The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, has honoured Emeritus Professor Francis Boakye with an Honorary Award of Distinguished Service at the 59th congregation.

Professor Boakye, a trailblazer in Solid State Physics and a founding member of the Ghana Institute of Physics, has been a cornerstone of KNUST’s academic community for over five decades.

He joined the Department of Physics in 1969 as a lecturer and, although he officially retired in 2003, his commitment to the university and the scientific community has remained unwavering.

Over the years, Professor Boakye has mentored countless physicists, supervised numerous MPhil and PhD candidates, and influenced the careers of academics who now lecture across Ghana and the world.

Nearly every current lecturer in the Department of Physics once sat in his lecture halls, a testament to his enduring influence.

Beyond physics, Professor Boakye is credited with pioneering optometry education in Ghana.

In 1991, leveraging international grants from Vision Aid, he established the first Diploma in Optometry at KNUST.

Under his visionary leadership, the programme evolved into a Bachelor’s and eventually the Doctor of Optometry, forming the backbone of the country’s optometry education.

He also personally developed the Visual Optics syllabus and taught the course for many years, touching the lives of students in classrooms and clinics across Ghana and beyond.

His work laid the foundation for the Department of Optometry and Visual Science, which continues to train healthcare professionals and researchers in the field.

Professor Boakye’s influence extends far beyond KNUST. He has lectured at universities internationally, including the University of St Andrews, contributed to NASA Astrophysics Data Systems, and conducted widely cited research in cryoengineering and cryo-electronics.

In addition, he has provided decades of service to education in West Africa through the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), where he served as Chief Examiner and later as a member of the Governing Council, helping maintain high standards in science education across the sub-region.

The honorary degree recognises Professor Boakye’s extraordinary contributions to science, education, and national development.

His career exemplifies the university’s mission to cultivate knowledge that serves humanity.