Dr. Adwoa Sikayena Amankwah has close to a decade and half’s worth of pedagogical and industrial experience in lecturing at the University and in training journalism and communications scholars and practitioners both internationally and locally. She is a principal researcher with the Global Risk Journalism Hub – GRJH, a network of international researchers from 35 countries investigating media coverage of Covid ’19 globally. Further, she has served as reviewer for the International Journal of Communication in California as well as the Legon Journal of Humanities in Ghana. She reviewed submissions of academics for the 2021 International Association of Media and Communication Researchers (IAMCR) Conference and is a panel chair for one of the Mediated Communication and Public Opinion Sessions for the conference.

Her impact also extends to industry where she has served as a Media Liaison Officer of the Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT (AITI-CASE) and is currently, a Project Advisory Committee member of the Justice Sector System - Case Tracking Activity under the auspices of the USAID. Dr. Amankwah was also a member of the Ashanti Regional Media Advisory Committee of the National Media Commission (NMC). She was instrumental in building the capacity of media practitioners and journalists from the middle to the northern sector of Ghana during the 2016 general elections in Ghana where she delivered seminars and facilitated workshops on media ethics and political journalism under the auspices of the NMC.

Dr. Amankwah has garnered considerable administrative experience in programmes development and managing academic departments and faculties of universities as she served as Programmes Assessor with the National Accreditation Board as well as Head of Communications Studies Department and Dean of Faculty of Humanities at the Christian Service University College, Kumasi.

Practically she is adroit at editing, news writing (print, broadcast and online), speech writing and presentations, having worked as a journalist with Multimedia Company’s JOY FM and some print media organisations in the past. She has also edited and produced departmental news magazines, faculty reports and profiles, books and other communications materials. As editor and content developer for personal and corporate websites, Dr. Amankwah sparked new life into a number of sites including the institutional website of Christian Service University College, Kumasi. Currently she is the acting head of the Department of Communication Studies.

Research Interests

•Risk Journalism

•Media ethics

•Corporate Social Responsibility

•Political Communication

•New Media

•Political Economy of Media

•Public Relations

Courses Taught

•Mass Communication

•Corporate Social Responsibility

•Media Relations

•Speech Writing

•News Writing and Editing

Academic Qualifications

•2018 - Doctor of Literature and Philosophy in Communication Science, University of South Africa (UNISA)

•2004 - Masters (MA) in Communication Studies, University of Ghana

•2003 - Post-graduate diploma degree in Communication Studies, University of Ghana

•1999 - Bachelor of Educational Foundations, University of Cape Coast

•Certificate - Best Graduating student in Journalism and Mass Communication, UG

•Certificate of Further Education (Communication and Media) - General Teaching Council of Scotland, UK

•Certificate in English and Communication, General Teaching Council of Scotland, UK

Selected Publications (Refereed Journal Articles)

1. Amankwah, A.S.; Adu Gyamfi, P. & Oduro, A, N. (2022). Cultivating Communication Resilience as an Adaptive-Transformative Process During a Global Pandemic: Extending the Purview of the Communication Resilience Theory. International Journal of Communication.  16:5626-5646

2. Hasiyatu, A., Assem, I, S. & Amankwah, A. S. (2021). Framing Of Covid-19 safety protocols in Kusaal Health Musical Communication: Language and Literary Analysis.Language and Communication, Vol 81, Nov 2021, pps. 64 – 80. ELsievier. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.langcom.2021.09.002

3. Amankwah, A. S. & Mbatha, B. T. (2021). Interactivity gratifications: Millennials’ motivations in using new media technology for political communication about elections. Communicare: Journal for Communication Sciences in South Africa. pp107- 127. Vol. 40. No.1. July, 1. https://journals.co.za/journal/comcare

4. Gyamfi, P. A., & Amankwah, A. S. (2021). Effective communication during a global health crisis: A content analysis of presidential addresses on the COVID-19 pandemic in Ghana. Journal of International Crisis and Risk Communication Research, 4(2), 193-220. https://doi.org/10.30658/jicrcr.4.2.1 .

5. Amankwah, A. S. & Mbatha, B. T. (2019). Unlocking the Potential of New Media Technologies for Political Communication about Elections in Ghana. Communicatio: South African Journal for Communication Theory and Research. DOI: 10.1080/02500167.2019.1639782

6. Amankwah, A. S., Assibey-Bonsu, G & White, P. (2017). Media expose of judicial corruption in Ghana: Ethical and theological perspectives. Legon Journal of Humanities. 28(1):1-9. Available at https://www.ajol/infwebo/index.php/ljh

7. Amankwah, A. S. (2016). Winning the electorate at any cost: Assessing the viability of new media technologies as political communication tools in election. Journal of Communication, Media and Society (JOCMAS), Vol. 3, No. 1, October.

8. Amankwah, A. S., Adade Yeboah, A., Assibey Bonsu, G., & Opoku Agyemang, K. (2016). An investigation into the methods of cartoonists as social communicators in Ghana. Journal of Applied Science, Arts and Theology, JASAT, Vol 1, Issue 1

9. Amankwah, A. S. (2016). Brown envelope journalism in Ghana: A sociocultural perspective. Journal of Communication, Media and Society. Vol. 4, No. 1. May Edition.

10. Amankwah, A. S. & Assibey Bonsu G. (2012) Gendering the Agenda: A Look at the Front Page Photographs of a National Newspaper, International Journal of Business Management and Economic Research, Vol 3(6), 641-645 Available online at www.ijbmer.com/ ISSN: 2229-6247.

11. Adade Yeboah A., Ahenkorah K. & Amankwah, A. S. (2012). The Tragic Hero of the Classical Period. English Language and Literature Studies; Vol. 2 No. 3.

12. Adade Yeboah A. & Amankwah, A. S. (2012). The Tragic Hero of the Post-Classical Renaissance. Studies in Literature and Language. Vol 5, No. 3, December edition.

Manuscripts accepted for publication

Book(s)

Amankwah, A. S. (2020). Evolution of newspaper readership to online platforms in Ghana: Case of old wine in new wineskins? ISBN-13:9786202564410, KS Omniscriptum Publishing.

Research articles under peer review

• Amankwah, A. S. , Adu-Gyamfi, P. & Oduro, A. N. (2021). Cultivating Communication Resilience as an Adaptive-Transformative Process during a Global Health Pandemic: Extending the Purview of Communication Theory of Resilience.International Journal of Communication.
• Amankwah, A. S. & Amankwah B. (2020). A review of internationalisation of higher education: Prospects, challenges and the way forward for Ghana. (Under review Amankwah, A. S. & Amankwah B. (2020). A review of internationalisation of higher education: Prospects, challenges and the way forward for Ghana. (Under review).

Selected conferences & Workshops

Hasiyatu Abubakari, Ida Sodoke Assem & Adwoa Sikayena Amankwah. (2021). Framing of Covid-19 Safety Protocols in Kusaal Musical Health Communication: Language and Literary Analysis. Presented at the 4th School of Languages Conference (SOLCON IV), November 3rd-5th, University of Ghana, Legon.

Presenter & Panel Chair on Covid ’19 impact session in Mediated Communication, Public Opinion and Society section of the International Association of Media and Communication Researchers (IAMCR, 2021 Nairobi) Conference, 11th – 15th July, 2021.

Amankwah, A. S., Danquah, E. & Asare, M. (2021). Influence of selected global memes on the news agenda of online media on Covid ’19. Conference Paper for Mediated Communication, Public Opinion and Society Session – Covid 19 impact , International Association of Media and Communication Researchers (IAMCR) 2021 Nairobi Conference, 11 – 15 July. https://iamcr.org/node/17301

· Adu-Gyamfi, P. & Amankwah, A. S. (2021). Effective Communication of Information to the Public During a Global Health Crisis: Content Analysis of Presidential Addresses on the COVID-19 Pandemic in Ghana in the session Improving risk communication, Health communication at the 71 st Annual ICA Virtual Conference on Engaging the Essential Work of Care: Communication, Connectedness, and Social Justice, 27th - 31 st May, 2021. Available at: https://ica2021.cadmore.media/Category/af277f71-31ea-44c8-8dd9-7958cef93344

Cheruiyot, D; Mare, A; Amankwah, A. S; Mastilele, T & Adeyanju, A. (2021). Risk of ‘disconnection’ in the age of infodemics: Rethinking disinformation and journalism in Sub-Saharan Africa in the panel presentation on cross-cultural Approaches to Identifying Current Pressures on Digital Journalists Covering COVID-19. A Project of the Global Risk Journalism Hub. Global Communication and Social Change at the 71st Annual ICA Virtual Conference on Engaging the Essential Work of Care: Communication, Connectedness, and Social Justice, 27th -31st May, 2021. Available at - https://ica2021.cadmore.media/Title/8b67f2e9-20d5-4b18-b116-d7598f383475

· Global Risk Journalism Hub Virtual Research Workshop on Global Snapshot Survey 4th June 2021, 9am – 1pm

· Convener – Glocal Webinar on ‘The Era of the New Normal in University Education: Digital Education Practices and Strategic Communication’ organized by the Dept of Communication Studies, UPSA on 28th January, 2021.

Chairperson - Parallel session on 'Digital media uses and applications,' at 2nd Biennial Africa Regional Conference of the International Communication Association on 7th November 2018 at University of Ghana, Legon.

Presenter - Optimising interactivity of new media technologies for political communication: The case of Ghana's 2016 elections at 2nd Biennial Africa Regional Conference of the International Communication Association on 7-9th November 2018, at University of Ghana, Legon.

Chairperson - Stakeholders’ forum on Digital Migration. Digital Migration - The Basics and Regulatory implications. Programme organised by the National Media Commission and the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung (FES) at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Kumasi, 29th November 2017.

Participant - Digital migration workshop organised by the National Media Commission for Ashanti Regional Media Advisory Committee members on 4th November 2017 at the Miklin Hotel, Kumasi.

Resource Person: Seminar on Academic Writing delivered to Faculty of Humanities members on 26th September, 2017 at the CSUC MA Lecture Hall.

Participant - Academic Writing and Publications Workshop, organised by the West Africa Built Environment Research Conference (WABER), 18 th August 2017, ISSER - University of Ghana

Facilitator - National Media Commission workshop for media personnel in the Ashanti Region.Journalism ethics and political communication in an election year, at the KNUST School of Medical Sciences on 31st March, 2016.

Participant - The International Institute of ICT Journalism (Penplusbytes) under the auspices of the Ghana Journalists’ Association – a day’s seminar on the theme: “Enhancing your future as a journalist through Online Journalism” – 2011.

Current Online and Print Media Publications

Amankwah, A. S. (2020). https://www.graphic.com.gh/business/business-news/upsa-bridges-skills-mismatch-unemployment-through-entrepreneurship.html graphic.com.gh

· Amankwah, A. S. (2019). How New Media can be used to spark interest in elections among young Ghanaians. Available at: http://theconversation.com/how-new-media-can-be-used-to-spark-interest-in-elections-among-young-ghanaians-127288

Amankwah, A. S. (2019). The ICT4AD Policy in retrospect: Roadmap for deploying digital technologies for governance. Daily Graphic, Page 40, Thursday, August 22nd edition.

Amankwah, A. S. (2019).UPSA produces professional market-ready graduates. Daily Graphic, Page 28, Thursday, July 18th edition. https://www.graphic.com.gh/features/the-ict4ad-policy-in-retrospect-roadmap-for-deploying-digital-technologies-for-political-communication-and-governance.html

https://www.myjoyonline.com/opinion/2019/May-3rd/new-media-technologies-a-potent-force-for-political-communication-on-elections-in-ghana.php

https://www.graphic.com.gh/features/features/new-media-technologies-a-potent-force-for-political-communication-on-elections-in-ghana.html

Professional Experience

· Programmes Assessor – National Accreditation Board, Ghana

· Project Advisory Committee Member, Justice Sector System – USAID

· Principal Researcher – Global Risk and Journalism Hub (GRJH), Melbourne, Australia

· Member – Ashanti Regional Media Advisory Committee, National Media Commission (NMC), Ghana

· Customer Relations Personnel - Marks and Spencer PLC, United Kingdom

· Media Liaison Officer - Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in ICT, AITI-KACE, Accra

• Journalism Intern - JOY FM

· English & French Tutor - Prempeh College, Kumasi.

Professional Affiliations

· Member, International Communications Association (ICA)

· Member, International Association for Media and Communication Researchers (IAMCR)

· Member, Common Grounds Research Network, Illinois, USA

· Member, Institute of Public Relations (IPR), Ghana

· Member, Communication Educators Association, Ghana (CEAG)

· Member, Ghana Journalists’ Association (GJA)

· Member, General Teaching Council of Scotland, UK