By Isaac Arkoh / Winifred Sekyibea Abakah,
GNA
Cape Coast, July 23, GNA – Professor Paul
Buah-Bassuah, a former Head of the Laser and Optic Fibre Centre (LAFOC) at the
University of Cape Coast (UCC),has encouraged members of the African Spectral
Imaging Network (AFSIN) to inculcate the habit of collaborative work to solve
more scientific problems in Africa.
According to him, building relationship with
other countries offered an opportunity to use interdisciplinary research
methods to make impact in African countries to alleviate human suffering.
“If Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire and other
African countries can come together to work on a particular project while three
other African countries also do same, there will be a great improvement in our
African countries and series of mistakes would not occur,” he said.
Prof Buah-Bassuah was speaking at the
opening of a two-week international workshop on spectroscopy and spectral
imaging.
It is being organised on the theme,
“Using Simple Tools for Advanced Research in Optical Spectroscopy and
Multi-Spectral Imaging”.
Sixty African Scientists from eight
countries including Kenya, Mali, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Ghana are attending
the workshop organised by AFSIN in collaboration with the International Science
Program (ISP).
Participants are expected to find properties
of elements in food, drug, plants as well as Agriculture products and perform
research to solve problems in these areas.
Prof Buah- Bassuah called on African
governments to invest in advanced research to enable their scientists play a
leading role in the “new frontiers of science”.
Prof Sune Svanberg, a Physics Professor at
the Sweden Lund laser Center and south China Normal University in Guangzhon,
explained that to shape a better world, spectroscopic monitoring of food could
be useful in solving the global challenges of food production, quality and
safety.
He cited the mosquito counting and trapping,
black scattering and shadowing equipment which was recently produced in China
as one of the ways spectroscopy is contributing to reduction of malaria in African
countries.
Professor Carla Puglia, a Representative of
ISP underscored the need for young people in Africa to build their capacities
in research to be able to solve emerging challenges on the continent.
She urged members of AFSIN to work with
commitment and passion to make their project a success to meaningful impact
their respective societies.
GNA
