CSIR-CROPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE CELEBRATES RESEARCHERS: AWARDS MOST PUBLISHED AUTHORS
In a celebration of academic achievement, the Research Staff Association (RSA) of the CSIR-Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI) held its annual scientific publication awards, honouring the most published researchers of the year. The event, held at the institute’s Biotechnology auditorium, was part of its annual In-house Review and Research Planning session held from 11th to 15th March, 2024.
The IRREP is an occasion during which research scientists of the Institute give account of their activities during the previous year and present their proposals for the current year. Scientists get the opportunity to learn about each other’s activities and also make valuable inputs to improve them.
The coveted title of “Most Published Researcher 2024” was bestowed upon Ing. Dr. Patricia Amankwaa-Yeboah,a Senior Research Scientist and a soil and water engineer with the Institute’s agricultural engineering and transport division. Her prolific output of peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, technical reports and manuals have not only advanced the frontiers of scientific knowledge but also inspired countless colleagues and students alike.
Dr. Amankwaa-Yeboah, who was the second runner up in the 2023 edition of the awards, scored a weighted average of 85 points from several publications. She was followed by Dr. Stephen Yeboah, an agronomist with the Cereals division of the Institute, who scored 57 while Ing. Dr. Shadrack Kwadwo Amponsah, came in third with a weighted score of 34.
In her acceptance speech, Dr. Amankwaa-Yeboah expressed gratitude for the recognition and underscored the importance of collaborative efforts in pushing the boundaries of research. “This award is a testament to the collective endeavors of my colleagues, mentors, and the entire research community,” she remarked. “It’s through collaboration and shared knowledge that we truly make meaningful progress.”
Speaking at the end of the ceremony, Dr. Sylvester Addy, the President of the CSIR-CRI Research Staff Association, lauded the dedication and passion of the institute’s researchers. “Our goal as an association of research scientists, is not only to push the boundaries of knowledge but also to nurture a culture of excellence and collaboration,” Dr. Addy remarked. “Today, we celebrate not just individual achievements, but the collective spirit of inquiry and discovery that defines our institution.” He promised that the 2025 edition of the awards will introduce more categories such as the “Most Cited Paper,” the “Most Innovative Research,” and the “Emerging Researcher of the Year”.
PROFILE OF WINNERS
Ing. Dr. (Mrs) Patricia Amankwaa-Yeboah
Ing. Dr. (Mrs) Patricia Amankwaa-Yeboah is a Senior Research Scientist in the Agric Engineering/Mechanization Division, emerged as the third-place winner. Dr. Amankwaa-Yeboah has diverse research interests in areas such as Climate change/crop modeling, Irrigation/drainage design and management, Soil-plant-atmosphere relations, Aeroponics/Hydroponics as well as Water and nutrient use efficiency in crop production. She is currently involved in benchmarking crop water needs in Ghanaand developing aeroponics and hydroponics for root and tuber crops.
She is also researching the phytohormonal regulation of plant physiological responses to AWD irrigation in rice and furrow irrigation in tomatoes. She also manages the irrigation facility at the CSIR-Crops Research Institute. She worked with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) during her national service in 2007, after which she worked as a field staff with the Centre for Agricultural and Rural Development (CARD) while simultaneously studying for a Master of Science degree in Soil and Water Engineering. She studied water harvesting and small-scale irrigation under an Australia Awards Africa short course fellowship at the University of New England in Armidale, Australia. She also is a short course alumnus of the Wageningen University and Research in the Netherlands. She is currently an AWARD fellow.
Dr. Stephen Yeboah
Dr. Stephen Yeboah is a Senior Research Scientist, with the Cereals Division of the Institute. Dr. Yeboah has conducted extensive research in the areas of crop resource management and environmental and soil nutrient management on a variety of crops. He has developed a number of technologies that have improved the livelihoods of resource-poor farmers.
His research priority is to improve understanding of plant responses to the environment with a focus on field, theoretical, and laboratory research towards increasing understanding of the soil–plant–water relationships and mitigating effects of climate change on crop production and environmental quality. He has refereed several papers for both local and international scientific journals and has over fifty (50) refereed journal publications in science listed international and African Journals.
Ing. Dr. Shadrack Kwadwo Amponsah
Ing. Dr. Shadrack Kwadwo Amponsah is an Agricultural Engineer by profession and training with specialization in Agricultural Mechanization. He has successfully led several international donor-funded projects resulting in the development of technologies such as the manual cassava harvester, improved yam storage barns and aquaculture tank systems and their dissemination to over 1000 end-users nationwide.
He has refereed several papers for both local and international scientific journals and has over fifty (50) refereed journal publications in science listed international and African Journals.
Authors: Patricia Konadu Mensah, Bernard Sakyiamah, Enoch Bobie Agyemang, Dennis Gyasi Boakye
