The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has launched the Ghana Photonics and Optics Laboratory (GPOL), a state-of-the-art facility aimed at advancing research, education, and innovation in photonics and optics in Ghana and across West Africa.
This initiative marks a significant step in bridging the gap between scientific research and real-world applications, with the potential to transform industries and improve lives through innovative photonics solutions.
Funded by SPIE, the International Society for Optics and Photonics, and supported by partners including ICFO, Savannah Centre for Contemporary Art (SCCA), DEXT Technologies, Europhotonics, and Photonics Ghana, GPOL is set to become a hub for cutting-edge scientific exploration.
GPOL will provide world-class facilities for hands-on training, research, and industry collaboration, positioning Ghana as a center of excellence in photonics and optics in West Africa and beyond.
“This is something which is being driven by the university. We very much appreciate that, and so what SPIE is attempting to do is to remove any obstacles toward achieving their goals,” Dr. Peter de Groot, President of SPIE and Scientist Emeritus at Zygo Corporation, emphasized the provision of resources to ensure the initiative’s sustainability.
Dr. de Groot, who is also the Chairman of the GPOL Advisory Board, added, “We would like to see a network of institutes, local companies, and entrepreneurs for the economic and educational benefit of the people of West Africa.”
Led by Dr. Akyana Britwum and Dr. Michael Kweku Edem Donkor, the laboratory’s mission includes developing undergraduate and postgraduate programs in optics and photonics, advancing knowledge in low-cost instrumentation, materials characterization (microscopy and spectroscopy), and medical optics/biophotonics.
“We see a lot of optimism because it’s creating an avenue for training. This will help to raise the human capital needed to drive the photonics industry,” said Dr. Michael Kweku Edem Donkor.
Other objectives of GPOL include building national and international partnerships to drive innovation and scientific exchange, as well as promoting public understanding of photonics through community outreach programs.
