In a historic moment for the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Prof. Eunice Akyereko Adjei and Prof. Lena Dzifa Mensah have shattered the ceiling to become the first Associate Professors ever in the over 70-year history of the university. Their journeys are not just about personal achievement, but about lighting the path for future generations.
Prof. Eunice Akyereko Adjei’s academic role extends far beyond the lecture hall. She is a dedicated architect of opportunity, passionately working to bring more women into Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
As the Women in Technology Lead for the Responsible Artificial Intelligence Lab (RAIL), Prof. Akyereko Adjei has been a powerful force, actively mentoring and supporting females at both the senior high school and tertiary levels in Ghana. Her efforts reach students nationwide through the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), Ghana mentoring and internship program, where she guides female Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students to gain vital, practical skills for the power sector.
Her research passions are as wide-ranging as her impact, spanning Aerospace Engineering, Renewable Energy, and Climate Mitigation. She has been at the heart of significant projects, from the Green Employment and Enterprise Opportunity in Ghana (GrEEN) to the UK-funded research on implementing bio-energy schemes for the country.
With over fourteen years of experience in teaching, research, and community service, Prof. Lena Dzifa Mensah is a key player in the Industrial and Mechanical Engineering community. Prof. Mensah is a Fellow of the Brew-Hammond Energy Centre and a Corporate Member of the Ghana Institution of Engineering. Given her training in Engineering and Management of Manufacturing Systems, she seamlessly blends her expertise in Industrial and Food Manufacturing Systems, Quality Assurance and Renewable Energy to solve multidisciplinary problems in society.
She is the Project Manager at KNUST and a key member of the driving force behind major projects, including the ongoing Fostering Research & Intra-African Knowledge Transfer Through Mobility and Education (FRAME) project, which is funded by the European Commission. Her track record includes coordinating impactful projects and initiatives like the Upgrading Education and Research Capacity in Renewable Energy Technologies (UPERCRET) project funded by the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD), and the Ghana Solar Export Potential Study funded by the United Nations Environment Programme.
Within KNUST, Prof. Mensah has shouldered immense responsibility, coordinating a suite of professional Master's Programmes in Industrial Operations, Energy Systems, and Oil and Gas, as well as PhD programmes in Sustainable Energy Technologies and Mechanical Engineering, thereby shaping the education of a significant number of students.
She is currently the Chair of the Quality Assurance Sub-Committee at the College of Engineering. She has previously served on the Ministerial Advisory Board for the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI), as well as on the Board of the Office of Grants and Research at KNUST.
Her passion for STEM education and women empowerment is demonstrated through her participation in several mentoring programmes, including the Ghana Power Compact Internship and Mentoring Programme implemented by the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA), with funding from the Millennium Challenge Corporation, Women in Engineering (WINE)’s mentoring initiative for women in STEM at the tertiary education level, and the Mastercard Mentorship Programme, implemented by the Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Ghana Chapter(WiSTEM-Gh).
Associate Professors Eunice Akyereko Adjei and Lena Dzifa Mensah are pioneers, mentors, and role models. Their historic appointments mark a new chapter for Mechanical Engineering at KNUST, proving that barriers are made to be broken with passion and perseverance.
