UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Nelson Dzade, Virginia S. and Philip L. Walker, Jr. Faculty Fellow in Materials Science and Engineering and the Fuel Sciences at Penn State, recently participated in the African School on Electronic Structure Methods and Applications (ASESMA), held in June at the University of Ghana.
The school is a series of workshops held every two years in different African countries that brings together scientists from Africa and around the world to learn about electronic structure methods and their applications in various fields. Dzade said he participated in the mentoring program because ASESMA has a strong legacy of scientific development and research capacity building in Africa.
“Since its inception in 2008, ASESMA has become a cornerstone in the advancement of computational materials science in Africa,” Dzade said. “The program has built a thriving community of researchers. By bringing together scientists from physics, chemistry and materials science, ASESMA fosters interdisciplinary collaboration and global networking, ensuring that African researchers are integrated into the broader international scientific community.”
More than 50 undergraduate and graduate participants from 17 African countries, selected from more than 170 applications, participated in this year’s event that featured lecturers and speakers from four continents.
Dzade, who leads the Materials and Theory Group at Penn State, delivered several lectures and led hands-on sessions aimed at improving materials modeling and simulations skills.
Dzade, who is also the co-director of the Penn State Alliance for Education, Science, Engineering, and Design with Africa (AESEDA), said he strongly believes that the ASESMA initiative aligns very well with AESEDA’s core mission of empowering Africa’s rise though fostering collaborations between African institutions and Penn State, igniting young minds, unleashing potentials and crafting inclusive solutions for a brighter tomorrow.
“Materials science plays a critical role in Africa’s development, given the continent’s vast mineral resources, energy potential and biodiversity,” Dzade said. “Research capacity building in computational materials science holds significant promises for economic growth, technological innovation and environmental sustainability.”
Dzade is an assistant professor of energy and mineral engineering and chair of the undergraduate energy engineering program in the John and Willie Family Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering.
ASESMA has received national support from the National Science Foundation and National Academy of Sciences and has received international support and recognition.