Dr. Thomas Owusu Mensah is one of the four scientist who contributed immensely to the development of fiber optics and nanotechnology. He was a chemical engineer and inventor. His work significantly increased production speed and helped make fiber optics a more affordable technology. Among his 14 patents, he secured 7 in fiber optics technologies over the span of six years which is a remarkable achievement.
However, it’s disheartening that whenever his accomplishments are highlighted, some, question his legitimacy. This skepticism reflects the lingering effects of colonial brainwashing that many Africans still contend with. Despite ample evidence, patents and recognitions published by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, some people still cast doubt on his integrity. Yet, if he were white, there likely wouldn’t be a single question about his achievements.
Dr. Mensah was a committed Pan-Africanist, passionate about African self-determination. He sought to change the narrative that Blacks are inferior and that global advancements come solely from Europeans. He believed that Black people are just as capable, if not more so, than any other race. This conviction inspired him to write his book, The Right Stuff Comes in Black Too.
Dr. Mensah was dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by many Africans. He launched an initiative called “Moving Ghana into the 21st Century,” aimed at driving progress and innovation across the continent. He also proposed a 21st Century Infrastructure Modernization Plan in a form of High-Speed Rail System for Ghana.
These rail way system was to link two of the nation’s important port cities; Accra and Takoradi to Tamale passing through Kumasi. He proposed the installation of fiber optic cables along the High-Speed Rail System routes, allowing passengers to access the internet while traveling at speeds of 200-300 mph. The high-speed system would cut the travel time from Takoradi to Tamale from nearly 14 hours to just one and a half hours.
Dr. Mensah also envisioned connecting like-minded individuals and colleagues in the diaspora, such as Dr. Victor Laurence from Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey, Dr. Dotsevi Sogah from Cornell University, Hypersonic Expert Dr. Isaiah Blankson from NASA, Richard Okine, President of DuPont Africa, and Dr. Kwadwo Osseo-Assare from Penn State University. Many of them are willing to serve as advisors, with some even considering relocating to Ghana to contribute to the country’s development.
For those who may not be familiar with Dr. Mensah, here’s a brief background.
Dr. Thomas Owusu Mensah was born in Kumasi, Ghana. He is a former student of Adisadel College in Cape Coast and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Montpellier University in France and a Certificate in Modeling of Chemical Processes from the world acclaimed Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the USA.
Dr. Mensah has held high-level engineering positions in the US. First at Air Products and Chemicals, then joined Corning Glass Works, working in fiber optics research at Sullivan Park, New York in 1983. He received the Corning Glass Works Individual Outstanding Contributor Award for this work in 1985.
He moved to Bell laboratories in 1986, where he led a program to develop the first laser guided weapons for the US Department of Defense guided missile program. This program enabled the development of missiles that travel at the speed of sound. Mensah also founded the High Tech firm Supercond Technology that specializes in Aerospace and Communication products. His firm focuses on advanced structural materials development for Supersonic US Fighter Aircraft like the F-22, which is among the fastest aircrafts. He would eventually become the Founder of Georgia Aerospace which manufactures specialized parts for stealth aircraft.
He is the first and only Black person to have served as the National Chairman of the Materials and Engineering Sciences Division at the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. Recently, he was one of just three Black men recognized by the National Academy of Inventors, out of 167. The other two were Dr. Mark E. Dean, formerly of IBM and now at the University of Tennessee, and Babatunde Ayodeji Ogunnaike, Dean of the University of Delaware, who sadly passed away in 2022.
Dr. Mensah has received several awards including Turner’s Trumpet Award for Fiber Optics Innovation, Percy Julian Award, and Golden Torch Award which is the highest award by National Society Black Engineers. In 2015, he was inducted into the U.S. National Academy of Inventors.
Dr. Mensah returned to Ghana from the U.S. to contribute to the development of the country’s technology infrastructure, applying the knowledge he gained abroad. He stated, “I am not interested in complaining about the challenges of the system in Ghana; instead, I want to be part of the movement returning to Ghana to help accelerate its development.”
He organized and chaired numerous workshops and conferences in collaboration with the government of Ghana to bring his visionary ideas to life.
Sadly, Dr. Mensah passed away on March 27, 2024. He left behind a remarkable legacy in science and engineering, leaving us with the pressing question: What’s next? Who will carry the torch he lit? Will his dreams become yet another unfulfilled promise?
This issue highlights one of the key challenges faced not only by Ghana but by Africa as a whole- continuity. While other countries sponsor their citizens to study abroad and return to contribute to nation-building, some of our brightest minds, like Dr. Mensah, Trebi Ollenu, Ave Kludze and many others often return to little attention or recognition. As a matter of fact we barely hear of them.
In April 2024, it was reported on that 12 bullet trains, assembled in Poland by the Polish rail manufacturer PESA, arrived at Tema Port. These trains were inspired by Dr. Mensah’s proposal. We can only hope that the groundbreaking innovations and efforts Dr. Mensah invested do not fade away. His contributions must be preserved and advanced.
