Ghana's first female amphibian biologist

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Meet Sandra Owusu-Gyamfi. She is Ghana’s First Female Amphibian Biologist.

Sandra is Programmes Co-ordinator of Save The Frogs! Ghana - the leading amphibian research and conservation group in West Africa, and has been on tour in the United Kingdom meeting with professional conservationists, students and amphibian lovers.

Sandra had her secondary education at Accra Girls’ Secondary School in Ghana where she studied General Science. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana, and a Master’s degree in Environmental Conservation from the University of Greenwich, UK.

"I started off with the idea of wanting to pursue a career in Medicine. This came about as a result of a news story aired on national television about the pressures Ghana’s medical personnel faced; the ratio of patients to doctors being ridiculously unproportional. Hence, my decision to study General Science."

• What prompted your interest in Environmental Science? 

"I actually owe it to my cousin who paid the family a visit just around the time I had completed secondary school and was contemplating on which programme to choose. Although my grades were not good enough to study medicine, it was good enough for other medical programmes and also engineering programmes. However, he explained that there was this new programme KNUST had introduced two years earlier and thought it would just be about right for me. I managed to convince my dad who eventually agreed to it. So basically, I didn’t originally plan to do this programme but once I started, there was no going back. After my undergraduate career, my dad suggested I continue climbing the “academic ladder”. So we both decided on me studying in the UK for me to get a different exposure. I insisted on studying an environmentally related programme. Conservation Science was more appealing to me."

• What has the experience been like so far?

"It was very easy and smooth for me. I don’t know why, but I think because very few women are in this field (environmental programmes), most professionals were very encouraging and ready to listen and point me in the right direction. Although very beneficial, in a way, it kind of makes you feel weak. But then again, if they were tough and pushy, I would probably have said they were not being fair."

• Tell us about SAVE THE FROGS! Ghana. How are you involved?

"SAVE THE FROGS! is the world’s leading conservation organisation dedicated exclusively to the protection of amphibians. Its goal is also to promote a society that respects and appreciates nature and wildlife. It was founded in the United States of America by Dr. Kerry Kriger in 2008.

SAVE THE FROGS! Ghana was founded in 2011 as Ghana’s and West Africa’s first branch, and it is the only organisation dedicated exclusively to the protection of the region’s amphibians. Amphibians in Ghana like elsewhere are rapidly declining. One in three species are threatened with extinction, and without appropriate interventions they will not survive in the coming centuries. Aside these factors usually implicated for amphibian decline worldwide—habitat loss, pollution, climate change, diseases and over-exploitation, other significant problems thwarting Ghana’s amphibian conservation efforts include apathy, pessimism and lack of awareness among the general public. Ghana has little tradition of educating its populace about the amphibian extinction crisis and knowledge has been restricted to a handful of local amphibian experts and individuals. However, I and the STF! Ghana team have always envisaged a Ghanaian society that would respect and appreciate amphibians and we have made significant progress in this respect.

Prior to the establishment of SAVE THE FROGS! Ghana (hereafter STF! Ghana), there were just three professional amphibian biologists in the country. In just over two years of our organisation’s existence, we have increased the number of local amphibian biologists six-fold (from 3 to 18). This includes two other female amphibian biologists. I am also part of the team that did the recent rediscovery of the Giant West African Squeaker Frog (Arthroleptis krokosua) which has made international headlines. It took us over 4 years of intensive search and countless man-hours to finally rediscover the species. We further investigated the threats the species was facing which was preventing it from recovering from the brink of extinction. That was when we noticed the negative impacts of the invasive weed Chromoleana odorata (Devil weed/Acheampong weed) on not just the species but other amphibians.

As the Programmes Co-ordinator I organise educational outreaches in schools and local communities. I’ve organised four Save The Frogs Day Celebrations (the world’s largest day dedicated to amphibian actions) all over the country. This brought together over 1,000 participants who received free education and items such as stickers and t-shirts. I’ve also organised two amphibian workshops; one at the University College of Agriculture and Environmental Studies and another at the University of Development Studies-Tamale, benefitting a total of 150 students. Finally, I help to identify prevailing threats to amphibians, and advice on the mitigation measures that could be implemented. One pending project I’ll be undertaking is to remove amphibians trapped in puddles on roads; the first of its kind in West Africa to prevent amphibian road kills."

• You are currently the first female Amphibian Biologist from Ghana. How does that make you feel?

"Special but pressured. This means I have to live up to the title and also serve as a role model for other young girls out there. My aim is to encourage many more women to become ambitious and fearless. I want to hear that a young Ghanaian woman is working on snakes. That will definitely make the headlines! Let us not feel limited in anyway. We can do it once we put our minds to it. Women are a force to reckon with and for a long time now we have been in the shadows of our male counterparts. I believe with a combination of the strength of men and the patience and endurance of women, we can actually make huge strides in protecting the environment."

• Any final words for the younger female generation?

"My philosophy in life is: “to effect a long lasting change in conservation, empower one woman and she will bring her entire family on board”. To the young girls out there with an interest in science related careers, go for it! We need more women in this field. You may never know what is out there if you never try. Luckily for me, I find myself working with some of the nicest men you can ever imagine. They do not give me any special treatment just because I am a woman, neither do they push me around. We are all professionals and that is all it is."

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Samira Ali - One of Ghana's few female ROV pilot technicians

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Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) are robots used to conduct various undersea tasks in support of a wide range of industries including scientific research, and oil and gas exploration. These robots are operated by ROV Pilot Technicians.

Today we share the story of Ghanaian ROV Pilot Technician, Samira Ali, currently working at Oceaneering International Services Ltd., a global oilfield which provides engineering services and products, primarily to the offshore oil and gas industry, with a focus on deepwater applications.

Samira completed her basic education at Services Basic School in Accra, Ghana, and then continued to St. Rose’s Senior High School, Akwatia in the Eastern Region of Ghana, where she studied General Science. She then ended up at the Regional Maritime University (Former Nautical College) in Nungua (also in Ghana) where she pursued a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering - Marine option. She is the last of four children of her parents and the only one who pursued the field of engineering to this level. 

• What made you pursue Science in the first place?

 “Well, I actually told my mom, who filled out my entrance forms, to put in General Arts as my first choice course when I was preparing for the Senior High School level. She was however coaxed by my teachers to put in Science as first choice instead and General Arts as second choice. And that is how I ended up studying General Science at St. Rose’s.”

• Why Engineering?

“After being kind of ‘forced’ to study Science in school, I naturally developed interest, especially in Physics, and decided I’d go further in it after Senior High School. I realized my basic school teachers saw in me what I was refusing to accept. The drive was real. And so I decided to do engineering; electrical/electronics to be precise, since this included more physics. And I actually decided I didn’t want to be in a school where I’d meet all my old schoolmates. I wanted a fresh start, a new crowd, new venture and that is how I ended up at the Regional Maritime University.”

• What were some of the benefits and challenges that came your way as a young woman in engineering?

“For starters, I’m a “tomboy” and hardly ever intimidated by male presence, and their natural 'dominance’ hardly scares me, so I fared pretty well in school especially at the Maritime University where my class of 78 or so (number dwindling as the semesters passed) had only 5 females. The boys never disrespected us in any way pertaining to the course. Au contraire, they boasted to the others about the few brave girls that decided to pursue a 'man’s course’.

The real challenges however come when you begin to work with people of different races, from different countries, bearing different perspectives about women in any field. For example, I have been called “a weak member of the team” before and I’m expecting so many more challenges even worse than this. I am ready for whatever comes.”

• What is your job like?

 “I am currently working in the oil and gas industry; specifically with a company called Oceaneering International Services Ltd. They are major manufacturers and providers of subsea infrastructure and services and I work in a unit that operates Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) for the purposes of inspection, construction, drill support, pipeline laying, etc. I have mainly been involved in drill support so far, hoping to get the chance to venture other work options.

So basically, ROVs are like underwater robots that can be manned remotely via a tethered (attached cable) system from surface. The vehicles are launched subsea and everything the vehicle sees can be seen and recorded on video through the cameras mounted on it. It has manipulators (arms) which we control from surface to grab or pick up items, turn knobs subsea, etc.”

• Does Ghana need more women in engineering?

“Ghana does need more women in engineering to prove to the world that women are not timid in pursuing such courses; to prove that women are just as good or even better at providing technical solutions; to show that education is never gender biased and knowledge can come freely to anyone. “

• What is your advice for the young girls out there who want to pursue an engineering career in future?

“To all young girls and women out there who have stopped in their steps towards pursuing an engineering career and any others who may just be considering it, I would advise them to listen to their gut instinct and shut out completely anything they deem negative or anything or anyone that keeps discouraging them. It may be a current job, a lecturer, a family member, a friend, a challenge one is facing at school trying to study; it could be anything. Studying engineering is not easy. It does not make sense at first, but over time you will look back and smile at the things you found so difficult to understand. Use that as leverage to plunge further with the assurance that one day you will look back to this very day and thank your stars you carried on.”

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Freda Yawson on problem solving and innovation

In an article originally published by the Skoll World Forum, Dr. Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese-British mobile communications entrepreneur – founder of Celtel, blamed the inability of Africans to solve their own problems on poor governance.

“Not any amount of aid is going to move Africa forward. The only way for us to move forward is to ensure good governance – the way we manage our economy, our social life, our legal structures and institutions – that is the basis for development. We cannot rely on people to come and feed our poor or treat our sick. This is the responsibility of our governments.” – Mo Ibrahim

Levers in Heels believes strongly that action and innovation in the adaptability of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Africa driven by good governance, as suggested by Dr. Ibrahim, can serve as a springboard for economic transformation in Africa. Politicians, decision makers, business leaders, economists and academics across the continent need to fully understand and employ this idea to kick-start the creation of new technologies suitable for Africa, thereby creating jobs for its people. This is indeed the way forward to enhance Africa’s economic transformation.

Today, Levers in Heels’ interview is with a young problem solver who is passionate about such a transformation in Africa. She works at it both in theory and in practice.

Meet Freda Yawson.

Freda is the Programs Coordinator at Accra-based think tank, the African Center for Economic Transformation (ACET). Outside of work, she constantly seeks to merge theory with practice and is passionate about the intersection of engineering, manufacturing and technology with development in Ghana. This includes the improvement and development of sustainable Infrastructure (water, energy, rail, air, marine, communications) as well as the development of light manufacturing in the country. Since 2005, Freda has been a part of volunteer projects with Engineers Without Borders, the Millennium Villages Projectand Blue-Lab Michigan focusing on water purification in the Dominican Republic, Ghana and Honduras. Through her work, she has gained International development experience in multiple African countries like Rwanda, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Ghana.

Freda received her Masters in International Affairs from the School of International and Public Affairs (SIPA) at Columbia University; and her B.Sc.E in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan where she focused on Product and Automotive Design. In this space, she had the opportunity to work with General Motors and Toyota in evaluation, design and materials processing. Prior to this, she attended high school at the Wesley Girls High School in Ghana, and in Michigan, USA.

Ms. Yawson is also the founder of Innovate Ghana, an annual design competition and workshop, where Ghanaian students can apply their existing knowledge to development problems of today.

• What prompted your interest in Mechanical Engineering?

“As a child of two scientists – a chemist and a doctor, I have grown up around Science and have always been fascinated by why and how things and people work. Throughout school I did well in Math and Science and continued to pursue those tracks in high school. In the 11th grade, I had the opportunity to enroll in a pilot program, Southfield High School’s Engineering Academy established for students interested in pursing engineering as a career. At the same time I had developed a fascination for cars (no doubt spurred on by the movie “Fast and Furious”) and decided to see what skills I needed to design them. My experience at the academy exposed me to AutoCAD, manufacturing process and offered me the opportunity to work at General Motors.  I was hooked and decided to pursue Mechanical Engineering from there.”

• What have been your greatest achievements?

“I have been privileged to hold a number of leadership roles in organizations I have been a part of, but some of the most memorable have included:

1. Membership in the University of Michigan’s solar car team

2. President of the Columbia University SIPA Pan-African Network

3. Founder of SIPA Infrastructure Network

4. Resident Fellow at International House

5. Women’s International Leadership Program Fellow

6. Davis Peace Prize Award, 2013”

• Why did you start Innovate Ghana? What are your short and long term goals?

“During my undergrad, I realized that my experience in Ghana as a student had conditioned me to “chew, pour and pass” so much so that when I was faced with problems requiring critical thinking, I began to falter. I realized that while my brothers and sisters at home were academically good, we lacked real practical and experiential learning that brought theories to life. We learned about computers without using them and were producing engineers who were grounded in theory.

I had been looking for a way to bring this kind of learning to Ghana when I received the Davis Peace Project grant in 2013. Realizing the opportunity to use practical learning to empower unemployed youth, I started the Innovate Ghana Workshop and Competition with my father. The objective was to encourage Ghanaian students to apply practical engineering knowledge to national development issues. The two week workshop and a competition focused on concepts of Design for Development, Engineering and Entrepreneurship and was held at Takoradi Polytechnic. 50 students took part in the competition designing products from recycled plastic waste. This year, the two-week design challenge in November tackled one of the most pressing issues in West Africa today. Students designed low-cost isolation units for patients in Ebola affected countries, with the aim of developing working prototypes for development.”

• In your opinion, what are Ghanaian educational institutions not doing to help their students fight unemployment? What should be done?

“The issue of unemployment is a systemic one that requires more than our educational institutions, but they are a good place to start. I would say that the system as a whole needs to set experiential learning and the development of critical thinking as a goal and engage members of society as partners. If educators can sign on to this vision, teachers can adopt new teaching methods, private sector can partner with schools to bring the real world to classrooms. There is so much we can do for little cost if willing.”

• Is gender balance really necessary in STEM fields to promote development?

“As much as I support and encourage women to enter STEM fields, I would not necessarily say that gender balance is essential in these areas. These fields have historically been dominated by men, and I am not sure we should strive to achieve gender balance for the sake of achieving it. I prefer to encourage women to pursue STEM fields because they can be problem solvers in a society that desperately needs them. Problem solving is no respecter of gender – and STEM is a tool that allows you to tackle so many interesting issues from health to sanitation to infrastructure and more. At the same time, it is necessary to break the stereotypes we have created for ourselves limiting men and women to certain careers for gender sake. Diversity in STEM fields will go a long way to show that people can make a difference with creativity, innovation and hard work regardless of their gender.”

• What are your plans for the future?

“I believe that through training, critical thinking, and practical application; we as Africans, can transform our economies through innovation in our own backyard. I will continue to push these limits through Innovate Ghana, and with the help of amazing partners like Levers in Heels and others. I am grateful for God’s grace and support. I am striving for a vision of you who see no limits to building a brighter future through STEM.”