Report by Ben LARYEA
Accra Technical University (ATU) under the auspices of the Faculty of Applied Sciences has organized its maiden edition of the poster and exhibition conference in Accra.
The two (2) day conference is on the theme, “Innovation Technologies in Applied Sciences, and runs from Tuesday 31st May to Wednesday 1st June 2022 on campus.
The exhibition showcases cutting-edge technological gadgets such as close circuit devices, state-of-the-art drones, ICT, and agricultural devices on maize, gas blowing, and 3D printing.
Addressing participants and students at the conference, the Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Amevi Akakpovi who represented the Vice-Chancellor of ATU Prof. Samuel Nii Odai said the world is technologically driven and moving at a faster rate hence universities in the country must invest more into science and research to catch up with the emerging trends in the areas of technological advancement through creativity and innovation.
He said apps are been developed to digitally enhance communications and mentioned Whatsapp, Google, and its related apps that have completely changed the medium of communication, adding that it comes along with its challenges yet other innovations are also developed to match and address challenges in the digital space.
The Pro-Vice-Chancellor urged the management of ATU to construct research labs on campus as part of the drive to scale up creativity and innovations in the areas of technology and sciences and explained that the laboratories be adequately resourced to correspond with the changing trends in the fields of science and technology.
He, therefore, called for a collaboration between ATU and industry players to build up the capacities of management and students to bridge the gaps in the science, research, and technology saying such partnership will unearth skills to power the economy through innovative technologies in the World of Works (WoWs).
For her part, the Dean, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Prof Alice Constance Mensah challenged the youth to be technologically creative, and develop apps and gadgets on their own adding that the gesture ties into the theme of the program.
She said students must continue to explore and come up with renewed skills and develop their own technological devices and was quick to remind the management of the university to release funds to scale up research to help support students.
Director for Business Development Services at AGI and Founder QA Consult, Mr. Johnson Opoku-Boateng urged corporate institutions to support universities to carry out technology research and pointed out that it will help establish business incubators, enhance research labs among others, and will for part of the effort to build the capacities of students through training in the applied sciences and further urged the university communities to adequately invest more into science and technology to enable the country to be at a competitive edge with the developed world.
