The Polytechnic welcomes a visiting Professor from South Africa

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Picture: Prof. Nyabadza (4^th from left) with the Rector (middle), Deans and Directors.

Kumasi Polytechnic has since 2nd January, 2016 been hosting Prof. Farai Nyabadza from Stellenbosch University in the Republic of South Africa. The South Africa-based Zimbabwean Professor was invited at the behest of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics to help in the Development of Curriculum; Conduct of a research with the Head of Mathematics and Statistics Department (Dr.Ebenezer Bonya) as well as presenting a seminar on the Role of Mathematics in Life Sciences. Welcoming the visiting Professor, the Rector of the Polytechnic Prof.N.N.N Nsowah-Nuamah said the benefits of the research visit of Prof. Nyabadza which ends on 30th January, 2016 were manifold. First, it presents yet another opportunity for a collaborative research not only in Mathematics but also, in other technology related sciences. It would again result in a publication of a paper on Co-infection dynamics of Buruli Ulcer and HIV. Furthermore, the Professor would play a major role in the establishment of Mathematics and other technology related programmes which as he said were critical for the Polytechnic especially when it was at the verge of becoming a technical university. The Rector further added that there was also a possibility of working towards signing a Memorandum of Understanding between Kumasi Polytechnic and Stellenbosch University.

In his response, the Zimbabwean scholar expressed his appreciation to the Institution for the honour done him regarding his invitation. He said he had been supervising the thesis of Ghanaian students for the past four years and therefore was so happy to be in Ghana. He promised to do all he could to connect the Polytechnic to his university for further collaboration.

Picture: The Rector Prof. Nsowah-Nuamah making a point during the welcoming ceremony. (From left:  Director of International Affairs Rev. Dr. John Poku, Prof. Nyabadza and the Vice Rector Dr. Asiamah Yeboah at the extreme end)

Background and publications

The Stellenbosch University’ Associate Professor Nyabadza obtained his PhD at the University of Botswana in 2003. He worked as a lecturer at the University of Botswana between 2004 and 2007 before joining the South African Centre for Epidemiological Modelling and Analysis (SACEMA) as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow till August 2009. He joined the Department of Mathematical Sciences in September 2009 at Stellenbosch University.

His research area is in Biomathematics, with a special focus on Mathematical Epidemiology, i.e. the application of Mathematics to the dynamics of diseases. He has worked with research students on HIV, TB, Cancer, River blindness (Onchocerciasis) , Ebola, Buruli ulcer, substance abuse, Nodding disease etc . He has successfully supervised 33 MSc. students and 4 PhD students of varying nationalities. He currently has 3 MSc students and 3 PhD students doing various research projects.

Prof. Nyabadza has published 44 articles in SCI accredited journals, 8 conference proceedings, an edited book “A treatise of biological models’, published in 2013 and has attended 25 conferences in the last 15 years. He is a member of various Mathematics bodies including theSociety of Mathematical Biology; The Southern Africa Mathematical Sciences Association (SAMSA) in which he is the current sitting President; the Africa Society for Biomathematics (ASB); the South African Mathematical Society (SAMS) and Academic and Non-Fiction Authors' Association of South Africa (AFASA). He also served on the Board of Trustees of Canon Collins Southern Africa between 2011 and 2014 among others.

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