About myself


Objective  Professional Experienc  Educational Experience     Languages   Community Development/Non-Profit/Volunteer Experience  Publications   Additional Information
 
 
 

OBJECTIVE

To introduce myself, and to invite any person or group of persons who may have similar interests as I do to team up with for the possibility of working together to achieve our common/desired goals.
 

Summary of qualifications and experience:

Educational Qualifications and License: B. Sc. Agriculture General; M. Sc. Soil Science; M. Sc. Elementary-Middle School Education. Holds a permanent teaching license from the Board of Education of the State of New York. Currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program in the Soil Science Department at North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Had begun Ph.D. studies at the Universities of Zhejiang and of the Witwatersrand in China and the Republic of South Africa, respectively. Have over eleven years of work experience in various responsibilities and capacities; have actively participated in some specialist training courses; participated in many extracurricular activities, including trade fares/exhibitions; have published three papers in local and international journals. Research interests: soil nutrient supplies and sustainability, with emphasis on phosphorus availability and cycling in soils. Also have a special interest in community development, especially for the under-privileged. I have pioneered the establishment of several charity and friendship organizations such as the Friends of Africa Relief and Development Agency, Friends International Sierra Leone, and Sierra Pen Friends Club.
 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

June 2002 - August 2005: Teacher, Rafael y Molina Middle School (Intermediate School 184), 778 Forest Ave., Bronx, NY 10456, USA. Taught Life Science, Physical Science, and Earth Science to 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, respectively. Sept. 2004 - August 2005: was Science Coordinator for the school.

Employer: New York City Board of Education.
April 16 2001 to June 10, 2002: Substitute Skills Development Trainer and Client Coordinator
Duties included supervising training to enhance development of vocational skills in Day Care participants, and coordinating services delivery for (about 33) program participants.
Employer: Association for the Help of the Retarded Children, New York.
January 15 1997 to January 1998: Business assistant and driver (part-time job)
Duties: Prepared business schedules; salesman; arranged business contacts and contracts; doing translations (Chinese to English, and vice versa) at meetings; drove company staff.
Employer: Dongtian (South Africa) International Trade CC, a then subsidiary of the Dongtian Smoking Tools Factory Co. Ltd., of Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China.
February 1, 1987 to March 31, 1995: Field Supervisor, Production Assistant, and Variety Maintenance Officer.
Duties:
Supervised and coordinated agronomic and production management of farmer’s fields and Project’s Variety Maintenance Programme
Coordinated information and technology flow between farmers and breeders and other researchers
Designed and conducted trials on the Project’s variety testing sites
Supervised the efficient scheduling and utilization of work force on project- and famer-owned fields
Served in various other positions and responsibilities.
Employer: Seed Multiplication Project (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, M.A.F-G.T.Z), Private Mail Bag 231, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
January 1986 to January 1987: Secondary School Teacher, Richard Allen High School, Bai Bureh Road, Kissy, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Duties: Taught General Science and Health Science to junior secondary school students
Introduced Agricultural Science into the school curriculum and managed the school garden.
Employer: Ministry of Education, New England, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
September1980 to September 1981: Primary School Teacher, Sierra Leone Wesleyan Church (SLWC) Primary School, Masuba,
Makeni, Sierra Leone.
Duties: Taught elementary school subjects to an infant class.
Employer: Ministry of Education, New England, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING

Date(s): August 2005 to Present

Status: Ph.D. Student
Institution: Soil Science Department, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
Date(s): August 2002 to May 2004
Status: Master’s Student
Institution: Mercy College, University of the State of New York, New York City, USA
Graduated with a Master’s degree in Elementary Education
Date(s): September 1998 to August 2000
Status: Ph.D. Student
Institution: Department of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences (APES), University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South
Africa.
(Program was interrupted due to civil war in my home country, Sierra Leone, and upon my decision to immigrate to the United States. I had been absent for a long time following my visit to Sierra Leone in April 2000, when I was caught up for over six months in the civil war in the country.)
Date(s): August 1997 to January 1998
Status: Ph.D. Student
Institution: Department of Soil Science and Agrochemistry, Zhejiang Agricultural University (now Zhejiang Univ.), Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China.
(Program was interrupted when I transferred my studies to the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa)
Date(s): September 1994 to July 1997
Status: Master’s Student
Institution: Department of Soil Science and Agricultural Chemistry, Zhejiang Agricultural University (now Zhejiang Univ.), Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China.
Graduated with a Master’s degree in Soil Science
Date(s): February to March 1988
Training Program: Seed Technology Course for Agriculturists and Specialists from Developing Countries
Institution: Institution: International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria.
Gained Certificate of Participation and Successful Completion
Date(s): October 1981 to December 1985
Status: Undergraduate (B.Sc.) Student
Institution: Njala University College, University of Sierra Leone, PMB Freetown, Sierra Leone
Graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Soil Science

 

COMPUTER SKILLS: have extensive skills in hardware and software use, and in web page design and publishing.

LANGUAGES

English: Very fluent (reading, writing and listening).
Chinese: Very good working knowledge of conversational Chinese (Mandarin only).
French: little speaking, reading and writing ability. Therefore can, with training, improve quickly.
Speaks several dialects of Sierra Leone
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES AND VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Institution: Zhejiang Agricultural University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, P.R. China. (1996 to 1998).
Volunteer activity: taught English grammar and conversational skills to graduating classes of Chinese students studying for a Diploma/Certificate in Foreign/International Trade.
Institution: Roman Catholic Primary School, Mobai, Kailahun District, Sierra Leone. (1973/74 Academic year)
Voluntary activity: assistance given to an infant class for one and a half months while the substantive teacher was ill.
Other community activities. Actively participated, as exhibitor, in the following consumer exhibitions:
Exhibition: RAND EASTER SHOW
Place: Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.
Dates: March 28 to April 13 1998 and March 27 to April 12 1999
Exhibition: SOUTH AFRICAN INTERNATIONAL TRADE EXHIBITION (SAITEX), a premier international trade forum on the continent of Africa, that brings together manufacturers, importers, exporters, business visitors, and consumers from all over the world.
Place: Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa.
Dates: October 6-10, 1998.

 

Extracurricular activities (membership with school, college and/or other community groups)

Date(s): 2002-Present

Organization: Tegloma Organization of the United States of America
Branch/Chapter Address: Tri-State Chapter, New York, USA
Duties/Position(s): Active Member, Assistant Secretary General (2005)
Date(s): 1992-Present
Organization: Friends of Africa Relief and Development Agency
Branch/Chapter Address: Sierra Leone, Canada, United States
Duties/Position(s): Founder and Director
Date(s): June 1999 to January 2000
Organization: Saint Vincent de Paul Society
Branch/Chapter Address: St. John of God Catholic Church, Northgate, Johannesburg, South Africa
Duties/Position(s): Active Member
Date(s): Sept. 1994 to Jan. 1998
Organization: International Christian Fellowship
Branch/Chapter Address: Zhejiang Agricultural University Branch, China
Duties/Position(s): Active member
Date(s): September 1994 to 1998
Organization: Sierra Leone Students' Union in China (SLSUC)
Branch/Chapter Address: P.R. China
Duties/Position(s): Active Member, Financial Secretary (Sept., 1995-Sept. 1996)
Date(s): 1991-94
Organization: Catholic Men's Association (CMA)
Branch/Chapter Address: Saint Peter Claver Church, Lunsar, Sierra Leone
Duties/Position(s): Active member, Vice Chairman (1993)
Date(s): 1981-85
Organization: Sierra Leone Young Christian Students Movement (SLYCS)
Branch/Chapter Address: Njala University College (NUC), Sierra Leone
Duties/Position(s): Active Member, Publicity Secretary (1982-83), President (1983-84)
Date(s): 1983-85
Organization: International Movement of Catholic Students (IMCS)
Branch/Chapter Address: Njala University College (NUC), Sierra Leone
Duties/Position(s): Founding and Active Member
Date(s): 1981-85
Organization: NUC Students Union Press Federation
Branch/Chapter Address: Njala University College (NUC), Sierra Leone
Duties/Position(s): Active Member, Editor (1982-83, VOICE Press), Financial Secretary (1983-84)
Date(s): 1974-80
Organization: Sierra Leone Young Christian Students (SLYCS) Movement
Branch/Chapter Address: Holy Ghost Secondary School, Segbwema, Sierra Leone
Duties/Position(s): Active Member
Date(s): 1974-80
Organization: Legion of Mary
Branch/Chapter Address: Holy Ghost Secondary School, Segbwema, Sierra Leone
Duties/Position(s): Active Member

 

AWARDS/GRANTS RECEIVED

January 1999 to August 2000: Beneficiary, Foundation for Research Development (FRD) Postgraduate Award, and a University Postgraduate Merit Award for Ph.D. studies.
September 1994-January 1998: Beneficiary of a scholarship from the bilateral co-operation between the peoples and governments of the Republic of Sierra Leone and the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) to undertake postgraduate studies in the PRC.

 

1981-85: Benefited from a scholarship awarded by the then Sierra Leone Produce Marketing Board (SLPMB), Cline Town, Sierra Leone, to pursue an undergraduate degree in Agriculture General at the Njala University College.
 

October-January, 1981: enjoyed a one-semester grant from the Roman Catholic Mission, Sierra Leone, to commence undergraduate studies at the Njala University College.
 

1974-79: benefitted from a Government of Sierra Leone award to cover tuition for secondary school education (Holy Ghost Secondary School, Segbwema, Sierra Leone).
 

Miscellaneous opportunities included offers by the Seed Multiplication Project to cover training to enhance job competence and experience. These included a one-month individualized training with the West Africa Rice Development Association (or WARDA) in Rokupr (northern Sierra Leone), and a training course of similar duration at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA, in Ibadan, Nigeria.
 

PUBLICATIONS

Article: Phosphate rock fertilizer in acid soils: comparing phosphate extraction methods for measuring dissolution.
Name, address, volume, and year of journal: PEDOSPHERE. Institute of Soil Science, Academia Sinica, PO Box 821, Nanjing 210008, PR China. 8(3): 273-279. 1998.
Authors and address: Ansumana-Kawa, Thomas S. and Guanghuo, Wang. Zhejiang Agricultural University, Hangzhou 310029 P R China.
Article: Soil Phosphorus Fractionation Schemes: a critical review.
Name, address, volume, and year of journal: Journal of Zhejiang Agricultural University. Hangzhou, 310029, China. 23(6): 725-729. 1997.
Authors and address: Ansumana-Kawa, Thomas S. and Guanghuo, Wang. Zhejiang Agricultural University, Hangzhou 310029 P R China.
Article: Application of the Mitscherlich and Elovich Equations in describing phosphate rock dissolution in acid soils.
Name, address, volume, and year of journal: Journal of Zhejiang Agricultural University. Hangzhou, 310029, China. 1999.
Authors and address: Ansumana-Kawa, Thomas S. and Guanghuo, Wang. Zhejiang Agricultural University, Hangzhou 310029 P R China.

 

RESEARCH AND COMMUNITY INTERESTS

Soil science and ecosystem sustainability, with emphasis on soil phosphorus studies.
Community development and poverty alleviation projects.
HOBBIES: gardening, music, movies, writing, Internet surfing, reading scientific research, and community development projects.

 

REFERENCES

Would be furnished upon request

 

Additional info: Before I provide additional information about myself, perhaps it would be a good thing to state why in fact I should include a story about myself here and on the Internet. Well, the reason is that my path in life may be a guide or an inspiration for some other person; and also because I may not have enough money to publish an autobiography. So please click here if you may want to read on.