AfIRI Awards Thesis Grants to Ghanaian Students for Research Advancement

The African Interdisciplinary Research Institute (AfIRI) has awarded thesis grants to selected Ghanaian postgraduate students, aimed at enhancing research excellence across the continent.

This initiative is part of AfIRI’s broader commitment to support postgraduate scholars pursuing Master’s and Doctoral studies in various fields in universities across Ghana.

One of the recipients, Emmanuel Baako, an MPhil student in Food Science and Technology at the University for Development Studies in Tamale, expressed his enthusiasm regarding the grant’s import for his research on the industrial applications of fonio (Digitaria exilis) flour.

“The substantial funding will be utilized for thesis printing and binding, as well as other research-related activities such as sample collection and data gathering,” he stated

Another awardee, Evans Thompson of the University of Cape Coast, listed his challenges in advancing his research on nasopharyngeal carriage and antibiotic resistance patterns of Streptococcus pneumoniae among diabetic patients.

He noted that funding constraints had previously stalled his project. “Receiving this grant will facilitate the procurement of materials necessary for completing my thesis,” he remarked.

Francis Z. Taabia, who is undertaking doctoral research at the University of Ghana to assess whether mangrove oysters can provide essential micronutrients to women in coastal communities, also expressed optimism about the impact of the grant.

“Oysters are crucial for food and nutrition security for over 4,000 people in Ghanaian estuarine sites. The AfIRI grant will be instrumental in covering costs associated with test trips and the production of my thesis report,” he explained.

Another recipient of the grant, Mary Ann Laryea of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology shared her anticipation regarding the financial support for data collection associated with her thesis. “This grant will enable me to recruit more experienced enumerators for data collection and cover travel and accommodation expenses, significantly enhancing the quality of my research outcomes,” she added.

Congratulating the award recipients, founding Director of AfIRI, Dr Rachel Thompson, noted that close to 100 applications were received from postgraduate students across the country. However, the institute was able to award these 4 outstanding applicants.

She also highlighted that there were other excellent applications that they would have loved to award the grant but due to limited resources, they could not. She called on other organizations in Ghana to support postgraduate students in our local institutions in order to enhance research and development in the country and the African continent at large.

She encouraged the awardees to give their best in their respective fields of study, reminding them that their work has the potential to contribute significantly to advancements in knowledge and innovation, not just locally, but on a global scale.

The Institute’s efforts are instrumental in advancing Africa-oriented research initiatives that address critical developmental challenges on the continent.

Source: ghananewsonline.com.gh