Professor Johannes Awudza - 2022 Award for Exceptional Service winner

Professor Johannes Awudza CChem FRSC

Winner: 2022 Award for Exceptional Service

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology

For outstanding service to 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry in Ghana and through 乐天堂app下载 Pan-African Chemistry Network.

Celebrate Professor Johannes Awudza

#RSCPrizes

Chemistry is 乐天堂app下载 central science. Without chemistry, 乐天堂app下载 world would be worse off.

Johannes is 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry representative in Ghana and a member of 乐天堂app下载 International Advisory Board of 乐天堂app下载 Pan-African Chemistry Network (PACN). He chairs 乐天堂app下载 PACN hub in Ghana which organizes annual international GC-MS and LC-MS training workshops at KNUST with sponsorship from 乐天堂app下载 RSC and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). He has been 乐天堂app下载 chairman and/or member of 乐天堂app下载 organising committee of a number of national and international conferences and was a member of 乐天堂app下载 Scientific Committee of 乐天堂app下载 Commonwealth Chemistry Congress held virtually in May 2021.

Read winner biography

Prof Johannes A. M. Awudza holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from 乐天堂app下载 University of Manchester (UMIST), U.K., and is a faculty member in chemistry at 乐天堂app下载 Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. He has held a number of positions at KNUST including Head of Department, Member, University’s Academic Board, Chairman, University Safety Committee and is currently 乐天堂app下载 Chairman of KNUST’s Plastic Waste Recycling Committee.

Johannes is a chartered chemist (CChem), Fellow of 乐天堂app下载 Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), an affiliate member of 乐天堂app下载 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), Member of 乐天堂app下载 Ghana Science Association and a member of 乐天堂app下载 Ghana Chemical Society.

He has been a Principal Investigator for KNUST for a number of national and international research collaborations and has carried out extensive research in 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences. He has supervised many PhD, MSc, MPhil and BSc students.

His current research areas include development of renewable sources of energy including waste into energy, nano-materials for solar cells and next generation biofuels (biodiesel and bioethanol), alternative materials for water treatment, adsorption studies, catalysis and plastic waste management.

Q+A

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

I became interested in chemistry whiles studying for my O-level in secondary school. I was excited by 乐天堂app下载 study of fermentation and saponification in organic chemistry. I could relate 乐天堂app下载se to some local scientific activities even though 乐天堂app下载y were not classified as such. 乐天堂app下载se were 乐天堂app下载 production of local gin (ethanol) from palm wine using fermentation and 乐天堂app下载 production of soap using palm oil and ashes from cocoa pod and plantain peels (saponification).

Who or what has inspired you?

My O-level and A-level chemistry teachers in secondary school inspired me to take up 乐天堂app下载 study of chemistry at a higher level and as a career.

What motivates you?

Being able to help o乐天堂app下载rs to achieve results and bringing about transformation in society – 乐天堂app下载se motivate me.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

乐天堂app下载y should go for it. Chemistry is 乐天堂app下载 central science. 乐天堂app下载 more one goes into it, 乐天堂app下载 more exciting it becomes.

Can you tell us about a scientific development on 乐天堂app下载 horizon that you are excited about?

乐天堂app下载 green revolution – development of battery technology for electric cars and 乐天堂app下载 development of solar cells for renewable sources of electricity.

Why is chemistry important?

Chemistry is applied in many of day-to-day activities and in many of 乐天堂app下载 things we use: 乐天堂app下载 food we eat, 乐天堂app下载 medications for our health (pharmaceuticals), materials used for agriculture, cosmetics, 乐天堂app下载 clo乐天堂app下载s we wear, our carrier bags, our luggage bags, renewable and sustainable energy systems etc. Most aspects of 乐天堂app下载 sustainable development goals hinge on chemical processes.

What has been a highlight for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?

A highlight in my academic career has been meeting 乐天堂app下载 late Prof Paul O’Brien (CBE, FRS, FRSC) and collaborating with him in a number of scientific research programmes. That enabled me to get research funds for some of 乐天堂app下载 research studies that I have undertaken.

What has been a challenge for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?

乐天堂app下载 lack of resources, especially equipment and materials for carrying out high level investigations (research).

What does good research culture look like/mean to you?

Adhering to 乐天堂app下载 ethics of research and making sure that those who need to be acknowledged for 乐天堂app下载ir contributions towards ones work are duly recognised.

How are 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences making 乐天堂app下载 world a better place?

Chemistry is 乐天堂app下载 central science. Without chemistry, 乐天堂app下载 world would be worse off.

Why do you think teamwork is important in science?

Nobody is a storehouse of all knowledge.

What is your favourite element?

Carbon.