RWESK

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Pioneering Innovations in Water Management, Environmental Protection, and Sustainable Development (RWESCK, KNUST)

The Regional Water and Environmental Sanitation Centre, Kumasi (RWESCK) based at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST, Ghana) is making waves in water management, environmental protection, and sustainable development.  With cutting -edge research and impactful technologies, RWESCK is positioning itself as a leader in solving some of Ghana’s most pressing environmental challenges

Through innovative projects like non- intrusive water leakage detection and UAV surveillance of illegal mining, the center is delivering practical solutions that promise to transform industries, safeguard ecosystems, and drive sustainable growth.

RWESCK’s standout initiatives

  • Revolutionizing Water Management: Passive Acoustic Sensing for Water Leakage Detection

    RWESCK in collaboration with the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA), is developing a passive acoustic sensing system to detect water leaks without the need for direct contact with pipelines. This Innovation is led by Dr. Kwame Sarkodie from the Department of Petroleum Engineering, is a game changer in water management. The system, which uses machine learning, and advanced signal processing, aims to improve the efficiency and accuracy of water leakage detection, while minimizing disruptions to infrastructure.  By revolutionizing how leaks are identified, the project will not only help conserve Ghana’s water resources but also support the country’s water distribution networks, ensuring they are more reliable and sustainable.

RWESCK-Experimental flow loop
RWESCK-Experimental flow loop

  • Robotics and AI: The Future Water Leakage Detection

Building on its expertise in water management, RWESCK is also leading a project that integrates robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) for leak detection, another collaboration with CWSA. A team led by Dr. Sarkodie, Dr. Faisal Adams from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Dr. Kwame Oteng Gyasi from Telecommunications Engineering is developing robotic systems that can navigate pipelines and collect real-time acoustic data.

RWESCK- Acoustic senor heads and data acquisition module
RWESCK- Acoustic senor heads and data acquisition module

This cutting-edge technology allows for efficient, non-intrusive detection of leaks, offering timely interventions. The use of robotics and AI marks a significant leap forward in managing water infrastructure, ensuring the longevity and integrity of the systems that serve millions of Ghanaians.

 

  • Protecting the Environment: UAV Technology for Monitoring Illegal Mining

Illegal mining, or “galamsey” (as called in Ghana), continues to devastate Ghana’s environment. RWESCK’s response to this pressing challenge is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) project led by Dr. Faisal Wahib Adam. The UAV, equipped with high-resolution cameras and advanced controls, offers real-time surveillance of illegal mining activities.

This project not only supports law enforcement but also reinforces RWESCK’s commitment to environmental conservation. By using cutting-edge technology to combat illegal mining, the center is helping preserve Ghana’s natural resources and promoting sustainable practices that will benefit future generations.

 

  • Sustainability at Its Best: Rotary Dryer for Food Waste Processing

Tackling food waste and sustainability, RWESCK alumnus Joseph Kwarko-Kyei has developed a rotary dryer that processes food waste into powder for animal feed. This innovative solution addresses the growing issue of food waste management while offering new opportunities for sustainable agriculture.

RWESCK-Rotary Dryer
RWESCK-Rotary Dryer

The rotary dryer’s versatility extends to producing organic fertilizers, reducing Ghana’s reliance on chemical imports. This project exemplifies how RWESCK’s research is not only solving immediate waste problems but also contributing to the country’s broader goals of food security and sustainable farming.

RWESCK’s projects underscore the power of collaboration between academia, industry, and government bodies like CWSA. The center’s focus on practical solutions, supported by cutting-edge research and technology, ensures that it remains at the forefront of addressing critical water management and environmental challenges in Ghana.

With a focus on sustainable development, RWESCK is set to transform industries, protect natural resources, and inspire a future where technology and environmental stewardship go hand in hand. By pushing the boundaries of innovation, RWESCK is not just solving today’s problems, but it is laying the foundation for a better, more sustainable tomorrow.

The Move Towards Digitalisation of the Water and Sanitation Sector

In the face of rising populations, changing demographics, natural disasters among others, the adoption of digital solutions, is a highly needful measure in catalysing innovations and supporting smarter water management. Digitally transforming Africa’s water and sanitation sectors is again critical in addressing the myriad of challenges confronting these sectors. 

According to a 2022 special report by the UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene, achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) targets on water, sanitation and hygiene in Africa will require a dramatic acceleration in the current rates of progress. A statement released on this report projects that Africa requires a 12-fold increase in current rates of progress on safely managed drinking water and a 20-fold increase for safely managed sanitation to achieve its SDG targets.    

Higher education is indeed well placed to champion the digital transformation of the water and sanitation industry through the conduction of research, development of new knowledge, training of highly skilled manpower, leveraging start-of-the-art laboratories to develop new technologies and creating important platforms to educate and facilitate dialogue among stakeholders in the sector, as well as the public, just to mention a few.  

In a move to address the underlying challenges confronting the ICT and water/ sanitation sectors, the Regional Water and Environmental Sanitation Centre, Kumasi (RWESCK), hosted by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), together with its partners are working to address the skill gaps identified in the application of digital innovations and smart circular economy in water and sanitation utilities management.   

Speaking at a national workshop on Digital Transformation Skills Development in the water and sanitation sector in Ghana, Prof. Sampson Oduro-Kwarteng, the Centre Director for RWESCK called on tertiary institutions across the continent to review their curriculum to include digital education in order to produce industry-ready graduates equipped with the requisite skills to transform the sector.  The centre is leading the way, by training over 300 PhDs and more than 200 master’s students from across the region on digital skills.  

Under the Nyansapo project, which is funded by the French Embassy in Ghana and implemented by RWESCK, the centre is focusing on introducing digital transformation skills into water and sanitation education to enhance the employability of young Ghanaian graduates with digitalisation innovation skills during their masters training, research and internship periods.

Again, RWESK has undertaken various projects aimed at employing innovative solutions to addressing water and sanitation issues. These include the 13 million Euros SWITCH project funded by the European Commission initiated to adopt modern technologies in realizing sustainable urban water management. That notwithstanding, the ACE Impact project has been instrumental in contributing to the centre’s overarching goal of delivering quality education and applied research at world-class standards. 

Call for Applications – RWESK Centre Fellows

Background

The Regional Water and Environmental Sanitation Centre Kumasi (RWESCK) is a Regional Centre of Excellence at the Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. The Centre specializes in the delivery of high-quality post-graduate programmes at the PhD and MSc level as well as professional development courses in Water and Sanitation. As part of its mandate, the Centre engages in high quality research in water and environmental sanitation relevant to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Africa Union Agenda 2063. RWESCK has strong local academic and industrial partners as well as solid international relations with top Universities across the globe.

RWESCK intends to harness the expertise of local and international faculty members and entrepreneurs to collaborate with the Centre to deliver high quality academic, research and entrepreneurial activities for mutual benefits.

The Centre therefore has the pleasure to invite eligible applicants, both local and international as Fellows of the Centre.

Eligibility

Eligible candidates should have the following minimum qualification;

  1. A PhD in a discipline related to the research themes of the Centre;
  • Theme 1: Innovative Water Treatment Technology
  • Theme 2: Innovative Water Distribution and Smart Technology
  • Theme 3: Environmental Sanitation and Waste Management Technology
  • Theme 4: Climate Resilience and Water Resources Management
  • Theme 5: Water and Sanitation Governance
  1. Relevant professional experience related to the above themes
  2. Must have supervised both undergraduate and graduate students
  3. Must have publications in high impact journals
  4. Must demonstrate evidence of grantsmanship
  5. Must demonstrate strong linkages with local and/or international partners
  6. Applicants with a minimum of Masters degree but have a minimum of 10 years post qualification experience in entrepreneurship or business development will be considered. Such applicants must show evidence of business incubation, innovations and technology development in areas related to the above themes.

Core duties

Eligible candidates would be required to collaborate with the Centre in one or more of the following areas;

  • Joint supervision of postgraduate students
  • Joint publications
  • Delivery of PhD and MSc course
  • Design and delivery of short courses
  • Delivery of technical workshops and webinars
  • Grant writing
  • Intellectual Property/Patent
  • Mentoring of Early Career Faculty
  • Mentoring of PhD and MSc students
  • Community engagement

Interested applicants should submit their application via the link (Here!) by Monday, November 30, 2020.

Contact: smkandawire@aau.org | Association of African Universities | P. O. Box AN 5744,
Accra-North, Ghana | Tel +233-547-728975 All Rights Reserved © 2022