Dr. Frederick Otu-Larbi, a distinguished Faculty Member and team from the Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science (DACS) has been recently awarded a grant of Fifty Thousand US Dollars ($50,000).
The grant, awarded by The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), is designated for the advancement of science in developing countries. This grant is for a project entitled “Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions in the Tropics (BAIT): Understanding Climate-Forests Feedback Processes in West Africa”.
The grant falls under the Seed Grant for the New African Principal Investigator Fellowship of TWAS. The funds from the TWAS grant will be utilized for the following purposes: Conducting extensive research on Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions in the Tropics with a focus on understanding climate-forests feedback processes in West Africa, Training two master’s students in the relevant field, promoting capacity building and knowledge transfer.
In line with the project’s objectives, two postgraduate students from the MPhil Climate Change program at DACS have been selected to receive scholarships. The recipients are Mr. Isaac Abang and Ms. Abena Kyerewaa Morrison, both alumni of DACS’ prestigious BSc Climate Change and Sustainable Development programme. Each student has been awarded Five Thousand US Dollars ($5,000) to support their master’s degree programs.
The project is officially expected to commence on February 15, 2024, with initial extensive research activities focusing on the identified climate-forest feedback processes in the West African region. The project aims to produce valuable insights into climate-forest feedback processes, contributing to the global understanding of biosphere-atmosphere interactions in tropical regions.
Meanwhile, the scholarships awarded to Mr. Isaac Abang and Ms. Abena Kyerewaa Morrison are expected to significantly contribute to their academic and professional development in the field of climate science. Dr. Frederick Otu-Larbi and the team express their sincere gratitude to UNESCO-TWAS for their generous grant, which has enabled us to undertake this vital research and support the academic pursuits of promising students.
This grant award and the subsequent utilization reflect the commitment of DACS to advancing scientific knowledge in climate science and nurturing the next generation of researchers. We anticipate that the outcomes of this project will contribute to the broader scientific community’s understanding of climate forest feedback processes.
Dr. Otu-Larbi expresses his profound gratitude to Faculty Members of the Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science as well as the staff of the Center for Grants and Research Innovation (CeGRI) for their assistance during the application process.
The Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science is also extremely grateful to the Vice-Chancellor of UENR, Prof. Elvis Asare-Bediako for his continuous support towards the process leading to the award of fellowship.
