The first batch of PhD students under the University of Ghana restructured PhD Programme had their oral examinations at the auditorium of the International House from Wednesday, 10 – Thursday 11 September 2014. A total number of eight students made presentations on various topics such as the following:

1. Protection Cultivation of Tomatoes by Hydroponic Greenhouse Method
2. Mainstreaming Climate Change into National Agriculture Investment Plans: Understanding The Problems of Smallholder Farmers for Policy Improvement
3. Mining in Forest Reserve in Ghana: Impact on Aquatic Ecosystems-Case Study of Newmont (Akyem) Gold Mining Project
4. Global Climate Modelling and Climate Change Mainstreaming in Africa:  A Case Study of Ghana
5. Environmental Education:  A Tool for Managing or Preventing Ebola Epidemic (A Case Study in University of Ghana)
6. Enhancing Water Supply in The New Juaben Municipality Through Rain Water Harvesting
7. Challenges for Smallholder Women Farmers in Staple Crop Production in Rural Ghana:  The Role of Institutions and Farming Systems
8. Capacity Building and Awareness Raising for the Adoption of Low Carbon Technology in Rural Ghana.
   

   The presentations which were part of a series of examinations conducted for the students before they were considered to have passed to be PhD candidates by the Institute took the form of proposal preparation on specific projects that had been advertised in Ghana. As part of the requirements for the presentation, they were expected to respond to the Call by submitting detailed proposals for the respective projects.

   One after the other the students gave their presentations to an audience of IESS students and staff, students of the Climate Change and Sustainable Development Programme from the Department of Geography, and students from other Departments of the University.

   In attendance to examine the PhD students were Prof. I. K. Asante, Department of Botany, Dr. Max Billah, Department of Animal Biology & Conservation Sciences, Dr. Elaine Tweneboah Lawson, Research Fellow, IESS and Coordinator of the Environmental Science Programme, Dr. Ted Annang, Senior Research Fellow, IESS and Prof. Chris Gordon, Director, IESS.

   At the end of the two-day oral and other forms of examinations, all the eight students were declared to have passed and therefore received their PhD candidature statuses.

   The Director on behalf of the entire staff and students of the Institute wish them well in the years ahead.