Prof. Marian Asantewah Nkansah of Ghana named among top 10 scientists in Africa

Professor Marian Asantewah Nkansah of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has been listed among the top 10 scientists on the continent.

This is according to the 2020 Analytical Scientists Power List, which recognizes the best scientists in the world. Prof. Asantewah Nkansah is currently with the Department of Chemistry at KNUST, where she serves as an Associate Professor.

The 2020 Analytical Scientists Power List also named her among the top 60 scientists in the world. A statement on the university’s website said: “The Analytical Scientists Power List recognizes scientists around the globe who tell unique stories. It also focuses on people, technology and innovations, by shaping the measurement of science. It covers analytical science by telling stories- delving into the hopes, fears, motivations and aspirations of key figures in the field. Analytical science likewise encourages cross-pollination of ideas through an accessible and solutions-based approach.”

Prof. Asantewah Nkansah holds a PhD in Environmental Chemistry from the University of Bergen in Norway. She also had her BSc. and MSc. from KNUST in 2002 and 2005 respectively. Currently, she lectures at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and specializes in teaching chemistry.

Her research interests include finding solutions to environmental problems associated with levels and fate of toxic substances like heavy/trace metals, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in different environmental matrices.

“Prof. Nkansah is a member of the Global Young Academy, an affiliate of TWAS and AAS and a founding member of the Ghana Young Academy. She is the inaugural recipient of the TWAS F.M Al-Kharafi Prize in 2016. Prof. Nkansah is a Fellow of the Next Einstein’s Forum (NEF) and Member of the Global Young Academy (GYA).

“She is also a member of the Women in STEM Ghana group and is committed to the mentorship of female university students particularly those in STEM fields, and serves as a role model for young girls at the basic level of their education,” the statement added.

Source: Pulse Ghana