Marian Ewurama Addy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Marian Ewurama Addy
FGA OV
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Addy wearing the Order of the Volta
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Marian Ewurama Cole
7 February 1942 Nkawkaw, Gold Coast
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| Died | 14 January 2014 (aged 71) Accra, Ghana
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| Resting place | Saltpond, Ghana |
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| Spouse(s) | Ebenezer Addy |
| Awards | Kalinga Prize (1999) |
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| Institutions | University of Ghana, Legon |
Marian Ewurama Addy (born Cole; 7 February 1942 – 14 January 2014) was a famous Ghanaian biochemist. She was the very first host of the National Science and Maths Quiz.
Dr. Addy was the first Ghanaian woman to become a full professor in natural science. This made her a great role model for girls and young women interested in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). She was also a member of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 1999, she won the UNESCO Kalinga Prize for making science popular.
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Early Life and Education
Marian Ewurama Addy was born on 7 February 1942, in Nkawkaw, Ghana. Her parents were Samuel Joseph Cole and Angelina Kwofie Cole.
She went to St. Monica's Senior High School in Mampong-Ashanti. She was very good at sports there. She also earned her 'O' and 'A' level certificates. She later attended Holy Child Girls' School in Cape Coast.
Dr. Addy earned her first degree with top honors from the University of Ghana. She studied botany and chemistry. She then went to Pennsylvania State University in the United States. There, she earned her master's degree and a doctorate (Ph.D.) in biochemistry.
A Trailblazing Career
Marian Addy became a full professor of biochemistry at the University of Ghana. She was not only the first female science professor at that university. She was also the first in all of Ghana!
She led the Department for Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology. She was the head from 1988 to 1991 and again from 1994 to 1997. She retired as a professor in 2002.
During her career, Dr. Addy helped many important groups. She worked to improve science education across Africa. She also advised the WHO on traditional medicine. She even helped set up a network for scientists studying natural products in West Africa.
In 2008, she became the first President of the Anglican University College of Technology. This shows her dedication to higher education. Her life story, called "Rewards", was published in 2011.
Marian Addy and her two sisters created an award. It was for the "Best Girl" at their old school, St Monica's Secondary School. The Ghanaian government honored her with the Order of the Volta. This was for her amazing work in science and for helping girls get an education.
Research on Herbal Medicine
Dr. Addy's research focused on biochemistry of herbal medicines. She studied how traditional healers used plants to treat common sicknesses. She wanted to make sure these medicines were safe and worked well.
For example, she researched a plant called Desmodium adscendens. Herbalists used it for asthma and allergies. Her work showed that it contained special compounds called soyasaponins. This helped prove that such plant-based medicines could be effective. She also researched how herbal plants could help treat Type 2 diabetes.
Dr. Addy published 22 research papers. Her work helped make herbal medicine more accepted by the scientific world.
Inspiring Youth with Science
One of Dr. Addy's biggest contributions was the Ghana National Science and Maths Quiz. This TV show lets high school students from all over Ghana compete in science and math.
Her main goal was to make science and math exciting for everyone. She wanted to show how important they are in daily life. Most importantly, she wanted to encourage more young people, especially girls, to study science.
She was the first "Quiz Mistress" for the show. She visited many schools and clubs. Her influence helped more girls become interested in and pursue STEM fields. She hosted the quiz until 2001. The quiz show is still held every year. It continues to inspire young Ghanaians in science and math.
Personal Life
Marian Ewurama Addy was married to Ebenezer Charles Oko Addy. He was a sociologist and a former athlete. He won a gold medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay at the 1966 Commonwealth Games. They had two daughters, Naa Lamiley Addy-Sadowsky and Lamiokor Esi Addy.
Death and Legacy
Dr. Marian Ewurama Addy passed away on 14 January 2014, in Accra, Ghana. She was buried in Saltpond on 1 March 2014.
To honor her, a science lab at the University of Ghana was named after her. It is called the "Marian Ewurama Addy Laboratory for Medicinal Plants and Natural Products Research." The biochemistry department also holds an annual lecture in her memory.
Her research made herbal medicine more respected by scientists. The National Science and Math Quiz continues to inspire young people in Ghana. Dr. Addy's work truly left a lasting impact on science and education.
Awards and Honours
- Shell Prize (1962)
- McCallien Prize (1963)
- Waddell Prize (1962–66)
- California Prize (1962–63)
- Fellow, African Graduate Fellowship Program (1966–71)
- Fellow of the International Seminar in Chemistry (1985–86)
- Fulbright African Senior Scientist Award (1990)
- CIMG Marketing Woman of the Year (1995)
- The Africa-America Institute's Distinguished Alumna for Excellence (1998)
- UNESCO Kalinga Prize for the Popularization of Science (1999)
- The Millennium Excellence Award for Educational Development (1999)
- Inducted as a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences (1999)
- National Award by the Enterprise Insurance Company Limited (1999)
Books
- Condensation of free [alpha]-amino acids as a pro-biological polymerization system (1971)
- Genetic Demonstrations: Instructor's Manual (1980); co-authored
- Putting Science into the Art of Healing with Herbs: From Smoked-drum Kymograph to ELISA (2003)
- Training the Next Generation of Scientists (2004)
- Rewards: An Autobiography (2011)
