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08.10.2015 General News

Ghanaian Scientist Wins Top Award

By Daily Guide
Ghanaian Scientist Wins Top Award
08.10.2015 LISTEN

Dr Ayuba Fasasi
A Ghanaian scientist Dr. Ayuba Fasasi in the US has won the 2015 Kowalski Prize for the 'Best Application Paper.'

The paper is entitled, 'Search pre-filters for mid-infrared absorbance spectra of clear coat automotive paint smears using stacked and linear classifiers.'

The selection committee selects from a pool of publications in chemometrics across the world.

In the award letter, the Managing Editor of the journal of Chemometrics, Professor Paul Trevorrow wrote … 'The selection committee commented that the application covered in the paper, i.e., classifying clear-coat automotive paint smears by mid-infrared spectroscopy was a difficult, useful and interesting problem.

The paper provides an effective method for differentiating paint samples by assembly plant and subsequent classification of individual samples with a high level of accuracy.

The paper provided a useful assessment of various search pre-filter methods for solving difficult classification problems.

The selection committee also noted that the paper was clearly written, and illustrates the great potential of chemometrics in interdisciplinary applications.”

The Kowalski Prize is given each year, and alternates between 'best theoretical paper' and 'best applied paper.'

For 2015, it was awarded to Barry K. Lavine, Ayuba Fasasia, Nikhil Mirjankara, Mark Sandercock and Steven D. Brown.

Ayuba Fasasi was raised in Tumu in the Upper West Region where he had his primary and Junior Secondary School (JHS) education.

After pursuing his 'O' and 'A' Levels in Nandom and Navrongo Secondary Schools respectively, he proceeded to University of Cape Coast where he obtained a BS in chemistry.

Prior to his PhD programme, Fasasi worked at the Environmental Chemistry Division of the Water Research Institute (WRI) of Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Ghana under the National Service Scheme.

He also did a summer internship programme with Ghana Water Company Limited whilst pursuing his undergraduate programme in UCC.

He then proceeded to pursue a PhD at the University of Idaho (UI) in USA (2005-2010) with a major in Analytical Chemistry.

His research focus emphasized applications of Vibrational Spectroscopy.

He worked under the auspices of Professor Peter R. Griffiths, an internationally renowned expert with an outstanding track record in this field.

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