu, the Minister of Education.
Also present were Prof. F. K. A. Allotey,the President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and a former Pro-Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Prof. Francis Nkrumah, the current Vice-President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, (who is also son of Ghana’s first President), and Professor Marian Ewurama Addy, the Chairperson of the Congress Organising Committee.
The Gold Winner, Prof. Samuel Nii Odai, is a product of the Twedaase Primary and Middle Schools in Tema, Koforidua Secondary Technical School and the Hohai University in China where he graduated with BEng in Irrigation and Water Conservancy Engineering, the Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology where he obtained his MSc and PhD degrees.
In 1999, he was appointed a lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering, KNUST, and then promoted to senior lecturer in 2002 and to Associate PrProf Mrs Esi Awuah receiving her awardofessor in 2007. In the area of research, Prof. Odai’s niche is in computational hydraulics and water management. Prof. Odai developed Burgers’ Equation Model.” His research findings have been published in top journals like ASCE Journal of Hydraulics, IAHR Journal of Hydraulic Engineering, Physics and Chemistry of the Earth, Elsevier, among others. Currently Prof. Odai is the Head of the KNUST Quality Assurance and Planning Unit, and the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Science and Technology.
Prof. Esi Awuah attended the Oda and Aburi Girls’ Secondary Schools. She obtained her BSc in Biological Sciences (Microbiology option) from KNUST, an MSc in Environmental Science from the College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse University, New York. In 2006, she obtained her PhD in Waste Water Treatment from the UNESCO-IHE and the University of Wagenigen, Netherlands.
Prof. Esi Awuah was appointed a lecturer in the Department of Civil Engineering KNUST in August 1986. Currently she is an Associate professor in the Department of Civil Engineering, KNUST. Prof. Awuah’s research interests are in environmental impact, water quality management, natural treatment system and water supply and sanitation.
Prof. Awuah has also researched into diseases associated with water development projects in collaboration with the World Health Organisation (WHO), Removal of arsenic from drinking water with sand, charcoal and nails, among others.
Prof. Esi Awuah’s research findings have been widely disseminated through workshops and conferences. Prof. Awuah is currently the Director of the SNOWS Project and the SWITCH project.
