Elsie Effah Kaufmann Explained

Elsie Effah Kaufmann
Honorific Suffix:FGA, FBSE, FGhIE, PE
Birth Date: df=y 7 September 1969
Birth Place:Accra, Ghana
Nationality: Ghanaian
Awards:Fellow of the International Women's Forum Leadership Foundation
Employer:University of Ghana, Legon
Known:Quiz Mistress for the National Science and Maths Quiz (2006 – present)

Elsie Akosua Biraa Effah Kaufmann (born 7 September 1969)[1] [2] is a Ghanaian academic, academic administrator, biomedical engineer, and current host of the National Science and Maths Quiz.[3] [4] [5] In December 2020, Elsie Kaufmann was appointed an associate professor at the University of Ghana,[6] and was appointed the Dean of the School of Engineering Sciences on 1 August 2022.[7]

Early life and education

The daughter of educators, she hails from Assin in the Central Region.[8] Her father, Yusuf K. Effah served as the headmaster of T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School, Kumasi and later, Director of Education in the Western Region.[9] Kaufmann began her secondary education at the Aburi Girls' Senior High School, and obtained her International Baccalaureate Diploma from the United World College of the Atlantic in Wales in 1988.

She proceeded to the University of Pennsylvania for her Bachelor of Science in Engineering (BSE), a Master of Science in Engineering (MSE), and a doctorate (PhD) in Bioengineering.[10]

Career

Prof. Kaufmann was a research supervisor at the Department of Chemistry at Rutgers University in New Jersey, United States of America from May 1998 to June 2001. She served as a Teaching Assistant at the Department of Bioengineering at the University of Pennsylvania, United States of America. She was also a Senior Lecturer and the first Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering,[11] University of Ghana (2006–2012, 2014–2016). Elsie Effah Kaufmann is a visiting scholar and Founding Head of the Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics at the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Ho, Ghana.[12] [13] She is a University Council Member at Ghana Communication Technology University.[14] She serves on the board of African Gifted Foundation Ghana (African Science Academy) as well as the British International School-Ghana.[15]  

She is the first woman to be appointed dean of the School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana, taking up the post from 1 August 2022.[16] [17] She was part of the members who established School of Engineering Sciences. She presently serves as the President of the Ghana Society of Biomedical Engineers.[18]

She is the current host of the National Science and Math Quiz.[19]

Elsie Effah Kaufmann Foundation

On 27 July 2022, in Accra, Kaufmann established the Elsie Effah Kaufmann Foundation (EEKF). The foundation aims to close the existing gap in STEM-related education in Ghana by giving students access to the resources they need to do in-depth, hands-on research on the subjects.[20]

Awards and recognition

Kaufmann was a Fellow of the International Women's Forum Leadership Foundation.[21] She was awarded in 2009, as the University of Ghana's Best Teacher Award for the Sciences.[22]

She received the International Women's Forum Leadership Foundation Fellowship in 2011 and the 2017 Impact Africa Summit Laureate for Education in Ghana.[23]

She is also the first female recipient of the 2018 Golden Torch Award for International Academic Leadership by the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) at the 44th Annual Conference held in the United States of America.[24]

She is also the recipient of the National Society of Black Engineers' 2018 Golden T.O.R.C.H. (Technical OutReach and Community Help) Award for International Academic Leadership in recognition of her excellence in support of academics on an international level and exhibition of commitment to the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematic (STEM) fields.[25]

She was awarded the Woman of the Year at the 2022 Exclusive Men of the Year Africa Awards. [26]

Kaufmann was elected a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences in June 2022.

She is also a Fellow of Biomaterials Science and Engineering, elected in December 2020 and a Professional Engineer of the Ghana Institution of Engineering. She holds a PMP Certification from the Institute of Project Management Professionals – Ghana. Elsie Kaufmann has also participated in Executive Education programs at Harvard Business School and INSEAD.

Personal life and family

Kaufmann is divorced and has three children,[27] two females and a male by the name Augustus Kofi Effah Kaufmann.[28] She also has a younger sister called Belinda Yaa Dankwaa Effah who is a bank manager at United Bank of Africa (UBA) Ghana Limited.[29]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Emmanuel. Kojo. 2019-09-09. NSMQ mistress Elsie Effah Kaufmann's 50th birthday in pictures. 2021-11-25. Pulse Ghana. en.
  2. Web site: 2019-09-09. Age-defying NSMQ mistress marks 50th birthday. 2021-11-25. The Independent Ghana. en-GB. 25 November 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211125134829/https://theindependentghana.com/2019/09/age-defying-nsmq-mistress-marks-50th-birthday/. dead.
  3. Web site: How the National Science and Maths quiz began . Citifmonline . 6 June 2015 . 1 October 2016 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160106002513/http://citifmonline.com/2015/06/06/how-the-national-science-and-maths-quiz-began/ . 6 January 2016 .
  4. Web site: Elsie Effah Kaufmann . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170203134345/http://ug-gh.academia.edu/ElsieEffahKaufmann . 3 February 2017 . 1 October 2016 . University of Ghana.
  5. Web site: Elsie Effah Kaufmann . Google Scholar Citations. 30 June 2017.
  6. Web site: Ferdin. Ellis. University of Ghana appoints Dr. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, Professor. 2020-12-13. EducationGhana. 23 November 2020 . en-GB.
  7. Web site: Gadzekpo . Gilbert . 2022-05-13 . The UGBS Nest Hosts IAU Connecting Accra Project Launch . 2022-05-14 . University of Ghana Business School . en.
  8. Web site: The day I solved my 'Problem of the Day', it changed my life – Dr Elsie Effah Kaufmann. 2021-11-28. Modern Ghana. en.
  9. Web site: School History - T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School-Kumasi Real Amass . 2023-11-14 . Real Amass . en.
  10. Web site: Elsie A. B. Effah Kaufmann (BSE MSE PhD (Pennsylvania)) Department of Biomedical Engineering . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161002024838/http://www.ug.edu.gh/biomed-eng/staff/elsie-b-effah-kaufmann-bse-mse-phd-pennsylvania . 2 October 2016 . 1 October 2016 . University of Ghana.
  11. Web site: Dr. Elsie Effah Kaufmann Who's Who in Ghana . 2024-03-18 . whoswhoghana.app . en.
  12. Web site: StackPath . 2021-11-28 . atlanticcollege.
  13. Web site: ING. PROF. ELSIE E.KAUFMANN. 2021-11-28. sahs.uhas.edu.gh.
  14. Web site: ITSS - +233(0)243818256 . Henry Kweku Amoah . Council Members Archives . 2023-11-13 . GCTU . en-US.
  15. Web site: Elsie A. B. Effah Kaufmann (BSE MSE PhD (Pennsylvania)) Department of Biomedical Engineering . 2023-11-15 . University of Ghana.
  16. Web site: Asare . Edward . 29 April 2022 . Prof Elsie Effah Kauffman named Dean of UG School of Engineering Sciences, First Woman To Hold The Position . 2 May 2022 . edwardasare..
  17. Web site: Adu . Elizabeth Nyaadu . 6 July 2023 . Graduate employability requires collaboration – Prof. Kaufmann . 28 July 2023 . Graphic Business.
  18. Web site: Elsie A. B. Effah Kaufmann (BSE MSE PhD (Pennsylvania)) Department of Biomedical Engineering . 2023-11-15 . University of Ghana.
  19. Web site: player list .
  20. Web site: Faith Ayorkor . Mensah . 2022-07-28 . NSMQ Mistress Elsie Kaufmann lauches N foundation to promote STEM . 2024-03-14 . Graphic Online.
  21. Web site: Dr. Elsie Effah Kaufmann Beige Capital Savings and Loans Ltd . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20161018185821/http://www.beigecapital.com/dr-elsie-effah-kaufmann/ . 18 October 2016 . 1 October 2016 . beigecapital..
  22. Web site: My students at Legon mistake me for their colleague – Dr Kaufmann. ghanaweb.com. 3 July 2017 . 30 October 2018.
  23. News: National Society of Black Engineers to honour Dr Elsie Kaufmann. GhScientific. Wilhelmina Antwi. Graphic Online. 30 October 2018.
  24. Web site: Dr Elsie A. B. Effah Kaufmann Receives National Society of Black Engineers 2018 Golden Torch Award University of Ghana . 30 October 2018 . University of Ghana.
  25. Web site: Elsie A. B. Effah Kaufmann (BSE MSE PhD (Pennsylvania)) Department of Biomedical Engineering . 13 April 2019 . University of Ghana.
  26. Web site: 2022-10-01 . Playback: 7th EMY Africa Awards on Joy Prime - MyJoyOnline.com . 2022-10-02 . myjoyonline . en-US.
  27. Web site: 2022-09-26 . No Ghanaian man came forward – Prof Kaufmann explains why she married a white man . 2023-07-28 . Pulse Ghana . en.
  28. Web site: 3 May 2023 . My son developed a game on Google Play Store as a student – Prof Kaufmann . 2023-07-28 . myjoyonline . en.
  29. Web site: Quist . Ebenezer Agbey . 2023-05-03 . "I had my first child when I was a PhD student" – NSMQ mistress Elsie Kaufmann . 2023-07-28 . Yen– Ghana news. . en.