EMMANUEL ADOM

Emmanuel Adom is a Ghanaian researcher, educator, and mentor, born in Sandema in the Upper East Region and based in Tamale, Northern Region. His interests bring together research capacity development, medicinal plant science, indigenous knowledge, and community development. He is committed to helping young people develop the skills and confidence to investigate problems and contribute useful knowledge to their communities. He founded EA Research Group in 2019 to support young scholars through research mentorship, practical learning and preparation for further education. The organisation reflects his commitment to making research opportunities more accessible, particularly to students and recent graduates in Northern Ghana. At the heart of this vision is a belief that academic potential grows through sustained guidance, opportunities to practise and connections with people who can support the next stage of a learner’s journey. Through EA Research Group, Emmanuel seeks to strengthen these connections and help emerging researchers turn their interests into purposeful work. Expanding opportunities for women and young people with limited access to academic support is an important part of this commitment. His wider interests include preserving indigenous medicinal knowledge, conserving biodiversity and encouraging research that responds to local priorities. He envisions an organisation through which young scholars can develop professionally while producing knowledge that supports healthier communities and sustainable development.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in Herbal Medicine and a Master of Philosophy in Pharmacognosy from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Biotechnology at the University for Development Studies.He is a recipient of the CODESRIA African Fellowships for Research in Indigenous and Alternative Knowledges (AFRIAK), supported by the Mastercard Foundation. Through this fellowship, he undertook a research residency at the African Institute in Indigenous Knowledge Systems, hosted at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. His training covered indigenous research methods, research ethics, community engagement and the documentation and digital preservation of traditional knowledge. His international scientific training also includes an Imaging Africa Fellowship and advanced microscopy training at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. This provided practical experience in scientific imaging, sample preparation and image analysis. As a second-place award recipient in ROSATOM’s “Atoms Empowering Africa” competition, he participated in an educational visit to St. Petersburg, Russia, including the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant. Beyond his scientific training, Emmanuel has earned 11 YALI Network online course certificates covering responsible leadership, public-private partnerships, social enterprise, youth mentorship, grant writing, fundraising and organisational management. He also completed a graduate internship in international development with Dataville Research LLC and training in Digital Governance for Inclusive and Sustainable African Cities through UN-Habitat and the University of Nairobi, delivered on the African Cities Lab platform. His continuing professional development includes training on artificial intelligence and ChatGPT in higher education. He earned a certificate from the World Intellectual Property Organization on Intellectual Property. His academic development has received further support through a PSDPEP doctoral scholarship administered through the University of Ghana’s Biotechnology Centre and an Erasmus+ KA171 mobility scholarship awarded through the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain. 

Emmanuel is a Lecturer and Head of the Department of Pharmacognosy and Herbal Medicine at the School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University for Development Studies. He leads teaching, research supervision, curriculum development, and departmental administration. His leadership also includes chairing the School’s Journal Club and coordinating community-based field learning.As Founder and Executive Director of EA Research Group, he advances research mentorship, postgraduate preparation and community engagement. Since the organisation’s inception in 2019, he has mentored more than 1,000 students. His recent mentoring and resource mobilisation have helped secure 11 postgraduate scholarships, alongside opportunities for practical research and professional development. His research and conservation work has attracted a US$9,000 AFRIAK–CODESRIA fellowship award and equipment support from IDEA WILD. He also led fundraising of more than US$12,000 for a rotary evaporator, strengthening laboratory research capacity for over 200 postgraduate researchers at UDS. Emmanuel is also the founder of Savannah Circular Farms and Research in Tamale, where he is developing an integrated approach to agriculture, resource recovery and applied research. The venture hosts EcoLoop BSF, an initiative that uses black soldier fly larvae to convert organic waste into protein-rich animal-feed ingredients and frass for organic fertiliser. Early products include dried larvae and packaged frass. The wider model connects crop production, animal farming and waste reuse, providing a platform for practical innovation, research and youth participation in sustainable agribusiness.