Building the Future of Photonics and Optics in Ghana: An SPIE-KNUST Initiative
1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Speaker: Akyana Britwum, PhD, Lecturer and Researcher, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
Abstract: Ghana and the West African subregion possess significant untapped research potential in optics and photonics. This opportunity remains largely unrealized, not due to a lack of talent, but because of limited infrastructure and access to hands-on, research-oriented training. The Ghana Photonics and Optics Laboratory (GPOL), based at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and funded by SPIE in collaboration with Photonics Ghana, is a foundational step towards establishing a sustainable photonics ecosystem in Ghana and West Africa. This talk presents GPOL's vision to create a pipeline of local human resources in photonics, including researchers, educators, and technologists, capable of driving cutting-edge research in the life sciences, physical sciences, and engineering. It will highlight ongoing projects in microscopy and spectroscopy, as well as plans for research in diffuse optics, quantum optics, and quantum sensing. The emphasis is on building capability that is both scientifically credible and locally sustainable, including approaches that enable low-cost instrumentation, reproducible experiments, and translational projects relevant to health, materials, and environmental monitoring. Through interdisciplinary collaboration, GPOL aims to advance scientific work that is locally relevant. An important pillar of GPOL is public engagement and outreach, using hands-on demonstrations and school-based programmes to inspire the next generation of scientists and broaden awareness of photonics across Ghana. Finally, the talk will explore concrete collaboration pathways with Worcester Polytechnic Institute, including student, technician, and researcher exchanges, joint student projects, co-development of instrumentation, and shared research and training programmes that can amplify the collective impact of both institutions.