Accra: Professor Elsie Effah Kaufmann, a trailblazing Biomedical Engineer and academic, has called on young people, particularly girls, to embrace Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education. As the first female Dean of the School of Engineering Sciences at the University of Ghana and a prominent advocate for STEM, she emphasised that women's participation in engineering was essential for personal growth and national development.
According to Ghana News Agency, Prof Kaufmann was speaking at the launch of the 10th anniversary of EduSpots, a UK and Ghanaian-based Non-Governmental Organisation that works to connect, train, and equip community teams to ignite locally driven change through education. EduSpots intends to gather support to double the reach of its network, aiming to expand the number of Spots training centres in Ghana from 50 to 100.
As part of the celebration, Prof Kaufmann, widely known for her role as Quiz Mistress in the televised National Science and Maths Quiz, was also outdoored as Patron of EduSpots. Prof Kaufmann, while praising women in the Engineering sector in an interview with the Ghana News Agency after the event, highlighted the persistent underrepresentation of women in STEM fields as a critical challenge.
She identified barriers such as gender bias, limited mentorship opportunities, and societal stereotypes that deter women from pursuing and thriving in engineering careers. Additionally, she pointed out the 'leaky pipeline' phenomenon, where women drop out of STEM pathways due to inadequate support systems from stakeholders.
To address these challenges, Prof Kaufmann advocated deliberate interventions, including mentorship programmes, flexible work policies, and initiatives as adopted by EduSpots to inspire girls at an early age. She stressed that achieving gender diversity in engineering did not only empower women but also enhanced innovation and problem-solving by fostering diverse perspectives.
Through her mentorship, Prof Kaufmann had provided resources for hands-on learning and research for many, particularly the youth. She urged stakeholders to invest in creating inclusive environments that enabled women to excel in engineering and contribute meaningfully to societal progress.
Touching on her appointment as patron of EduSpots, Prof Kaufmann expressed admiration for the organisation's impact, stating, "I am honoured by this opportunity to work more closely with the leadership of EduSpots as well as the communities of learning that the organisation has created."
Miss Cat Davison, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of EduSpots, recommitted the organisation to empowering young people to unearth their talents and professional careers to serve as role models to others. She remarked that Professor Effah Kaufmann is an exemplary ambassador for EduSpots' work given her commitment to promoting practical, relevant, and critically reflective education.
EduSpots' Chair of Trustees, Professor Gloria Agyemang, said the involvement of Prof Kaufmann would mark an exciting phase of their organisational development. Since 2015, EduSpots has developed a dynamic network of over 400 voluntary local change makers, named Catalysts, including many teachers, to set up and lead 50 education spaces named 'Spots'. These community-led hubs impact over 30,000 learners of all ages, enabling communities to unite to create the futures they want to see through education. Catalysts lead clubs across various educational areas, with a focus on creating inclusive and co-creative learning environments that have a ripple effect across the wider school and community settings.