Simon Sovoe, PhD
Simon Sovoe, PhD
Dr. Simon Sovoe holds Doctor of Philosophy Degree (Ph.D)in Environmental Science , Master of Philosophy Degree (M.Phil) in Oceanography (Marine Science) and Bachelor of Science in Zoology from University of Ghana. He has ten (10) Postgraduate Certificates in Geographic Information System/Remote Sensing (GIS/RS), Geo-statistics and Statistical computing, MultiHazard Risk Assessment and Flood Modelling from University of Twente and UNESCO-IHE, both in the Netherlands. Dr. Simon Sovoe also has three Certificates of Attendance in Computer Programming and Hyperspectral Remote Sensing from University of Twente, the Netherlands. He has taught Environmental & Occupational Health, Disaster Management and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at the masters’ level in a number of universities at an adjunct position.
Major achievements:
- He collaborated with the Data Science team of University of Edinburgh, University of Southampton and Strathmore University on UNESCO Data for children project. Dr. Simon Sovoe developed a Bayesian statistical model to predict maximum severe child wasting in four countries (Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria) taking into account climate change impact on food security in the selected countries.
- He has developed online air quality assessment tool for Environmental Protection Agency which will be deployed soon to assist the public to assess air quality information of any location. The user enters the coordinate of the location or the name of the location in the user interface and then clicks on the submit button, the system will then display the air quality information of the selected location.
- He conducted flood modelling and flood hazard mapping of the Odaw catchment in Accra, where detailed hydrologic models of the drain were simulated. The output of the hydrologic models were used in a hydraulic modelling system to simulate both ID and 2D flood evolution of the drain where several useful flood parameters were generated.
- He designed and developed online flood hazard assessment tool of the Odaw catchment using the output of the hydraulic models. The tool is currently at the development stage, when deployed, a user will enter a coordinate of a location, if he or she wants flood information of the location. By submitting the coordinate of the location, the system will display possible flood depth, extent and duration as well as interactive map and charts of the location.
- He led a team of researchers to carry out a UNESCO/SIDA project entitled “Modelling public health and ecosystem impacts of abandoned mines in Ghana”. Thirty-five (35) abandoned mine sites in 3 three regions (Eastern, Central and Western Regions of Ghana) were mapped using GPS device. A detailed study was conducted in Kyebi in the Eastern Region of Ghana where over 200 soil, water and food samples were analysed for mercury contamination. Mercury pollution map was created from the soil samples and was used in epidemiological study of the impact of the abandoned mines in the communities.
- He conducted a multi-hazard risk assessment of Government of Ghana proposed site for Petroleum Hub in the Domunli enclave in the Jomoro Municipality of the Western Region of Ghana. He carried out flood risk assessment of the site, fire hazard modelling of proposed petrochemical facilities, sea level rise and vulnerability assessment of the site, air pollution risk assessment using Gaussian Plume Atmospheric Dispersal Modelling.
- He developed R’s script for computation of Gaussian Plume Atmospheric Dispersal Model of air pollutants at thousands of locations on a grid.