Digital Soil Mapping, DeNitrification DeComposition Model, Spatial prediction of soil organic carbon in Ghana

1. Curriculum Vitae
PERSONAL INFORMATION Stephen Owusu
Soil Genesis, Survey and Classification Division, CSIR-Soil Research Institute,
Academy Post Office, PMB, Kwadaso-Kumasi, Ghana.
+233(0) 557452994 ; +233(0) 245331813
stephenowusu41@yahoo.com ; s.owusu@csir-soilresearch.org
Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stephen_Owusu5
LinkedIn: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/stephen-owusu-9011578a
Sex: Male | Nationality: Ghanaian | Date of Birth: 12 September 1986
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
Sept. 2015 – Aug. 2016 MSc Agricultural and Environmental Science
Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
Courses Studied -GIS and Remote Sensing, Assessment of Land Resources and Land Use
-Soil and Vegetation Survey, Soil Classification and Mapping Techniques
Aug. 2009 – May 2013 BSc (Hons) Agriculture
University of Cape Coast (UCC), Cape Coast, Ghana
Courses Studied -Soil Fertility Management, Soil Variability and Land Use Evaluation
-Soils Information Systems, Elementary Land Surveying
WORK EXPERIENCE
Dec. 2016 – Present Senior Technologist in Soil Survey and Mapping
CSIR-Soil Research Institute, Kwadaso-Kumasi, Ghana
Duties performed -Establishing a geodatabase as a tool for mapping and analyzing geo-spatial
data for CSIR-Soil Research Institute in Ghana.
-Legacy soil data harmonization for digital soil mapping in Ghana.
-Developing Ghana Soil Grids by digital soil mapping using ensemble models.
-Soil survey and report production on the soil resources and its fertility status
of Benso Oil Palm Plantation (BOPP), Adum Banso, Ghana.
Sept. 2013 – Jul. 2014 Teaching Assistant
University of Cape Coast (UCC), Department of Soil Science
Duties performed -Provided assistance to final year undergraduate students’ research projects.
-Provided assistance for the creation of a database for storage and retrieval of
BSc/Mphil/PhD dissertations in soil science.
RESEARCH SUPPORT:
June 2017 – present Acting Head of Division
Soil Genesis, Survey and Classification, CSIR-Soil Research Institute, Ghana.
July 2017 Collaborating Scientist
Training on Digital Soil Organic Carbon (SOC) Mapping, Nairobi, Kenya
Developed SOC Maps are available: http://54.229.242.119/GSOCmap/ (Beta).

2. Curriculum Vitae
PERSONAL SKILLS
Mother Tongue Asante Twi
Other Languages
English
French
Levels: A1/A2: Basic user-B1/B2: Independent user – C1/C2: Proficient user
Common European Framework of Reference for Languages
Communication Skills -team player and good interpersonal relations: Over the course of the
discharge of my duties at Soil Research Institute, I have worked with a team
of five (5) Soil Survey, GIS and Remote Sensing specialists to compile and
harmonize legacy soil data for developing Ghana Soil Grids. I work at the
forefront to provide specialist knowledge in the use of R statistical software
(spatial analysis /geostatistics) in conjunction with ensemble models among
others for digital soil mapping. In collaboration with other research scientists
at Soil Research Institute, we have recently worked together to generate
small-scale digital soil maps (pH, organic carbon, soil suitability for crop
production) for Ghana.
IT (computer) Skills -Microsoft office suite with emphasis on the use of Microsoft Access for
database creation.
- R statistical software, ArcGIS and Ensemble Models (e.g. Random Forests) for
digital soil mapping (DSM). More specifically, I possess adequate expertise in
handling, analyses and interpretation of geostatistical and geo-spatial data for
environmental modeling and digital soil mapping.
-I am also proficient in biogeochemical modeling (e.g. DNDC model) to
holistically assess the sustainability of different land use systems.
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
-MSc dissertation: “Modelling Nitrogen Dynamics and Biomass Production
of Palace Leas Hay Meadow using the DNDC model”.
-BSc dissertation: “Effects of Rates of Biochar Additions on Soil Nitrogen
Dynamics and Yield of Lettuce on a Tropical Stagnic Lixisol.
PUBLICATIONS Spatial Prediction of Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in Ghana using Legacy Data.
“Geoderma” 2018 (In peer-review).
WORKSHOPS ATTENDED
Apr. 2018 Economics of Land Degradation (ELD): Reversing Land Degradation in Africa by
Scaling-up Evergreen Agriculture.
Nov. 2015 Westminster Food and Nutrition Forum on meeting the challenges of food
security: implementing the Green Food Project, innovation and biodiversity.
REFERENCE LIST 1. Dr. Mohammed Moro Buri 2. Dr. Julia Cooper
CSIR-Soil Research Institute Newcastle University
Kwadaso-Kumasi, Ghana Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
+233(0) 276762128 +44(0) 1912086900
moro_buri@yahoo.com julia.cooper@newcastle.ac.uk
UNDERSTANDING SPEAKING WRITING
Listening Reading Spoken interaction Spoken production
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