1932 – 2017
Professor Francis Kofi Ampenyin Allotey, a Professor of Mathematics and Nuclear Physics, is arguably the greatest scientist Ghana has had so far.
The good old Prof was born in August 1932 in Saltpond, a town in the Central Region of Ghana. He had his education moving from Ghana National College through to the University Tutorial College, London Borough Polytechnic and London Imperial College of Science and Technology. He postulated the Allotey’s Formalism from his work on soft x-ray spectroscopy. Allotey’s formalism is the technique used to determine matter moves in outer space. He received the Prince Philip Gold Prize for this discovery in 1973.
He founded and was First Director of the KNUST Computer Centre and first to introduce computer education in Ghana. He served as a four-term Dean of Faculty of Science at KNUST and was appointed Pro- Vice Chancellor in 1978. Prof Allotey rose to become the first Ghanaian full Professor of Mathematics at KNUST.
He held various positions nationally.
- Chairman, Ghana Atomic Energy Commission
- Chairman, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research
- Chairman of the Management Board, Soil Research Institute
- Chairman, Ghana Technical Committee on Nuclear Energy
- Vice-President, Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, President, Ghana Institute of Physics, National Vice-President Ghana Science Association
- President, Mathematical Association of Ghana
- Vice-Chairman of the Science and Technology Sector, National Development Commission
- Consultant, National Committee of Curriculum Development
- Founder and National Coordinator, Ghana Energy Research Group
- President, Ghana Institute of Physics and Member National Energy Commission
He was also a consultant for numerous international bodies such as the
- United Nations Organization
- United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO),
- International Atomic Energy Agency
- Intergovernmental Bureau for Information
- United Nations Industrial and Development Organization
We are proud of his phenomenal achievements and will continue to carry his torch.
May his soul rest in perfect peace.