ERNEST NII LARTEA AMARTEY is a safety engineering PhD student at the China University of Mining and Technology Prior to his relocation to China, Ernest's roots lie in Ghana, where he spent his formative years, including his primary, secondary, and undergraduate education, before making the significant move to China. His journey in China commenced in 2017 when he embarked on a Master's program in Chemical Engineering, culminating in his graduation in December 2020 and because of the wonderful experiences in CUMT, he continued to study for doctoral degree.
Academics
Driven by a passion to serve and see everyone excel, he took the initiative to share his wealth of experience after graduating in 2020. Thus, he organized the “Thesis and Academic Writing Seminar” with the aim of helping students meet the rigorous thesis writing requirements. Since its inception, this seminar has proven immensely beneficial to numerous graduate students, and it has now evolved into an annual program. Ernest has undertaken research alongside his supervisor, focusing on dust generation and suppression as well as the spontaneous combustion of coal. As a result of his scholarly work, Ernest proudly claims authorship of several research papers. Currently, his research is centered on solving dust generation and control problems using computational fluid dynamics.He has published 5 papers till now.
Getting along and Adapting to Cultural Change
After gaining a profound understanding of the richness and dynamism of Chinese culture, Ernest embarked on a journey of acculturation. He made a solemn commitment to live in accordance with Chinese customs and to immerse himself in the local way of life. Ernest also cherished the countless firsthand experiences he had acquired through participating in various Chinese cultural festivals, including activities such as crafting intricate paper cuttings, indulging in the traditional Chinese tea culture, mastering the art of calligraphy, and mastering the preparation of authentic dishes like zong zi and jiao zi. Moreover, he had the privilege of exploring the breathtaking scenic wonders found in places like Xuzhou, Wenzhou, Yancheng, Beijing, and many others.
A valuable team player and a dedicated assistant
Ernest's dedication to serving others has been evident since 2017 when he immersed himself in the study and lifestyle of China. He has consistently been a prominent figure among international students, taking on various voluntary responsibilities. His journey began with assisting in cleaning and organizing a new office, and later extended to aiding new students with registration-related tasks. Ernest took on a pivotal role as the representative and primary point of contact for Ghanaian students at CUMT, particularly during numerous international cultural festivals.
Due to his remarkable talent for managing and serving people, he has consistently taken on the primary role of overseeing sporting activities for international students since his arrival at the school in 2017. He actively contributes to the organization and coordination of a wide range of sporting events, including table tennis, volleyball, basketball, badminton, and football. Notably, he was one of the two students who spearheaded the inaugural Xuzhou International Students Football Tournament, sponsored by CUMT's International College. In 2019, he led the CUMT football team to an impressive second-place finish in the Hercules tournament.
After successfully completing his master's degree in 2020, he received an invitation to contribute to the daily operations of the International College. Subsequently, he was entrusted with the role of leading a team of ten student staff assistants, dedicated to addressing student-related matters on a daily basis.
Amid the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, he played a vital role in managing students residing in the dormitories, ensuring their adherence to scheduled COVID-19 tests. On numerous occasions, he remained at the testing center to maintain a comprehensive record of students undergoing testing.
In September 2022, when international students were permitted to return to China as borders reopened, he took a prominent role in the reception and supervision of new students during their quarantine period. His responsibilities included receiving students at the designated hotel, assisting with check-in procedures, distributing food supplies, conducting regular temperature checks, overseeing daily COVID-19 testing, and ensuring strict compliance with quarantine protocols.
Then, Now and the Future
His unwavering desire and passion to serve in the healthcare sector initially drove him to explore the technological aspects of solving health-related issues. Consequently, he decided to pursue studies on the formulation of various chemicals like antisera and malaria rapid test kits. However, upon completing his MSc. in Chemical Engineering in China, he came to the realisation that his true calling lay in the realm of human resource engineering. This newfound passion prompted him to switch to a safety engineering program with the goal of safeguarding the workforce in his homeland, Ghana. He aims to address the deficiencies in ergonomic and public safety, leveraging the advantages of Sino cooperation he hopes to become a driving force in securing the future workforce.
