Scientists in Ghana, while attending the ’12th GSA Research Seminar and Poster Presentations’ held two months ago, also participated in the celebration of the ‘International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development’.
The GSA RSPP started in 2011 and has always created the platform for scientists within Kumasi and beyond to share their research output with the scientific community, says Prof. Jacob Agbenorhevi, President, Ghana Science Association, GSA, Kumasi Branch.
He noted that: “The conference has also served as a voice of the scientific community within the region, addressing pertinent issues of local, national and global concern. These include education, health, economic, environmental/climate, agricultural and food related issues. The 2022 GSA RSPP was under the theme “The Role of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development ” to celebrate the International Year of Basic Sciences for Sustainable Development (IYBSSD 2022) in Kumasi, Ghana.
“This year, we continue under the same theme in a special way, with support from the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP). Thus, the conference presents another opportunity to showcase and educate on how Basic Sciences have contributed to and continue to make tremendous impact on achieving the sustainable development goals (SDGs) through scientific research works, technology, innovations, and partnerships.
“As a fact, the Basic Sciences are the foundation for major technological advances/innovations, and key for training and capacity building of our future generation. There is an ever-increasing call for science to be more innovative, multidisciplinary, and collaborative to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals set up by the United Nations. Therefore, let us all continue to work together relentlessly for the common as in the UNESCO’s Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers”.
83 research papers
Abstracts of 83 scientific papers were orally presented at the research seminar.
Keynote speakers
DR. JOSEPH H.K. BONNEY
Dr Joseph Humphrey Kofi Bonney is a Senior Research Fellow at the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana. He has won numerous grants, honors, and awards to participate in and carry out research projects/investigations, or indeed to be given global acknowledgement and recognition for his work.
His current research focuses on emerging and re-emerging infections – particularly viral zoonoses, including Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers such as Ebola, Lassa Fever, Crimean-Congo, Rift Valley, and Arboviruses. Work emphases on studies of their evolution, epidemiology, diagnostics, ecology, and host- virus interactions from molecular to population level.
The aim is to enhance biomedical research on emerging and re-emerging infections and build preparedness for emerging infectious diseases presently and the future. In recent times I have built interest and conducted both basic and applied research focusing on developing new diagnostic methods and investigating the epidemiology at molecular and population levels for viral diseases including hepatitis and respiratory tract infections.
Dr Bonney has supervised and co-supervised close 35 Undergraduate and Postgraduate Level Thesis and examined master’s and PhD-level thesis at the University of Ghana where he also lectures at Allied Health Sciences, the graduate entry medical program and the schools of Public Health and Nursing.
Amongst others, he is a member of the following societies and groups – Society for General, Microbiology (SGM) – UK; American Society for Microbiology (ASM); The Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene – UK; American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene; Member, ECOWAS Regional Rapid Response Team (ERRRT) on Pandemic and Emerging Infectious Diseases; Member, African Unit of European Mobile Laboratory Operations for
Outbreak Response; Member, National Technical Coordinating Council (NTCC) on Pandemic and Emerging Infectious Diseases; Member, National Ebola Preparedness and Response team – Surveillance Sub-Committee.
He has been invited to and attended over forty-five (45) prestigious national and international conferences and workshops where he often plays key roles, presented papers, posters, and research findings. He has 53 published research work in refereed Journals. He is married with 2 children.
DR. LINUS KWEKU LABIK
Dr. Linus Kweku Labik is a lecturer in the Department of Physics at KNUST. His research interests include energy storage materials, construction materials, recycling, and the conversion of end-of-life waste materials. His research aims to contribute to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7, 9, 12, and 13.
Dr. Labik studies the microstructure of materials using characterization techniques such as microscopy and spectroscopy. This provides opportunities to understand and improve their properties, as well as for sustainable processing, utilization, and recycling of such materials. His past research includes the treatment of mine wastewater and thermal energy storage using zeolites, pyrolysis of plastics for conversion into fuel oil, development of plastic-sand bricks, and the safe discharge of lithium-ion batteries.
Dr. Labik enjoys science communication and uses social media to promote science and learning of science.
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