The Foundation L’Oréal and UNESCO have named Dr Caroline Rosemyya Kwawu of the Department of Chemistry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Ms Juliet Edekor of the Department of Marine and Fisheries, University of Ghana, as two of the thirty (30) winners of the 15th L'Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Young Talents Sub-Saharan Africa Awards.

The L'Oréal-UNESCO for Women in Science Young Talents Sub-Saharan Africa Awards recognises and supports African women scientists each year for the excellence of their scientific research.

In the 15th edition of the Awards, twenty-five (25) PhD candidates and 5 post-doctoral researchers were honoured at the annual ceremony held in Cotonou, Benin.

They were rewarded for their innovative work and commitment to addressing major scientific challenges threatening the continent such as food security, public health, and the impact of climate change.

Women represent only 31.5 % of researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa. For this reason, the Foundation L'Oréal and UNESCO have joined forces over the past 15 years to put a spotlight on the scientific excellence of researchers throughout the continent and encourage more women to pursue scientific careers. Ever since its creation, the L'Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Young Talents Sub-Saharan Africa program has recognized 240 young researchers from more than 34 African countries and received over 4,000 applications.

Dr Caroline Rosemyya Kwawu holds a PhD degree in Computational Materials Chemistry and is a proud alumnus of KNUST. Her award-winning research addresses two critical issues, i.e., climate change mitigation and the utilization of renewable energy, particularly in the context of developing countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa region.

Dr. Kwawu is dedicated to identifying and designing new materials that are cost-effective, stable, and efficient for energy storage from the sun. Using interdisciplinary approaches of materials chemistry, mathematics, programming, and computational modelling, particularly a multidomain simulation approach, she focuses on biomimetics for electrolysis processes that convert carbon dioxide—the primary greenhouse gas—into long-chain hydrocarbons (liquid fuels).

These fuels have applications in transportation and electrification, offering a dual solution to energy scarcity and climate change mitigation. Her work emphasizes the use of earth-abundant metals like iron, aiming to make energy solutions more affordable and accessible. By integrating advanced computational tools and techniques, Dr. Kwawu’s research highlights Africa's potential to lead in the transition to solar energy and sustainable solar fuels, addressing both environmental and socio-economic challenges.

Ms. Edekor holds a Master’s degree in Fisheries Science from the University of Cape Coast, where she currently serves as a Teaching Associate. A molecular biologist specializing in fish genetics, her ongoing PhD research focuses on characterizing fish species from Ghana's marine and freshwater ecosystems using DNA barcoding and metabarcoding techniques. Her research aims to provide valuable insights for fishermen and aquaculture practitioners, helping them identify and understand the diversity of fish species they catch or culture.

Through her work, fish species nearing extinction in Ghanaian waters can be identified, as well as non-native species that have found their way into these ecosystems. This critical information will aid the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development (MOFAD) and the Fisheries Commission in developing conservation strategies to protect aquatic biodiversity and promote the sustainable use of Ghana's fisheries resources.

We celebrate their achievements and wish them continued success as they make Ghana proud on the global stage.