Professor Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko is a distinguished alumnus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), whose career reflects a sustained commitment to engineering education, research, professional practice and institutional development. With over 30 years of experience, he has built an impressive record of academic and professional contributions, particularly in water, sanitation and sustainable infrastructure development.
He currently serves as the Pro Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, having previously served as Provost of the College of Engineering, where he provided strategic leadership in research, infrastructure development, industry engagement, alumni relations and institutional advancement.
A Professor of Civil Engineering, his expertise spans Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), water transport and distribution systems, sanitation technologies, and sustainable, climate-resilient approaches to water and sanitation service delivery. His work addresses critical development challenges while contributing to the advancement of engineering knowledge and practice.
Throughout his academic career, Professor Nyarko has demonstrated a strong commitment to research and the development of future professionals. He has supervised more than 300 theses, authored over 100 publications and accumulated more than 2,000 citations, with an h-index of 28. His research and professional engagements have attracted support from reputable international institutions, including the European Union, the World Bank, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Conrad Hilton Foundation.
Among his notable contributions is his leadership of the KNUST component of the five-year Rural Evidence and Learning for Water (REAL-Water) Project, led by the Aquaya Institute and funded by USAID. The project generated evidence to inform strategies for expanding access to safe and sustainable rural water services.
He also served as Project Lead for the KNUST Engineering Education Project (KEEP), a World Bank-supported African Centres of Excellence initiative aimed at strengthening postgraduate engineering education and research. Through these initiatives, he has contributed to building research capacity, strengthening engineering education and advancing solutions to development challenges.
Beyond his academic and institutional responsibilities, Professor Nyarko has played an active role in the engineering profession. He is a Fellow of the Ghana Institution of Engineering, serves on the Board of the Engineering Council of Ghana and is a Council Member of the Ghana Institution of Engineers.
His professional journey demonstrates the important relationship between academic excellence, practical research and leadership. From advancing engineering knowledge to contributing to institutional development and shaping the next generation of engineers, his work continues to make a meaningful contribution to KNUST and the wider society.
As KNUST celebrates 75 years of excellence and impact, Professor Kwabena Biritwum Nyarko stands among its alumni whose professional contributions reflect the University's enduring commitment to producing knowledge, developing talent and advancing society.