GLASGOW, Scotland – A Liberian national, Yussuff M. Sarnoh, has received a Doctorate in Philosophy in Climate Change from the prestigious University of Glasgow in the United Kingdom.
He joins other Liberian professionals with higher academic distinctions in the diaspora. However, as most Liberians do not typically specialize, Dr. Sarnoh chose to specialize in climate change.
Dr. Sarnoh boasts a rich academic pedigree, having previously earned his Master’s degree in Climate Change with a focus on climate modeling from the University of East Anglia, UK.
He also holds a Master’s degree in Geography and Regional Planning with an emphasis on Population Statistics and Migration from the University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria, after obtaining his undergraduate degree in Geography and Regional Planning Sciences with a focus on physical geography from the University of Ado-Ekiti in Nigeria.
Additionally, he obtained professional certifications in Environment and Sustainable Development, as well as International Cooperation and Development.
As a climate scientist, Dr. Sarnoh specializes in climate risk assessment and environmental science. His research focuses on understanding how past climate patterns can inform humanity about the changes the global community is experiencing in agricultural activities, especially crop production, and what the global community might expect in the future.
Dr. Sarnoh’s pursuit of breaking new frontiers of knowledge is rooted in his belief in the preservation of nature and its impact on human conditions on Earth. His research experiences involve identifying variations in climate (as observed, modeled, and recorded in proxies) and understanding their causes in terms of natural and anthropogenic climate processes. This understanding of these variations provides the basis for making informed projections of possible future climate change.
In preparation for the award of his PhD, Dr. Sarnoh took an interest in studying the climatic conditions of his native Liberia. He focused on identifying changes in the occurrence of heavy and extreme precipitation during the rainy season, as well as dry spells and an increase in temperature, which sometimes lead to crop failure and a reduction in yield.
In his research, Dr. Sarnoh established that the vulnerability of rural farmers mainly stems from the adverse impacts of climate change and variability.
During his research on Liberia’s climatic conditions, Dr. Sarnoh investigated the various coping and adaptation strategies required by rural farmers to mitigate the impacts of climate variations.
His recommendations included, but were not limited to, the need for policymakers and the Government of Liberia to formulate sustainable policies that would help reduce the negative effects of climate change, thereby boosting agricultural productivity, especially in crops.
In terms of his professional career path, he currently serves as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at the University of Glasgow, where he works as a lecturer and lab leader.
Additionally, he has over 10 years of practical working experience in statistics and demographic research at the Liberian Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS).
In his capacity as senior staff, he served as a focal person for Monitoring and Evaluation, MDGs, SDGs, PARIS 21 programs (National Data Archive), and head of research.
Dr. Sarnoh also has approximately 10 years of teaching experience, during which he served as a lecturer at the University of Liberia and approximately five years as Acting Chairman and lecturer at Cuttington University Graduate School of Professional Studies.
In these capacities, he taught both undergraduate and graduate courses in Geography, Spatial Organizations and Planning, and Environmental Management.
The expertise of the Liberian erudite scholar lies in his ability to interact with national and international institutions. He finds pleasure in serving communities by rendering professional services, mainly in the environmental, climate change, and development sectors.
Besides his academic pursuits, he is also a community leader and demonstrated his leadership when he served as Chairman of the Liberian Refugee Council, catering to the welfare needs of Liberian refugees in Nigeria through various international and local organizations.