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Local News

London Pupils

Gained Awards for

Achievements in Science Subjects

Professor Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey, World authority on Soft X-ray Spectrocopy, the principle widely known as “The Allotey Formalism”

Pupils from seven Greater London schools were nominated finalists to receive the “BTWSC PROFESSOR ALLOTEY SCIENCE PRIZE”. The event, organised by  BTWSC, a voluntary organisation,  took place at the Council Chamber, Harrow Civic Centre on Wednesday 24th October 2007.

The judges, who sat on 12^th October 2007, were Jill Trevethan, Curriculum Adviser for Science, Ann Copus, Harrow Libraries, and Kwaku, BTWSC.

The pupils were Emmanuel Obeng, Hatch End School; Rosebud Ruskie, Bentley Wood School; Elisabeth Fapuro, Rooks Heath School; Rebecca Gayle, Harrow High School; Nkenna Ibeana, Park High School; Kareem Alexander-Allen, Canons High School and Louse Tyson, Whitmore High School. 

Prize winners were Louise Tyson (best girl) and Kareem Alexander-Allen (best boy). In addition, both winners received a laptop computers sponsored by BTWSC. Nkenna Ibeakanma, the runner-up, received a DVD player.  All the finalists received a certificate, a book on Professor Allotey written by his wife Mrs Asie Allotey, a retired chief state attorney, and books on black scientists and inventors sponsored by BIS Publications.

Two of the finalists received merits - Rebecca Gayle for presenting the best arguments regarding measures to combat global warming, and Rosebud Ruskie for her good knowledge of Professor Allotey and for giving a very confident presentation.

Nominations for the Prize were based on the Year 9 SAT exam results and teacher assessments  and were open to Harrow secondary school students of African descent. The nominees were required to deliver a 3 minute presentation on global warming. 

The SAT initials are derived from its original name, the Scholastic Aptitude Test, which was developed in 1901 for the USA College Board by Educational Testing Service.  Since its introduction, it has evolved significantly.  The SAT (pronounced  "S-A-T" not "sat") is designed to help measure a student's ability to handle       college-level work, and administered six times a year in the UK.

The students’ presentations on global warming were of such a high standard that it was decided to offer the top girl and the top boy   a laptop computer each, instead of one laptop to the overall winner as originally planned.

The purpose of the award is to motivate students of African descent to take up the sciences. BTWSC is of the view that young people of African descent have greater barriers to overcome when it comes to the sciences. The Science Prize is a practical step towards promoting the achievement of African and African Caribbean students.

 

Ghanaian-born barrister,  Ms Serwah, BTWSC Co-ordinator,  commented:  “The recent,  17 October 2007, irresponsible comments by Professor James Watson, Nobel Prize winner, who discovered the structure of DNA, and who said that Africans were less intelligent than Westerners, are just one example of the negativity Africans need to rise above .”

Ms Serwah continued - “BTWSC hopes to hold the event annually. Although we sponsored the two laptops on this occasion, BTWSC is hoping to get sponsorship for laptops in the future, as  we are a ‘not for profit’ organisation without core funding.”

The prize-giving event was well attended by the finalists, their parents, well-wishers and teachers, plus elected representatives and a wide range of London’s communities.  Dr. Lez Henry, Emma Pierre, Kwaku and Ms  Serwah were speakers at the Abolition Truths and ‘edutainment’ programme, associated with the event.

The Prize was named after Ghanaian born Professor Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey, an internationally renowned Physicist, Mathematician and Computer Scientist , who obtained his MA and PhD degrees from Princeton University , USA in 1964 and 1966 respectively. He has been a phenomenal inspirer and influence in the study of Physics and Mathematics and Computer Science in Colleges and Universities throughout the world and he has become a living legend.

Professor Allotey, a prodigy born in August 1932 to a humble parentage at Saltpond in the Central Region of Ghana, received his early education at the Ghana National College among the 1952 pioneer group. He pursued further studies at the University Tutorial College, London Borough Polytechnic and London Imperial College of Science and Technology where he obtained the then coveted Diploma of Imperial College (London)in 1960.

 

Professor Allotey  became a world authority and an instant fame with his work on Soft X-ray Spectroscopy which established the principle widely known as the “Allotey Formalism” for which he received the Prince Philip Gold Medal Award in 1973. He is the former Pro-vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology where he began his distinguished academic career in 1960 and became Head of the Department of Computer Science in 1972. In 1973, he became the first Ghanaian full Professor in Mathematics.

Professor Allotey's distinguished career span a number of decades during which he has undertaken a number of international academic and research positions.

For further information on the annual project, contact

The Co-ordinator

BTWSC

P O Box 14092

London NW10 1WL

England

+44 (0)20 8450 5987

info@btwsc.com

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