September 9, 2019
For the 2019-2020 academic year, the Ashesi community welcomed Stewart Isaacs and Abdul Wasay to campus as our pioneer Archer Cornfield Fellows. The Fellows, Doctoral students at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard University, will support teaching and research work in our Engineering and Computer Science faculties while also contributing their experiences to our broader community. The Archer Cornfield Fellowship, launched in 2018, provides opportunities for recent Engineering or Computer Science postgraduates to contribute to teaching and learning at Ashesi while growing their own capacity as academics.
“For the past few years, I have been involved with a social enterprise developing solar technology for use in small-scale poultry farming in West Africa,” shared Isaacs, who will be teaching Thermodynamics this semester, and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics at MIT. “I was searching for ways to continue my work in the region when I first heard of Ashesi. Immediately I could see how my goals aligned with the university’s mission. The fellowship is providing an opportunity to take time off my Ph.D. program and fully immerse myself in local problems related to energy systems, the environment, and equity.”
For Wasay, whose research revolves around analyzing machine learning and data science pipelines, spending a year at Ashesi is an exciting opportunity.
“I first heard about Ashesi in 2018 and I was immediately intrigued by this excellent university and its mission to bring cutting edge education and research to Ghana,” shared Wasay who completed his undergraduate degree from Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) in Pakistan, before moving to Harvard. “Like LUMS, I gathered Ashesi University is committed to practical programs that empower students to pursue entrepreneurial and transformational work. The very tangible possibility of doing meaningful work in this part of the world is very exciting to me. I hope to learn from the students here, really understand how they see their education and design and teach courses that enable them to grow.”
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With a focus on developing global connections at Ashesi, the university has continued to create meaningful opportunities for the world to come to Ashesi and Ghana. Teaching and volunteer opportunities also help provide a pathway for people looking to give their time to support our mission of educating ethical, entrepreneurial leaders in Africa.
“Through this fellowship and similar opportunities, we hope to help connect more of our students and faculty with professionals from across the world,” shared Provost, Angela Owusu-Ansah. “The fellowship also serves as an opportunity for us at Ashesi to keep strengthening our faculty. And not only does this enrich our campus experiences, but it also increases research and scholarship opportunities in Africa.”
Click to learn more about the Archer Cornfield fellowship at Ashesi.
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