Ghanaian Students Win Top Honours in IAEA’s Female Nuclear Competition
Farewell Speech By Excellency Matilda Aku Alomatu Osei-Agyeman, Ambassador & Permanent Representative Of Ghana On The Occasion Of Her Handing Over As Chair Of The Board Of Governors Of The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), 22nd September 2025
September 23, 2025
By Mabel Adorkor Annang
Three female students from the University of Ghana’s Graduate School of Nuclear and Allied Sciences have made Ghana proud by winning the GC69 Female Nuclear Competition organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Achiaa Adusei Juliana, Abigail Ampadu, and Benita Amoah Dadzie emerged victorious among 17 female participants selected from across the continent, aged between 18 and 27.
Their winning presentation, titled “Plastic Waste Management: Sustainable Recycling of Plastics, Role of Women in Socioeconomic Development, and Nuclear Technology,” impressed judges with its innovative approach to solving Africa’s development challenges.
The competition focused on thematic areas including Rays of Hope, Atoms for Food, Zodiac, and NUTEC Plastics, showcasing cutting-edge applications of nuclear technology.
At the award ceremony, held on the sidelines of the IAEA General Conference in Vienna, Ghana’s Ambassador to Vienna, Matilda Aku Alomatu Osei-Agyeman, proposed a new initiative aimed at promoting African women and youth in nuclear energy.
Mrs Osei-Agyeman said the African Women and Youth in Leadership Accelerator Initiative will leverage the IAEA’s Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellowship Programme to double female enrolment in advanced nuclear training within three years.
“The initiative can be anchored within the AFA’s framework and implemented through the IAEA, the African Union, and national institutions. It will create structured mentorship chains linking students and career professionals with female scientists, provide executive training and policy engagement for women, and prepare them for senior roles in nuclear governance and innovation,” she explained.
Kenya’s Ambassador to Austria and Permanent Representative to the IAEA, Morris Makololo, congratulated the winners but emphasised the need for sustainability.
“The challenge that must accompany our celebration is how we make this sustainable. The question, therefore, is how do we build our young scientists, especially female scientists, to meet Africa’s huge needs,” he said.
In an interview with Energy News in Vienna, the Ghanaian students encouraged young women to explore nuclear science, highlighting the vast opportunities in the field.
One of the winners, Julianna Achia Adusei, said:
“We chose the NUTEC Plastics initiative by the IAEA and considered how it aligns with the SDGs. Our solution was designed to be practical and implementable, not just theoretical.”
Another winner, Abigail Ampadu, encouraged “all female colleagues across the world to venture into science, technology, and nuclear fields.”
Article Source: https://www.gbcghanaonline.com/general/ghanaian-students-win-top-honours/2025/
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