Dow AgroSciences Hosts International Research Fellow

INDIANAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Through an international professional development program, Dow AgroSciences’ Research and Development (R&D) function has been hosting Dr. Stella Asuming-Brempong from Ghana at its global headquarters in Indianapolis. Dr. Asuming-Brempong has been hosted by Daniel R. Kittle, Ph.D., global leader, R&D, Dow AgroSciences, under a nine-month fellowship program. The program is through the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), established by the Gender and Diversity Program of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) in partnership with CropLife International.

“Hosting Dr. Asuming-Brempong through the CGIAR program has been a natural fit,” said Kittle. “Dow AgroSciences is focused on science and delivering breakthrough solutions that serve the needs of the world’s growing population, and we also take great pride in serving our communities. Through this program we have added to the greater body of scientific knowledge and contributed to Dr. Asuming-Brempong’s ability to impact the needs of her community and sub-Saharan Africa.”

Dr. Asuming-Brempong is currently working on sustainably building up soil nitrogen and phosphorus in an upland rice-based cropping system through the use of leguminous crop and phosphate solubilising microorganisms (PSMs). While at Dow AgroSciences, she has been focusing on development activities that support her research program and has been working in four R&D work groups – DNA analysis, DNA sequencing, Micro Arrays and Bioinformatics– to gain knowledge of technologies that can impact her area of study.

Dow AgroSciences is providing Dr. Asuming-Brempong opportunities to learn research methods, gain exposure to leading research technologies, develop leadership skills, and expand professional networks that can impact agriculture science and the global community. Upon her return to Ghana, Dr. Asuming-Brempong will serve as an ambassador in identification of technological areas in which Dow AgroSciences could participate and contribute toward the reduction of hunger in Ghana.

Dr. Asuming-Brempong has been working at Dow AgroSciences since March and will finish up her fellowship program at the end of November.

“This fellowship with Dow AgroSciences has been an outstanding experience,” said Dr. Asuming-Brempong. “Not only will the research help to improve soil management practices and help farmers make better decisions, but the research practices and methodologies will help my own students become better scientists.”

About AWARD

The program, African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), was established in 2008 by CGIAR and was launched following a successful three-year pilot program in East Africa with support from the Rockefeller Foundation from 2005-2008. AWARD strengthens the research and leadership skills of African women in agricultural science, empowering them to contribute more effectively to poverty alleviation and food security in sub-Saharan Africa.

AWARD currently has 180 African women working in agricultural research and development from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia who have completed a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degree in selected disciplines. AWARD is unique because it selects women scientists already working in poor, rural communities tackling poverty and hunger.

The program focuses on career development, adding value to existing academic training programs and nourishes the talent pipeline for agricultural R&D through carefully tailored fellowship packages for women with bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees. It engages with African leaders of agricultural R&D, both men and women, to raise awareness and build networks providing an opportunity for an African scientist to learn with the agriculture science R&D community in an industrial setting.

About Dow AgroSciences

Dow AgroSciences, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA, is a top-tier agricultural company providing innovative agrochemical and biotechnology solutions globally. The company, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company, has sales of $4.9 billion. Learn more at www.dowagro.com. Follow Dow AgroSciences on Facebook and YouTube or subscribe to our News Release RSS Feed.