(Photo: private)
Field of research : Forestry; conservation social science; protected areas and international biodiversity conservation; social-ecological systems research
Address: Forestry Program, 1205 Lincoln Drive, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL 62901, USA
E-mail:k.akamani[at]siu.edu
Profile
Dr. Kofi Akamani is a Professor of Forest Recreation and Conservation Social Science and Director of Graduate Study in the School of Forestry and Horticulture at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, USA. His multidisciplinary academic training is in the fields of development planning and the human dimensions of natural resource management. Dr. Akamani received his Ph.D. in Natural Resource Sciences from the University of Idaho. Prior to that, he had obtained an MPhil in Culture, the Environment and Sustainability from the University of Oslo, as well as a BSc. degree in planning from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Ghana. His teaching and research agenda are aimed at gaining a theoretical understanding of human-environment interactions across multiple scales and also informing policies that promote human well-being and ecosystem health across the rural-urban continuum. He has extensive research experience on transitions in the governance of forests and water resources and their implications for the resilience of rural resource-dependent communities in Ghana, the US and several other countries. Dr. Akamani has had the opportunity of collaborating with leading scientists across the US and internationally on several high-profile scientific assessments, including the Fifth National Climate Assessment of the US, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) nexus assessment, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Global Environment Outlook 7 report; and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) forests as pillars for social and economic resilience assessment. Dr. Akamani is a member of several scientific organizations, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science. He is a member of the US National Committee for the IUBS. Dr. Akamani is a recipient of the 2016 Early Career Faculty Excellence Award from the College of Agriculture at Southern Illinois University, as well as the 2023 International Alumni Achievement Award from the University of Idaho’s College of Natural Resources. In June 2026, he was elected to a three-year term as Secretary General of IUBS.