Dr Caroline Rosemyya Kwawu, a senior lecturer at the Department of Chemistry, has received the prestigious L'Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Award. This international recognition honours her outstanding contributions to science.
The L'Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Young Talents Sub-Saharan Africa Awards recognises and supports African women scientists each year for the excellence of their scientific research. In the 15th Edition of the Awards, twenty-five (25) PhD candidates and 5 post-doctoral researchers were honoured at the annual ceremony held in Cotonou, Benin.
A proud alumna of KNUST, she earned her PhD in Computational Chemistry, supported by the Royal Society-Leverhulme Africa Award. Her research addresses global challenges, climate change, energy scarcity, and environmental sustainability, using advanced multidomain computational approaches such as Density Functional Theory (DFT), molecular dynamics, and machine learning.
This research addresses two critical issues: climate change mitigation and the utilisation of renewable energy, particularly in the context of developing countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. Her innovative work seeks to alleviate the impact of erratic power supply and the economic disruptions caused by climate change, especially in agriculture-dependent economies.
Dr. Kwawu is dedicated to identifying and designing new cost-effective, stable, and efficient materials for energy storage from the sun. Using interdisciplinary approaches in materials chemistry, mathematics, programming, and computational modelling, she focuses on biomimetic-catalyzed electrolysis processes that convert carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas into long-chain hydrocarbons (liquid fuels). These fuels have applications in transportation and electrification, offering a dual solution to energy scarcity and climate change.
Her work emphasizes using earth-abundant minerals like iron, aiming to make energy solutions more affordable and accessible. By integrating advanced computational tools and techniques, Dr. Kwawu’s research highlights Africa's potential to lead in the transition to solar energy and sustainable solar fuels, addressing environmental and socio-economic challenges.
As a role model for young scientists, particularly women in STEM, Dr. Kwawu's work exemplifies KNUST’s mission to produce world-class professionals who address society's needs. Her dedication to renewable energy, environmental remediation, and material innovations resonates deeply with the challenges of our time.
