Engineer Professor Elsie Effah Kaufmann has observed though “great” improvements have been made, there remained more work to be done in ensuring an increased number of girls and women ventured into hard science fields such as where she has famously excelled, engineering.

The Associate Professor and Founding Head of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Ghana (UG), Legon, spoke to Class News’ Prince Benjamin (PB), Wednesday, November 27, 2024, on the sidelines of the launch of the Education USA Advisory Centre, Pure Obsession building, Osu, Accra.

“Education is very important for everyone,” Prof Kaufmann first established.

However, she noted, “usually when I talk about education, I talk about areas where we have underrepresentation of women. For instance, in my own field of engineering”.

“We’re making great strides. If you look at areas like biological sciences, life sciences – the women are doing very well now. However, we still have certain desert areas – engineering, computational sciences, physical and mathematical sciences – we still need more women in there. We need to educate our women to be able to take up positions in those areas,” the academic and famed TV personality charged.

For her, it appeared it was not a matter of prioritising the education of females above males but recognising, “we need all of us participating to solve our problems”.

“That’s why the women must also be educated,” she emphasised.

The National Maths & Science Quiz (NSMQ) Mistress bemoaned the underrepresentation of women in engineering and other male-dominated fields was a worldwide issue, “even in the US”.

Ing Prof Elsie Effah Kaufmann’s legacy in education stands as a blazing example of what an educated and determined woman can accomplish on a personal level, and contribute, also, on a societal, national and global level, for the enrichment of all humanity.

Strengthening Ghana’s human capital, she has trained and mentored countless male and female students who are making an impact across fields and industries locally and internationally.