Aba Andam
| Professor Aba A. Bentil Andam PhD, CPhys, FInstP, FGA | |
|---|---|
| Born |
1948 Ajumako Kokoben, Ghana |
| Nationality | Ghanaian |
| Education |
University of Cape Coast University of Birmingham Durham University |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Particle physics, Nuclear Physics |
| Institutions |
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences University of Cape Coast UNESCO |
Professor Aba A. Bentil Andam (born 1948) is a Ghanaian particle physicist and current President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Life
Aba A. Bentil Andam was born in Ghana in 1948 in Ajumako Kokoben. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana (1969-1973)[1], where she majored in physics and minored in mathematics. She sought further education in Britain where she earned a master's degree from the University of Birmingham (1976-1977)[1] and a Ph.D from Durham University (1978-1981)[1]. At the University of Cape Coast and Durham University she was the only women physicist in the department during her time there.[2] In 1986 she became a chartered physicist and full member of the Institute of Physics.[1] As well as her scientific degrees, she is also fluent in French, and has a number of different French language qualifications, including the Diplome de Langue d’Alliance Francaise de Paris; the French Profiency Certificate of Ghana Institute of Languages; and the Certificate of Translation, Alliance Francaise de Paris.[1]
In 1986 and 1987 she studied charmed mesons at the German research station DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron). Later research focussed on radon and she surveyed human exposure levels of the radioactive gas in Ghana.[2][3] Andam was interested in determining how much radiation from radon Ghanians were exposed to, and reducing radon radiation exposure. She is also interested in radiation-based safety measures, such as working out safety standard for X-ray scans.[2]
Beginning in 1987, she participated in the Ghana Science Clinics for Girls, where female students and scientists met, the scientists then acting as role models to the students.[2][3] These clinics led to increased performance in the students who took part, and the retention rates from primary to university considerably increased.[4] Andam is passionate about sharing her love of science with young women and encouraging them to take up science.[2]
Andam has been a professor at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology since 1981. She has headed the physics department since the mid 2000s[2], and from 2005 has been the WILKADO Chair of Science and Technology. She conducts research in applied nuclear physics at Kumasi's Nuclear Research Laboratory. She also was a part time lecturer at the University of Cape Coast.[2] She is a fellow of various different scientific organisations: The World Innovation Foundation (from 2002), Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (from 2003), and the Institute of Physics (from 2004). She has served as the UNESCO chair of the Women in Science and Technology in Africa's West African region between 1996 and 2002.[2]
She is the President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences[5] (since 2017), and is the second woman to hold this position.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 User, Super. "Professor Aba Bentil Andam, PhD". gnra.org.gh. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Yount, Lisa (2007). "Andam, Aba A. Bentil". A to Z of Women in Science and Math (Revised ed.). New York: Facts on File.
- 1 2 "Andam, Aba A. Bentil (c. 1960–)". Dictionary of Women Worldwide: 25,000 Women Through the Ages. 2007.
- ↑ Andam, Aba Bentil; Amponsah, Paulina; Nsiah-Akoto, Irene; Anderson, Christina Oduma; Ababio, Baaba Andam; Asenso, Yaa Akomah; Nyarko, Savanna (2015). "Women in science in Ghana: The Ghana science clinics for girls". AIP Publishing LLC. doi:10.1063/1.4937668.
- ↑ Nyabor, Jonas. "Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences gets 2nd female president". Citi FM Online. Retrieved 3 February 2017.