A career in computing excellence: Prof. Frimpong Twum’s journey to professorship
Renowned for his work in computer security, machine learning, and cloud computing, Prof. Frimpong Twum has spent years advancing research, mentoring students, and shaping Ghana’s digital education and technology landscape.
Prof. Twum, who teaches in the Department of Computer Science in the College of Science at KNUST, has built a career spanning academia, industry, and public service, with research interests rooted in computer and data security, machine learning, cloud computing, and intelligent systems.
His elevation to Full Professor recognises years of sustained scholarship, teaching, and service to both the university and the country.
His academic journey spans Ghana and the United Kingdom. He earned a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from London South Bank University in 2004, followed by an MSc in Internet and Multimedia Engineering in 2007.
Seeking to deepen his understanding of information systems, he completed an MSc in Information Systems at the University of Roehampton in London in 2011. In 2017, he returned to KNUST to complete a PhD in Computer Science, specialising in computer security.
Along the way, Prof. Twum accumulated industry and teaching experience that continues to shape his work. He previously served as a lecturer and systems engineer at the University of Roehampton and worked as a systems administrator and business analyst at PC World in the United Kingdom. Earlier, he worked as a computer technician at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) – Crops Research Institute in Ghana.
At KNUST, Prof. Twum’s research explores secure computer networks, data protection, cloud-based systems, computer vision, and machine learning. He has published extensively in peer-reviewed international journals, including PLOS ONE, IEEE Access, MDPI Sensors, Springer, and Informatica, with his work attracting more than 200 citations on Google Scholar.
Beyond research, he has played a visible role in shaping higher education and professional standards in Ghana. Prof. Twum has served on national bodies such as the National Accreditation Board (now the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission, GTEC) and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC). He has also been appointed by the National Teaching Council as an examiner and subject expert for ICT in Ghana’s teacher licensure examinations.
His expertise is regularly sought by universities across the country, where he serves as an external examiner and external assessor for computer science and information technology programmes, as well as for academic promotions. He has also contributed to STEM education as a resource person for workshops organised by the Ghana Science Association.
Internationally, Prof. Twum has provided scholarly service as a reviewer for several academic journals and as a member of the Editorial Advisory Board of the African Union’s Africa Centre for the Study and Research on Terrorism. He has also been invited to speak at global academic events, including the Global Summit on Electronics and Electrical Engineering in Chicago.
Within KNUST, he has held a range of academic and administrative roles, including
Story by: Edith Asravor