Accra: 21st October, 2016: Ghanaian immunologist and co-founder of GhScientific, Hephzi Angela Tagoe, has been awarded the prestigious Science Communication Awards by the Royal Society of Biology in the United Kingdom.
The award recognized Hephzi for her immense work engaging and educating the public in the various aspects of science. Key amongst Hephzi’s insightful initiatives, as a science communicator, is the ‘Shaping Healthy Attitudes’ and ‘Protecting the Environment’ project. The latter initiative connects high school students in Ghana with scientists to investigate the impacts of environmental pollutants on community health and helps design innovative social solutions.
Commenting on Hephzi’s winning project, Dr. Steve Cross, one of the judges of the Science Communication Awards, said, “Hephzi really impressed us by organising projects to meet a specific audience need, and for her ability to put setbacks like a lack of funding behind her and still make fantastic engagement happen.”
Aside her work as an immunologist researching into skin biology in the Institute of Child Health, UK, Hephzi works as a freelance science communicator in the UK and Ghana. She focuses on reaching underrepresented audiences in Science. She also co-foundered GhScientific, an organization promoting science communication and public engagement in Ghana. GhScientific runs various projects including the Ghana Science Book tour, SHAPEgh, Scibarcamp and an annual science themed writing competition.
Hephzi’s strides in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) was recently recognized by Airtel Ghana’s Evolve with STEM initiative as a STEM Champion, amongst other great minds using their knowledge in the field of STEM to solve every day problems.
ANGELA HEPHZI TAGOE AS A STEM CHAMPION
Airtel Ghana’s Evolve with STEM initiative was developed to inspire and transform the mindset of young people and to empower them to pursue STEM education. The initiative, championed by the company’s CEO, Lucy Quist, has impacted more than 3,000 pupils across 4 regions in the country.
As part of the initiative, Ghanaians who were using STEM to solve local problems were recognised under the ‘STEM Champion of the week’ project. Hephzi was one of those recognised under the project.
The Science Communication Awards by Royal Society of Biology are intended to reward outreach work carried out by young scientists and established researchers to inform, enthuse and engage the public.