Accra: A former National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) semifinalist, Akorfa Dagadu, has graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) with a degree in Chemical-Biological Engineering. Dagadu, who represented Keta Senior High Technical School (Keta SHTS) in the 2019 NSMQ, has also been recognized as the Most Outstanding Chemical Engineering Student in Boston by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).
According to Ghana Web, Dagadu's achievement comes after completing her studies at one of the world's leading universities, where she specialized in chemical-biological engineering. Her accolade as the Most Outstanding Chemical Engineering Student in Boston was highlighted in a post shared by the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) Facebook page.
In addition to her academic success, Dagadu has been named a Schwarzman Scholar, joining the Class of 2026-27 alongside scholars from 40 countries and 83 universities. The Schwarzman Scholarship is a fully funded one-year master's degree program in global affairs at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, focusing on leadership, global affairs, and China, with cultural and professional development opportunities.
At MIT, Dagadu conducted research on enzyme-polymer systems designed to break down plastics at the end of their lifecycle. Her work has received international recognition, including the CellPress Rising Scientist Award. Furthermore, she is the founder of Ishara, a venture aimed at improving recycling systems in Ghana by linking informal waste pickers to more transparent and efficient structures, with the potential to scale across other developing markets.
Dagadu has expressed interest in building a materials innovation hub in Africa to address challenges linked to waste, including plastics and electronic waste.