Prof. (Mrs.) Sarah Darkwa

Prof. Sarah Darkwa is a Professor of Food Science at the University of Cape Coast where she has taught courses in Food Science, Nutrition and Environmental Science (Waste Management) since 2000. She has been a professional teacher for the past 24 years. She taught Biology and Agricultural Science full time at her Alma mater, Wesley Girls High School, after completing her first degree at the University of Cape Coast. She later read Food Science and Nutrition at the University of Ghana, Legon and subsequently worked as a Food Microbiologist at Fruits and Flavour Company – Asebu (an affiliate company of Schweppes International and D & C Company limited). She has taught and successfully supervised several undergraduate projects and graduate theses. Her research interest is in Food Science, Nutrition and Health, and Environmental Systems and Risk Management. She has authored a number of publications in local, national and international journals based on her arears of interest and specialization. She has been a Chief Examiner for Food and Nutrition in the Colleges of Education since 2010 and an External Examiner at the University of Education, Winneba from 2010 to 2012.

Prof. Sarah Darkwa (Nee Opai – Tetteh) is currently the Dean of the School of Graduate Studies, University of Cape Coast. Prior to this position, she served concurrently as the Vice Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology Education (FSTE) and the Head of Department, Vocational and Technical Education (2019 – 2020). In March 2018, she was appointed as the Chairperson for the three-member Interim Management Committee, that led and managed the administrative activities of the Cape Coast Technical University. She was the Vice Dean of the FSTE (2015 – 2017) and the Head, Department of VOTEC (2010 – 2013).

She has served and continue to serve on a number of University – wide Committees and Boards in and outside the University of Cape Coast. A few to mention are the University of Cape Coast Institutional Review Board (2020 – date; International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) Steering Committee, UCC, (2018 – date); College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences (2017 – date), the University of Cape Coast Medical School Board (2010 – 2013), Academic Board (2010 – 2013; 2017 – date), Academic Planning and Management Board (2015 -2017; 2019 -2020), School of Graduate Studies Board (2015 – 2017; 2019 – date) OAK City International College Board (2018 – 2019, Chairperson, Centre for Teacher Professional Development Practice Committee (2017 -2019) and the University Estate Committee (2017 – date). 

Prof. Sarah Darkwa, (Nee Opai – Tetteh) was Australian Leadership Award Fellow to the University of Sydney, Australia in 2012. She was a Junior Fulbright Scholar to the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY ESF) – Syracuse, New York, USA; a Delta Kappa Gamma World Fellow (Women Educators) (2004 – 2006); SUNNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Alumni Scholar of Honourable Mention ,( 2007); SUNNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Award of Excellence, (2009); SUNNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry Green Ink Award, (2007 – 2008). Prof. Sarah Darkwa has enjoyed grants from Great Lakes Research Consortium, (2006 – 2007); MELDI – Michigan, (2007); Ghana Environmental Protection Agency, (2008) and DANIDA grants for research in African fermented foods, (19997 – 1999) for various research projects.

She has travelled wide and attended several local, national and international conferences where she had the opportunity to present papers on her research in Food Science, Nutrition and Environmental Science. She is a member of the Ghana Science Association, (2009 – date); National Scholars Honours Society of America, (2006 – date); Society for Conservation Biology, (2007 – 2014) and the American Chemical Society, (2005 – 2010).

Her desire to grow food, process and manage very well the waste led her to read Environmental Science for her PhD. She obtained her PhD degree in Environmental Systems and Risk Management in 2009 from the State University of New York – College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse, New York, USA. She holds a Master of Philosophy degree in Food Science from the Nutrition and Food Science Department, University of Ghana, Legon, 1999. She obtained her Bachelor of Science (Hons) Agricultural Science degree and Diploma in Education from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana in 1993.