Evans Amoah is one of the recipients of CARISCA’s PhD scholarships, and over the next several years he will have the opportunity to study what he has always been curious and passionate about, information communication technology (ICT), and how it impacts the lives of people and society.
CARISCA is not just another grant, it is an opportunity to support and develop individuals like myself to make relevant and impactful contributions to society.”
— Evans Amoah, PhD scholarship recipient at KNUST
Evans Amoah is one of the recipients of CARISCA’s PhD scholarships, and over the next several years he will have the opportunity to study what he has always been curious and passionate about, information communication technology (ICT), and how it impacts the lives of people and society.
In a recent interview, Amoah said that his father was a single parent when he was growing up and that he not only took care of Amoah and his siblings but his nieces and nephews as well.
“My father is a kind-hearted man who tries to help anyone in need in any possible way. He was seen as an individual with a so-called prestigious job [university staff], but he was burdened with a lot of financial problems from our extended family. We had to sacrifice a lot of things to help him juggle his finances.”
His father valued education and was convinced that his children would have a good head start in life if they stayed in school.
“It was even harder during my postgraduate education because all my siblings were also in school at the same time. I even thought of deferring my coursework to find a good job to at least support my dad.”
At age 14, Amoah’s father bought him his first computer.
“I remember tearing up my PC to see if it would function without a particular component and then I’d put them back again. I seriously fell in love with computers as well as software programs and games. My Aunty gave me lots of opportunities, she allowed me to explore her computer too and was the first person to teach me how to type. She believed in my abilities on the use of the computer at such a young age,” said Amoah.
His technological experiments, ability to teach himself new things, and support from this family enabled him to quickly move to the top of his class in school.
Amoah’s secondary school, Prempeh College, did not offer an ICT degree, so he studied business and spent a lot of time in the ICT laboratory learning about how to develop websites and web applications.
Amoah was accepted to KNUST for his undergraduate degree, and he studied business administration with an emphasis in information technology. He was not only a good student but also enjoyed teaching his fellow students.
“I loved to share my knowledge with my friends and colleagues. In my final year, I gladly accepted to hold tutorial sessions for continuing Business Information Technology students. I felt a sense of satisfaction after every tutorial session.”
At KNUST he also realized that he not only wanted to teach but to conduct academic research. His passion for ICT research propelled him to undertake several successful projects. In one of his projects, he led a team of IT experts to host the Academy of International Business African Chapter Conference in 2019. While studying, he also managed to work to make money and volunteered for various causes.
After his undergraduate degree, Amoah earned a Master of Philosophy degree in Management Information Technology from KNUST.
Thanks to funding from USAID, Evans Amoah is currently a business and management doctoral student in the Department of Supply Chain and Information Systems at KNUST.
Amoah hopes to use his scholarship to learn more about digital innovations in supply chains so that he can bring about impactful research that can solve societal problems.
“My father never thought twice about helping others, I never understood why he was taking care of other people, but I guess it has rubbed off on me.”
