The College of Science (CoS) Seminar presentations were organized by the CoS Seminar and Conferences Committee via Zoom from 30th June to 1st July, 2020, at 10:30 to 12:30 GMT each day.
The aim of this seminar was to get updated information from staff in the college who are at their various stages of their PhD, as well as PhD students in the college.
As an exemplary leader, the provost of the college, Professor Leonard K. Amekudzi, started the presentations on the topic "The College of Science: Current and Future Opportunities Part I & II" on each day, respectively. His presentations were followed with interactions with faculty members (suggestions, questions & answers). In his presentation, Professor Amekudzi stated that although the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about a complete change in our way of life and academic work, it, however, offers both academic staff and students many opportunities in relation to research and collaborations. He said the advent of the pandemic has made it necessary for all staff and students to be updated in collating their teaching and research profiles on the various academic platforms such as Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and Publons, among others. This, he said, will make staff more visible globally as well as showcase the various research work being undertaken by staff and students in the college to the world. In day two of his presentation, Professor Amekudzi underscored the need to have an integrated research unit that comprises research centers under the auspices of the Office of Grants and Research (OGR). This, he said, will project the college's research activities in a more coherent manner. He continued that there are many opportunities in the post-COVID-19 period for scientists who will be able to develop products and technologies that have the potential of mitigating the effect of the pandemic. He reiterated that staff and postgraduate students need to ensure that they submit formidable proposals to funding bodies in order to attract international grants.
The topics from the presenters include: A higher moment sequential data assimilation approach for soil moisture quantification, Combating Fuel Adulteration—An alternative Analytical Approach for Developing Countries, Open-angle glaucoma in Ghana; Targeting climate levels in first-degree relatives of glaucoma patients, Investigation of structural, electrical, and optical properties of electrodeposited thin films of PbSnS for possible Photovoltaic applications, Melatonin in intraocular pressure regulation; its role, effect, and implication in controlling ocular hypertension, Distribution of toxic metals and related pesticides residues in the River Subin, Assessment of the biodiversity community and water quality of the Owabi wetland in Ashanti Region, Ghana and Assessment of aerosol burden and dynamics over Ghana
In all, seven staff PhD researchers, namely, Mr. Emmanuel Owusu Ansah, Mr. Jeffrey Dadson, Dr. T. Michel Pascal, Mr. Isaac Nkrumah, Dr. Ahmed Abdul-Sadik, Mr. Joseph Apau, and Mr. M. A. Arkoh, and one non-staff PhD candidate, Mr. Kwabena Fosu-Amankwah, presented on their research works, which received useful comments.
Overall, the online seminar, which was the first of its kind due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was successful. In attendance were over 100 participants made up of both staff and postgraduate (MPhil/PhD) students. It is hoped that the seminar will be replicated every other month beginning in September to ensure that all staff and postgraduate students within the college get the opportunity to present their work.
The College of Science Seminars and Conferences Committee was established by the Provost, with oversight responsibility for organizing seminars, conferences, and retreats for staff and students within the college. The committee's work was truncated by the Covid-19 pandemic and had to wait until the nationwide lockdown and restrictions on meetings were lifted before active engagement among members was restarted.
The committee, chaired by Dr. Felix C. Robertson-Mills, has Dr. Bright Kwakye-Awuah as its secretary, with other members being Drs. Jacob K. Agbenorhevi, Kingsley Badu, Mrs. Faustina Dufie Wireko-Manu, Emmanuel Quansah, Joseph K. Mensah, and Jeffrey Ezeam.
