Aba Andam
Professor Aba A. Bentil Andam | |
---|---|
Born | Elizabeth Aba Bentil Andam 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 who was President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences from 2017–2019. She is the first Ghanaian female physicist.[1]
Early life and education[]
Aba A. Bentil Andam was born in Ghana in 1948 in Ajumako Kokoben. She had her secondary education at Mfantsiman Senior High School.[2] She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana (1969-1973),[3] 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)[3] and a Ph.D from Durham University (1978-1981).[3] At the University of Cape Coast and Durham University, she was the only women physicist in the department during her time there.[4]
Career[]
In 1986 she became a chartered physicist and full member of the Institute of Physics.[3] In addition to her scientific degrees, she is fluent in French, and has a number of different French language qualifications, including the Diplome de Langue d’Alliance Francaise de Paris; the French Proficiency Certificate of Ghana Institute of Languages; and the Certificate of Translation, Alliance Francaise de Paris.[3]
In 1986 and 1987 she studied charmed mesons at the German research station DESY (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron). Later, her research focused on radon and surveyed human exposure levels of the radioactive gas in Ghana.[4][5] Andam was interested in determining how much radiation from radon Ghanaians were exposed to, and how she can reduce radon radiation exposure. She is also interested in radiation-based safety measures, such as; working out safety standard for X-ray scans.[4]
Beginning in 1987, she participated in the , where female students and scientists met. The scientists then acted as role models to the students.[4][5] These clinics led to increased performance in the students who took part, and the retention rates from primary to university considerably increased.[6] Andam is passionate about sharing her love of science with young women and encouraging them to take up science.[4]
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,[4] 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.[4] She has served as the UNESCO chair of the Women in Science and Technology in Africa's West African region between 1996 and 2002.[4]
Honours and recognition[]
She is a fellow of various different scientific organizations namely; (from 2002), Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (from 2003), and the Institute of Physics (from 2004). She was the President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (2017-2019), the second woman to hold this position.[7][8]
Personal life[]
She was married to Professor Kwesi Akwansah Andam who was a Civil Engineer, an academician and a former Vice Chancellor.[9] They had four children.[10]
References[]
- ^ myadmin (2016-03-12). "Ghana's first female physicist calls for gender parity in science". Ghana Business News. Retrieved 2019-09-12.
- ^ "Hall of Fame: These 19 popular figures are old girls of Mfantsiman". GhanaWeb. 2020-07-31. Retrieved 2021-08-31.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e User, Super. "Professor Aba Bentil Andam, PhD". gnra.org.gh. Archived from the original on 2018-07-26. Retrieved 2018-07-26.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Yount, Lisa (2007). "Andam, Aba A. Bentil". A to Z of Women in Science and Math (Revised ed.). New York: Facts on File. ISBN 9781438107950.[unreliable source?]
- ^ Jump up to: a b "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". American Institute of Physics Conference Series. AIP Conference Proceedings. AIP Publishing LLC. 1702 (1): 060021. Bibcode:2015AIPC.1697f0021A. doi:10.1063/1.4937668.
- ^ Anane, Robert (2019-01-19). "Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences gets new President". Ghana News Agency. Retrieved 2019-03-26.
- ^ Nyabor, Jonas. "Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences gets 2nd female president". Citi FM Online. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
- ^ "Late Prof. Kwesi Andam Honoured". 5 November 2018.
- ^ "Prof Kwesi Andam buried". 30 November 2001.
- 1948 births
- Living people
- Alumni of the University of Birmingham
- Ghanaian physicists
- Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology faculty
- Particle physicists
- University of Cape Coast alumni
- Fellows of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences
- Durham University Graduate Society alumni