Benjamin Agyei-Owusu’s journey into academia began quite literally at birth.
He formed his earliest memories within the walls of the University of Ghana, where his mother had returned to further her education. Right from the start, higher education wasn’t just a pursuit; it was his environment.
His mother’s classmates jokingly mentioned how he resembled the then vice chancellor of the university, and nicknamed him “Prof”.
That joke stuck. His family still calls him “Prof” to this day.
“I’m not saying the nickname made me choose academia,” he says. “But none of my family were surprised that I did.”
His parents, both teachers, imbibed a sense of discipline and studiousness into him and his brothers.
While his father taught at the junior high level and his mother at the senior high, Agyei-Owusu was their full-time student at home. They drilled fundamentals of academic success, including doing homework, revising notes and meeting deadlines into him right from the start.
“It does something good for you when your parents are also your teachers,” he reflects. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Discovering Supply Chain
When Agyei-Owusu began his undergraduate studies at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), he was still unsure of his academic path.
His early years at the KNUST School of Business (KSB) exposed him to a variety of business disciplines, including marketing, human resources and accounting. However, he found a deep connection with supply chain management after taking a few courses.
The subject was reputed to be tough, but that did not deter him.
“I was rather motivated to take on the challenge and excel at it,” he recalls.
Fueling the Dream: The CARISCA Opportunity
Agyei-Owusu completed both his undergraduate and master’s degrees in the Department of Supply Chain and Information Systems at KSB.
Impressed by his potential and his experience as a teaching and research assistant within the department, the faculty engaged him as a part-time assistant lecturer. However, without a Ph.D., his academic progress had limits. He was looking for a fully funded Ph.D. program when the CARISCA opportunity came up.
The recommendation came through faculty mentors, Prof. Abdul Samed Muntaka and Dr. John Frimpong Manso, and his response was an instant yes to the opportunity.
“I had already started applying to programs in the U.S. and the U.K. Then I heard about the CARISCA PhD scholarship, and it was exactly what I needed, right here in Ghana.”
From the start, CARISCA provided both academic rigor and a supportive environment. One early standout moment came during a Zoom call with Arizona State University professors Adegoke Oke and Thomas Choi. They reviewed his publication record and gave him feedback and advice on his research.
“Meeting with Prof. Goke and Prof. Choi inspired me to strive for even higher quality research, both in my Ph.D. and beyond,” he says.
The mentorship didn’t stop there. He participated in high-level training, attended countless seminars, conferences and workshops, and met with top scholars in the supply chain management field.
The program, he says, was intentional about preparing scholars for global impact, not just local relevance.
Landing the Postdoc at ASU
Shortly after completing his Ph.D., Agyei-Owusu was recommended by Prof. Goke for a position at Arizona State University’s Global Center for Technology Transfer (GCTT). He interviewed for the position and was offered a role as a postdoctoral research scholar at the center.
“I had a big smile on my face for days. It felt like everything was aligning,” he says.
Under the supervision of professors David Waldman and Donald Siegel, co-executive directors of GCTT, Agyei-Owusu’s postdoc work focuses on supply chain issues within the context of technology transfer.
Technology transfer refers to the process by which new discoveries or inventions are transformed into useful products and services for consumers. While this process is widely recognized as critical to innovation, the role of supply chain issues in its success is often overlooked.
GCTT identified that many tech transfer initiatives struggle to succeed, and supply chain challenges may be a key contributing factor.
“People assume that innovative inventions easily translate into successful products,” explains Agyei-Owusu. “However, supply chain issues such as procurement, production and distribution, when not effectively managed, can hamstring the successful development of innovative products and services.”
In response, GCTT created a dedicated research portfolio to help address this issue.
“My role is to highlight these often-overlooked issues and explore how better supply chain practices can make the entire tech transfer process more efficient and successful,” he says.
Agyei-Owusu’s responsibilities are divided into two main areas: research and grantsmanship.
On the research side, he explores how supply chain issues influence the success of technology transfer, identifying ways to better move innovations from lab to market. On the grants side, he supports ongoing projects and helps develop proposals, especially those focused on improving healthcare through supply chain management and digital innovations.
“I’m learning from some of the top researchers in the field,” he said. “What excites me most is the researcher I’m becoming. By the end of this postdoc program, I believe I’ll have grown significantly, learned a great deal and be ready for what comes next.”
Staying Grounded, Looking Ahead
Agyei-Owusu’s academic mission now focuses on doing research with practical impact.
“I’ve found myself less interested in research that can’t be understood or applied by a manager to improve a business or supply chain,” he observes. “I’m becoming more passionate about research that has real-world impact and meaningful policy implications.”
His long-term vision is simple but ambitious: become a world-class supply chain management scholar. His driving belief is that Africa has the talent but lacks the research infrastructure. When that changes, he says, Africa could become a global research powerhouse.
When asked what he would change in Africa’s supply chain or research landscape, he responds:
“Improve the research infrastructure, access to data, and grants. That’s the change I would make,” he said.
Though he is now based in the United States, he is still in touch with his Ghana research community and plans to share what he’s learning with researchers back home and help build capacity.
“I can’t fund Africa’s research transformation,” he exclaims. “But I can share what I am learning now. And that’s a start.”
Final Reflections
Benjamin credits his resilience to his faith. A favorite quote from Philippians 4:13 carried him through his hardest moments: “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me.”
He also acknowledges the role of his long-term academic mentors, professors David Asamoah and Francis Andoh-Baidoo, in his academic and professional journey.
Today, he is a husband and a father, raising his young daughter alongside his wife in Arizona. Together, they made the sacrifice of moving for the postdoc.
“Her support means everything,” he says.
So, how does he describe himself in three words?
“Excellence. Dedicated. Optimist.”
And he still answers to the nickname “Prof.”