Prof Edem Mahu

Prof Edem Mahu

Associate Professor of marine biogeochemistry at the University of Ghana

Prof Edem Mahu is an Associate Professor of marine biogeochemistry at the University of Ghana, a National Geographic Explorer, and a fellow of the AU-EU African Initiative for Scientific Excellence (ARISE) programme. Her research spans past climate reconstruction, oyster fishery resilience, nutrient dynamics, ocean carbon cycling, ocean acidification, and nature-based solutions for climate adaptation. She leads the Oyster Restoration for Livelihood and Ecosystem Protection in Anyanui.

She also co-leads the Ocean Margins Initiative and the Mangroves as Nature-based Solutions to Coastal Hazards project (MANCOGA) projects, funded through the Meerwissen initiative. She leads several global efforts to bridge gaps in ocean science capacity between the North and South, including her role as a co-chair of the Ocean Decade Vision 2030 process for Challenge 9 on capacity development and a steering group member for the newly established Ocean Decade capacity development facility. She also serves on various boards, including those of Global Ocean Corps, Conveyor, EQUISEA, and the UNESCO IOC Ocean Best Practices (past).

Prof. Mahu is the founder of Future Ocean Leaders Academy (FOLA), an ocean literacy initiative that seeks to empower children in Ghana with ocean knowledge and environmental stewardship. She has mentored and supervised over 90 undergraduate and graduate students and co-authored several peer-reviewed scientific publications in her field.

She received the 2022 American Geophysical Union Africa Award for Excellence in Research in Ocean Science. She is an Affiliate of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS) and a member of the American Geophysical Union (AGU), among several professional bodies.