20 Untold Stories Of Professor Francis Allotey
Professor Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey was born on August 9, 1932, in Saltpond, Ghana, and passed away on November 2, 2017. In today’s article, we will take a look at some 20 Untold stories about this great professor.
Professor Francis Allotey was a highly esteemed Ghanaian mathematician and physicist. Allotey’s most notable contributions were in the field of mathematical physics, particularly in the area of soft X-ray spectroscopy. His work laid the foundation for advancements in this field, which has applications in various areas of science and technology, including medicine and materials science.
Allotey received numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including the Order of the Star of Ghana, the highest national award in Ghana, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to science and education. He was also elected as a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, and a Fellow of The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS).
In addition to his scientific achievements, Allotey was passionate about science education and research capacity building in Africa. He played a key role in promoting STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education and fostering collaboration among scientists across the continent.
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Allotey’s legacy continues to inspire future generations of scientists and researchers in Ghana, Africa, and beyond. He is remembered not only for his groundbreaking contributions to science but also for his dedication to advancing education and research in Africa.
Here are some untold stories about him
20 Untold Story Of Professor Francis Allotey
1. He was the first Ghanaian to obtain full Professor of Mathematics, Head of the Department of Mathematics, and later Dean of the Faculty of Science at KNUST.
2. He was known for the “Allotey Formalism” which arose from his work on soft X-ray spectroscopy.
3. He was the 1973 recipient of the UK Prince Philip Golden Award for his work in this area.
4. He was a founding fellow of the African Academy of Sciences.
5. In 1974, he became the first Ghanaian full professor of mathematics, head of the Department of Mathematics, and later Dean of the Faculty of Science at KNUST.
6. He was the founding director of the KNUST Computer Centre before he assumed his position as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of KNUST.
7. Allotey was the President of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of several international scientific organizations including the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics Scientific Council since 1996.
8. He was also the President of the Ghana Institute of Physics and the founding President of the African Physical Society.
9. He was instrumental in getting Ghana to join the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics, making her one of the few African countries to join the Union.
10. He collaborated with the IUPAP and ICTP to encourage physics education in developing countries through workshops and conferences in order to create awareness on the continent.
11. He was the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Accra Institute of Technology, and the President of the African Institute for Mathematical Sciences, Ghana.
12. He was an honorary fellow of the Institute of Physics.
13. He was an honorary Fellow of the Nigerian Mathematical Society among others.
14. He consulted for many international institutions such as the UNESCO, IAEA and UNIDO.
15. He was also the Vice president, 7th General Assembly of Intergovernmental Bureau of Informatics (IBI).
16. He was also instrumental in the advancement of computer education in Africa and worked closely with organisations such as the IBM International and the International Federation for Information Processing.
17. In 2004, he was the only African among the 100 most eminent physicists and mathematicians in the world to be cited in a book titled, “One hundred reasons to be a scientist.”
18. The Professor Francis Allotey Graduate School was established in 2009 at the Accra Institute of Technology. The institute provides master’s degrees in Business Administration and Software Engineering and doctoral programmes in Information Technology and Philosophy.
19. The Government of Ghana awarded him the Millennium Excellence Award in 2005, and dedicated a postage stamp in his honour.
20. In 2009 he received the Order of the Volta and was posthumously awarded the Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah African Genius Award in 2017.