Traveling around Ghana, Emmanuel Frimpong Archer M’28 discovered that many local processing industries still relied heavily on manual processes. Others also employed limited automation. Amid this, Archer saw an opportunity to explore how traditional industries could become more efficient.

“The priority remained the development of tailor-made solutions to the needs of our local industries; not a mere introduction of machines,” he said.

His interest in these challenges stemmed from his 5 years of experience as an instrumentation and control engineer at Ghana National Gas Limited Company.

“My industry experiences have largely been focused on industrial automation, using programable logic controllers, sensors, and other systems to control industrial processes, but with this new interest, I felt I needed deeper expertise,” he admitted.

This realization came about as Archer began thinking deeply about developing innovative solutions to the problems identified in the local processing industry.

Learning about the opening of admission for the Ashesi Masters in Mechatronic Engineering program, he felt the timing couldn’t be any better to sharpen his skill set. Participation in the Graduate Open Day reinforced that decision.

“For me, it was the prospect of learning with ultramodern equipment and unlimited access to the engineering laboratories, to test ideas and refine them that convinced me the most.”

Now a part of the Master’s in Mechatronic Engineering Class of 2028, Archer looks forward to deepening his knowledge of intelligent controls. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the advancement of smarter production across Ghana’s local industries.