University of Cape Coast (UCC)

University of Cape Coast

University of Cape Coast (UCC) is one of the few sea front universities in the world with a direct coastal access. The University was established due to a critical shortage of qualified workforce in the field of education and other development oriented areas including fisheries, marine productivity and coastal sciences. In efforts to support training, research and extension services in marine and coastal management, the university established the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences and a Centre for Coastal Management (CCM), both of which have evolved to become innovative partners in fisheries, marine and coastal resource science, providing training for applied management and policy impacts.

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People from UCC

People from UCC involved in the HOTSPOT project: 

Denis Worlanyo Aheto is the Ghana coordinator of the HOTSPOT project. He is an Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Coastal Management (CCM) at the University of Cape Coast. He holds a PhD Degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of Bremen (Germany) and Masters’ Degrees in Rural Development Studies and Tropical Aquatic Ecology both obtained from the Swedish Agricultural University (Sweden) and University of Bremen (Germany) respectively. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences and a Diploma in Education from the University of Cape Coast. His research interest covers ecology and management of coastal water bodies (estuaries and lagoons) and mangrove wetlands. Anthropogenic impacts on the hydrology, nutrient cycling and water quality, and environmental relationships, small-scale fisheries management, coastal management, fisheries policy, environmental impact assessments, and associated impacts of climate change on wetland ecology, and possible restoration measures. 

Noble Kwame Asare is a Senior Lecturer and the Head of the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at the University of Cape Coast and a board member of the National Committee on Aquaculture, Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture Development, Ghana. He holds a PhD Degree in Marine Biogeochemistry from the University of Plymouth, England, and a Masters degree in Aquatic Ecology from the University of Bremen, Germany. His research interest includes hydrographical studies of coastal ecosystems, ecological and socio-economic impacts studies of pollution in the marine environment, aquatic microbial ecology, and ecological studies of fish fauna in coastal waters.

Emmanuel Acheampong holds a PhD in natural science from the University of Hamburg, Germany and a Masters’ degree in Aquatic Ecology and Biology from the University of Bremen, Germany. His Post-Doctoral research was part of two international (European Union-funded) programmes (MEECE – Marine Ecosystem Evolution in a Changing Environment, and EUROBASIN – EUropean Basin-scale Analysis, Synthesis and INtegration) to resolve the impact of climatic processes on marine ecosystems and their services.  He worked as a senior research fellow for five years at the Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, KlimaCampus, Hamburg, Germany where he conducted research focusing on the development of predictive models for the evolution of aquatic systems under climate change. His expertise is also in physical/biological interactions, fisheries ecology, assessment and management, and in linking natural and socio-economic sciences in the study of climate change impacts on aquatic ecosystems.  Currently, he is a Lecturer at the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Ghana. He teaches both graduate and undergraduate courses including oceanography, management of man-made lakes and coastal zone management. He also conducts research and extension in these fields.

Samuel Agblorti is a Senior Lecturer with the Department of Population and Health, and the Centre for Mixed Migration and Diaspora Studies, with affiliation to the Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience, all at the University of Cape Coast. He has been researching on migration and livelihoods for nearly two decades, mainly employing qualitative approaches in his work. Samuel’s recent research focuses on refugees in Ghana and Ethiopia. He is the resident researcher on WP3 and monitors the field research, especially the tracking of livelihood activities of selected research participants in the field sites.

Sika Abrokwah has a Master of Philosophy in Environmental Science from the University of Ghana and has over nine years relevant experience in environmental resource management covering environmental impact assessment, environmental monitoring, environmental audit and compliance assessment, industrial waste management and providing general environmental advisory services. Her research interest include water resources management, industrial and plastic waste management.

Vera Kudjoe has a 5 year experience in office administration. She graduated from the University of Cape Coast in the year 2010 with a B.A Arts degree in English and Sociology. Currently, she is the administrator for the Centre for Coastal Management under the Directorship of Prof. Denis W. Aheto. She has acted as the administrative support for all CCM related projects and consultancies.