User:Rmyawson/Robert Yawson

Robert M. Yawson (1968 - )is a doctoral student in Organizational Leadership, Policy and Development specializing in Agricultural, Food and Environmental Education at the University of Minnesota. He was born in Ghana in 1968, sixth of nine siblings. He has several years of diverse working experience. For the past several years he has been in senior management positions as the Quality Control Officer of S. C. Johnson Wax (Ghana) Ltd., General Manager of Animens Industries Limited, Ghana; Scientific Secretary and later Head of Administration of the Food Research Institute (FRI), Ghana; a Research Analyst for the BioBusiness Alliance of Minnesota; and currently as a Research Assistant at the Center for Science, Technology, and Public Policy at the Hubert H. Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota. Mr. Yawson graduated from the University of Ghana with BSc (magna cum laude) in Biochemistry with Chemistry and an MPhil in Biochemistry. He also holds the Post Graduate Certificate in Food Management from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and an MS in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy from the University of Minnesota.

Robert Yawson’s teaching experience spans from being an elementary school teacher in an African village; a teacher at Wesley Girls’ High School, Cape Coast, Ghana; a teaching assistant at the Biochemistry Department, University of Ghana, and most recently as a mentee teacher at the Agronomy and Plant Genetics Department, University of Minnesota. As a researcher, he has over 30 academic publications including several peer-reviewed journal papers, a chapter in a book and several edited conference papers. He co-authored four of the “Destination 2025” (statewide vision) documents for the State of Minnesota and he has also been part of several internationally funded research programs. His current research focus is on Emerging Technologies and Human Resource Development with special emphasis on Skill Development for Agrifood Nanotechnology Extension. His research accomplishments to date are a reflection of his trans-disciplinary background. His earlier research studies were laboratory based including:

•	Crystallization of Miraculin – A Taste Modifying Glycoprotein from the fruits of Richadella dulcifica: This was the first time the protein miraculin was crystallized

•	Insecticidal Effect of Extracts from the Seeds of Crotalaria retusa & Piper guineense on Sitophilus sp

•	The Role of Metabolites in the Induction of Tumours in Plants

As his disciplinary focus changed his research focus also changed. His research as a policy scientist includes inter alia:

•	Systems modeling of consumer acceptance of novel food technologies

•	Applications and Implications of Zinc Finger Nuclease Technology

•	A New Architectural Framework for a Functional Evidence-Based Platform for Science and Innovation Policy

•	Agricultural Biotechnology, Poverty Reduction and Food Security in Ghana

•	Opportunities and Challenges for Leadership of Green Chemistry in Minnesota

•	Institutionalizing Performance Management in Public Research & Technological Organizations

Robert Yawson has travelled extensively; visiting, and participating and presenting papers at several conferences in several countries including Cyprus, Brazil, India, United States, Switzerland, Israel, Canada, Netherlands, Austria, Kenya, South Africa among others.