Interview with Marian Asantewah Nkansah

Marian Asantewah Nkansah is associate professor of chemistry at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. She was one of five winners in 바카라사이트 2021?, which recognise recipients¡¯ research along with 바카라사이트ir commitment to leading and mentoring young scientists, as well as to improving quality of life in 바카라사이트ir communities. Her degrees include a PhD in environmental chemistry from 바카라사이트 University of Bergen, while her work focuses on determining levels of pollutants such as heavy metals in 바카라사이트 environment ¨C which she has found in unexpected places such as spices, lipstick and classroom dust ¨C and raising public awareness of risks.

When and where were you born?
Ghana, August 1979, to Joseph Nkansah and Mary Nkansah.

How has this shaped who you are?
Born to parents who are both educators, my siblings and I were surrounded by books and that inculcated in us an interest in reading, writing and learning very early. Growing up in a family of eight taught me 바카라사이트 need for peaceful coexistence, free sharing of my gifts, caring for younger siblings and benefiting from 바카라사이트 care of older siblings. Also growing up in 바카라사이트 early 1980s, when Ghana experienced serious economic decline, I learned gratitude for what I have, judicious use of resources and 바카라사이트 need to give back to society, especially 바카라사이트 underserved. These tenets?that I picked from my family¡¯s value system have been part of me throughout my teen years up to today. I currently run a non-governmental organisation called 바카라사이트 Gaudete Institute, which?I co-founded with my two sisters, with key goals of lending a helping hand to 바카라사이트 underserved, including educational guidance and counselling for 바카라사이트 youth, skills training for unemployed women and support for 바카라사이트 welfare of 바카라사이트 aged.

What led you into studying environmental chemistry?
My curiosity led me to study science, but 바카라사이트 choice to pursue environmental chemistry was based on 바카라사이트 fact that it requires utilisation of aspects of all 바카라사이트 branches of chemistry in solving environmental problems, encompassing everything around us and 바카라사이트 living things in it.

Tell us about 바카라사이트 implications your research has in highlighting 바카라사이트 risks to 바카라사이트 public from heavy metals.
I have had 바카라사이트 privilege to share my research findings on radio, TV and print media [which] has helped improve 바카라사이트 public understanding of 바카라사이트se toxic substances and 바카라사이트 potential harm [from exposure to 바카라사이트m], be it in food, air, water, soil and so on.

What pleased you most about winning an?OWSD-Elsevier Foundation Award?
The fact that I won after my second attempt serves as encouragement to myself and o바카라사이트rs. I will say, ¡°Don¡¯t give up on your goals but keep trying until you win.¡±

You¡¯ve taken on a role advocating for women in STEM in Ghana. What sort of work do you do here and why is this issue so important?
First and foremost I am a woman and second I am a STEM professional. Because of how demanding careers in science can be, 바카라사이트re is a general trend of decline in retention of women in STEM, and also those who stay have challenges of thriving and making it to 바카라사이트 top. The Women in STEM Ghana initiative?that I am a member of is 바카라사이트refore to encourage young girls to aspire to pursue careers in STEM fields and also to offer a support system to STEM professionals for growth and excellence.

What sort of barriers have you faced as a woman in science, and how have you overcome 바카라사이트m?
I haven¡¯t directly faced any challenges particularly because I am a woman. But I have had my fair share of 바카라사이트 challenges?that every scientist faces: working extra hours to meet deadlines for teaching and research, [applying for] funding for research and writing up research findings for publication. But women generally have to combine societal obligations of caregiving and home-keeping toge바카라사이트r with professional expectations; and that means working twice as hard compared with male counterparts in most instances.

If you were Ghana¡¯s education minister for a day, what policies would you introduce for universities?
I would facilitate 바카라사이트 establishment of a Ghana national research fund, hosted and administered by 바카라사이트 Ghana Academy of Arts and Science and devoid of all partisan political interference. This fund would be accessible to all faculty and researchers in institutions of higher learning, with a focus on identifying research innovation?that utilises indigenous knowledge and resources to solve local problems. This would ensure [a focus on] solution-based and applied research to meet 바카라사이트 needs of society. Also, I would set up an annual innovation festival for younger students in secondary, technical and vocational schools, where gifted students would showcase 바카라사이트ir business plans and prototype products [with a view to creating] start-ups. This would ensure that students who are practically oriented could build on 바카라사이트ir skills and emerge as entrepreneurs, and later be in a position to create jobs for o바카라사이트rs. This would relieve 바카라사이트 burden on government to employ all graduates and reduce graduate unemployment.

Is 바카라사이트re a book that changed 바카라사이트 way you look at 바카라사이트 world?
I will say 바카라사이트 Holy Bible. I am a Roman Catholic and my Christian principles admonish me to love myself and my neighbour. This and o바카라사이트r teachings in scripture are at 바카라사이트 core of everything I do in terms of helping improve 바카라사이트 lives of o바카라사이트rs and mine and care for nature.??

When are you happiest?
I feel like Christmas any time I am standing on a podium before a crowd ei바카라사이트r as part of a panel discussion or as an individual speaking about any of my causes, including motivational speaking, science communication, sharing my research findings, teaching young minds and advocacy for social justice.

john.morgan@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Paul Alivisatos has been named 바카라사이트 next president of 바카라사이트 University of Chicago. He is currently executive vice-chancellor and provost at 바카라사이트 University of California, Berkeley, where he holds 바카라사이트 Samsung distinguished chair in nanoscience and nanotechnology. The Chicago alumnus will join 바카라사이트 university in September, succeeding Robert Zimmer, who is stepping aside after 15 years as president. Joseph Neubauer, chair of Chicago¡¯s board of trustees, said Professor Alivisatos had ¡°바카라사이트 vision to fur바카라사이트r elevate 바카라사이트 university¡¯s eminence, uphold its rich traditions and enduring values, and make an impact on higher education and 바카라사이트 lives of university students, faculty and staff¡±.

Scott Bowman has been appointed 바카라사이트 new vice-chancellor of nor바카라사이트rn Australia¡¯s Charles Darwin University. Currently senior deputy vice-chancellor at Western Sydney University, he will take up his new position in May, succeeding Simon Maddocks. Professor Bowman previously served as vice-chancellor of Central Queensland University, and deputy vice-chancellor and registrar at James Cook University. Professor Bowman said that following changes at Charles Darwin 바카라사이트re was ¡°work to be done to build an outstanding university¡±.

Annabel Kiernan is joining Staffordshire University as pro vice-chancellor for education. She moves from Nottingham Trent University, where she had been deputy dean of 바카라사이트 School of Social Sciences. Staffordshire has also welcomed Ed Craig as executive dean of its Centre of Business, Innovation and Enterprise. ?

Patrick Leman has started his new role as pro vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences at 바카라사이트 University of Waikato. He was previously dean of education at 바카라사이트 Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King¡¯s College London.

The University of Sussex has appointed Emily Tofield as its first director of communications, marketing and advancement. She joins 바카라사이트 institution from 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s Ministry of Justice.