Nelson Akafuah, Ph.D.
- Institute of Research for Technology Development
- Mechanical Engineering
- True Lean
Assistant Research Professor, February, 2011–present, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Kentucky
Post-Doctoral Research Scholar, January, 2010 – January, 2011, Institute of Research for Technology Development, University of Kentucky
Research Assistant, September, 2005 – December, 2009, Institute of Research for Technology Development, University of Kentucky
Research Assistant, June, 2003 – August, 2005, Energy Conversion and Conservation Center, University of New Orleans
Mechanical Engineer, Co-op, June, 2002 – May, 2003, General Electric Power Systems, Schenectady, NY
Research Assistant, January, 2001 – May, 2002, Energy Conversion and Conservation Center, University of New Orleans
PhD., Mechanical Engineering, University of Kentucky, December, 2009
M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of New Orleans, December, 2003
B.Sc., Mechanical Engineering, First Class Honors, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana, July, 1999.
Nelson Akafuah has served IR4TD since 2005, first as a Research Assistant, then as a Post-Doctoral Research Scholar, and Assistant Research Professor.
In addition to serving as IR4TD Associate Director, Nelson currently serves as a Faculty Fellow in the College of Engineering and Chair of the Engineering Technology Implementation Committee. He is also Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering and Director of the Undergraduate Production Engineering Certificate. His impressive body of work has been published in books and several scholarly-refereed journals.
Nelson earned his Lean Systems Certificate in 2013. He received his B.Sc., Mechanical Engineering, KN University of Science and Technology, Ghana; his M.S., Mechanical Engineering, University of New Orleans; his Executive MBA, Jack Welch Management Institute, and his Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, from the University of Kentucky. Nelson’s careers have focused on product/process development and structured problem-solving.