Dr O. Y. Yansaneh (aka Dr Yans) emerged as the sole Commonwealth Scholarship PhD candidate from Sierra Leone for the September 2018/2019 academic year after going through very tough competitions with more than 200 other fine PhD applicants.
Four years down the line, he invented two novel objects: a reactor (machine) and a catalyst (a material which can increase production and/or process performance). He designed, built and tested the first reactor in the world which can convert polymeric wastes and other solid wastes like plastics to multiple solid (sustainable) products, without producing any liquid (or oil), in a single process, applicable in a wide range of industries like petroleum, chemical, medical, road and civil engineering works, transport, aviation, machinery, agriculture, among others. He also designed, developed and tested a catalyst which can optimise production by more than 200%.
During his PhD research, he made several publications including co-authoring books on science and engineering. His novel PhD research is patentable. Due to his outstanding performance in his PhD, he was awarded with not only a PhD in Chemical Engineering, but two other postgraduate awards including a Postgraduate Diploma in Research Training. The award ceremony took place on the 20th of July 2023 by the University of Hull in the UK. During the ceremony, his university featured him in multiple publications/videos including customising him a clip on their website and other newsfeeds owing to his novel work.
Note, Dr Yans is, arguably, the inventor of Africa’s first solar-powered chicken egg incubator- a work he did in 2011/2012 during his engineering Bachelor’s degree at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone which earned him multiple awards thereafter. More on this story will follow soon.
In summary, he is one of Sierra Leone’s most consistent inventors and scientists.
Congratulations Dr Osman Yusifu Yansaneh- Sierra Leone is proud of you.