By Kwabia Owusu-Mensah
Kumasi Nov. 23, GNA – The governing board of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) College of Science and Technology (CCST) has reappointed Professor Mark Appiah, as President of the College for another five-year term.
The reappointment followed his remarkable accomplishments during his first tenure as the President of the College.
The board has also upon the recommendation of the University of Cape Coast, approve the promotion of Prof. Appiah from an Associate Professor to the rank of full Professor.
A statement issued by the board said under Prof. Appiah’s stewardship, CCST had achieved notable milestones, including hosting four graduation ceremonies, and expanding its academic programmess from eight to 19.
Prof. Appiah serves as a Corporate Director at the CSIR, Ghana, and had held significant leadership roles, such as Deputy Director of the CSIR-Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (CSIR-FORIG) (July 2017–July 2019) and Vice Chair of the Institute’s Governing Board.
During his tenure as Deputy Director, Prof Appiah played a pivotal role in driving the Institute’s research initiatives and spearheaded the creation of a Master’s programme in Bioeconomy and Natural Resources Management at CSIR.
This programme, implemented between 2012 and 2018, was affiliated with the University of Eastern Finland (UEF).
Additionally, Prof Appiah had led and contributed to numerous national and international forestry and education collaborative projects funded by prominent organisations such as the Academy of Finland, International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO), the World Bank, and the Finnish Foreign Ministry.
His work had significantly advanced forestry education, forest and agroforestry management, and biodiversity conservation in Ghana.
Prof. Appiah is a prolific scholar, having authored or co-authored over 60 publications on topics within his areas of expertise.
He serves as a reviewer for 10 high-impact academic journals
Beyond his contributions in Ghana, Prof Appiah holds an Adjunct Professorship in Tropical Forestry at the University of Eastern Finland.
He is a member of several prestigious professional organizations, including the Society for Ecological Restoration (since 2016), the Finnish University Partnership for International Development (UniPID, since 2006), the African Forest Forum (since 2008), and the Global Partnership on Forest Landscape Restoration (since 2010).
He has also served on several boards, including the Board of Directors of the FinCEAL Regional Advisory Group, a project funded by the Finnish Ministry of Education and Culture to promote science, technology, and innovation partnerships between Europe, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean.
Prof Appiah’s academic journey began at the University College of Education, Mampong Campus, where he earned a Diploma in Agricultural Education (1992–1995).
He later pursued a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Land Use in Developing Countries at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark (formerly The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, 1997–1999) and completed his Ph.D. in Tropical Silviculture at the University of Helsinki, Finland (1999–2003).
Prof. Mark Appiah’s distinguished career continues to inspire and advance forestry, education, and sustainable development.
GNA