Kwadwo Osseo-Asare joins CMU-Africa

Carnegie Mellon University Africa has appointed Kwadwo Osseo-Asare as distinguished service professor of pan-African scientific transformation and African diaspora faculty development, effective July 1.

Osseo-Asare is a U.S. National Academy of Engineering member, globally recognized for his contributions to the fundamental understanding of interfacial phenomena in dissolution and solvent extraction processes. In 2016, he was elected a foreign member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences for his pioneering work in aqueous materials processing, particularly in the development of aqueous phase diagrams and the study of interfacial phenomena applied to metal extraction, chemical-mechanical polishing, and microemulsion-mediated nanoparticle synthesis.

Osseo-Asare joins CMU-Africa's faculty team under the Center for Inclusive Digital Transformation in Africa. The center is dedicated to developing and nurturing technology talent, catalyzing job creation and entrepreneurship, and strengthening Africa's engineering education and research capacity to achieve inclusive digital excellence.

"We are honored to welcome Kwadwo Osseo-Asare to CMU-Africa. His distinguished career and deep commitment to advancing scientific knowledge across the continent and the diaspora align with our mission. His contributions will enrich our academic community and inspire the next generation of African scientists and beyond," said Conrad Tucker, director of CMU-Africa.

Osseo-Asare's extensive research focuses on aqueous processing, particularly in hydrometallurgy, separation science, and materials synthesis and processing. His work emphasizes thermodynamic modeling, electrochemistry, colloids, interfaces, and nanoscience. He is a joint author with Allotey Odunton of the United Nations, "Analysis of Processing Technology for Manganese Nodules," Seabed Minerals Series, Vol. 3, Graham & Trotman, London, 1986. He is currently authoring two textbooks on aqueous materials processing and promotes science for development through his blog, Aqueousolutions.

His honors include the Materials Research Society Impact Award (2022), the Wadsworth Award (2004), the Faculty Scholar Medal at Penn State (1999), the James Douglas Gold Medal (1997), and the Wilson Award for Excellence in Research (1995). He also served as editor-in-chief of Hydrometallurgy from 1998 to 2010.

Osseo-Asare previously held joint appointments in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering and the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering at Penn State University. He has collaborated extensively with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Imperial College London, Tohoku University, and Wits University. He also served as senior advisor for Penn State's Alliance for Education, Science, Engineering, and Design with Africa.

He has held visiting academic positions at the Nelson Mandela African Institute of Science and Technology in Arusha, Tanzania, the African University of Science and Technology in Nigeria, Ashesi University (Ghana), Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil), Federal University of Ouro Preto (Brazil), Imperial College (UK), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (Ghana), Kyushu University (Japan), MIT (USA), Tohoku University (Japan), University of Mines & Technology (Ghana), University of South Australia, University of Witwatersrand (South Africa), University of Ghana, and the University of Zimbabwe.

In addition to his academic work, Osseo-Asare has explored innovative approaches to teaching engineering through African proverbs. One example he cites is the Ndebele saying, "Isikhuni esingaziwayo asithezwa" meaning "You do not burn a log from a tree you do not know."