KNUST hosts Nyansapo Photonics School, commissions GPOL to boost research and innovation

The international photonics training school, “NYANSAPƆ,” has been inaugurated at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). This six-day Photonics and Optics initiative, focusing on health and safety, gathered 38 emerging scientists from six African countries and leading researchers from Africa, Europe, and North America. The program deviates from the usual conference setting, providing students with hands-on laboratory training.

In an effort to enhance Ghana's capacity in light-based science, the event also saw the commissioning of the Ghana Photonics and Optics Laboratory (GPOL). Situated at KNUST's Department of Physics, GPOL is a state-of-the-art teaching, research, and outreach facility dedicated to advancing optics and photonics research, training, and outreach in Ghana and West Africa.

The laboratory, spearheaded by KNUST researchers Dr Akyana Britwum and Dr Michael Kweku Edem Donkor, provides a platform to generate, control, and manipulate light for various applications, including health, agriculture, industry, and the environment.

The initiative's Principal Investigator and Scientific Lead, Dr Akyana Britwum, emphasized the transformation of Ghana from a consumer of foreign technologies to a producer of locally developed scientific solutions. He stressed that photonics, the science and technology of light, underpins modern innovation and is crucial for addressing local challenges. Britwum also pointed out that Ghanaians should be empowered with the most advanced tools available to pursue science relevant to their needs.

The GPOL, co-founded in 2024 by Dr Akyana Britwum and Dr Michael Kweku Edem Donkor, has since implemented over 30 outreach programs across Ghana, reaching more than 6,000 students. These efforts aim to demystify photonics, inspire interest in light-based sciences among young learners, and foster a generation of homegrown scientific solutions.

Dr Peter de Groot, the 2025 President of SPIE, highlighted the importance of optics and photonics to Ghana's national development strategy, noting their significance in healthcare, infrastructure, telecommunications, mining, and agriculture. He also expressed optimism that the GPOL will position Ghana as a regional hub for photonics training and drive high-quality research.