From Alumna to Global Scholar: Prof. Esther Adama Returns to Inspire the Next Generation of Nurse Researchers at KNUST
There are moments in academia that feel full circle, and this was certainly one of them.
The KNUST School of Nursing and Midwifery recently welcomed home one of its own, Prof. Esther Adama of Federation University, Australia, who returned not just as an alumna, but as a global nursing scholar with a powerful message for the next generation.
Invited by Prof. Edward Appiah Boateng, Head of the Department of Nursing, to deliver an in-person lecture to MPhil Nursing students enrolled in the Research Methods course, Professor Adama transformed the classroom into a vibrant space of reflection, inquiry, and intellectual engagement. The lecture formed part of the Research Methods course facilitated by a dedicated team at the School of Nursing and Midwifery, led by Professor Victoria Bam, Dr. Mrs. Abigail Kusi-Amponsah Diji, and Dr. Collins Atta Poku.
But this was more than a guest lecture, it was a homecoming with purpose.
Bringing the World Back Home
Drawing from her extensive research portfolio at Federation University, Prof. Adama walked students through the depth and power of qualitative research methodologies. Her presentation, titled “Working with Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) using Qualitative Methodologies” was not merely theoretical as it was grounded in lived realities.
Given the distinct and interpretive nature of qualitative inquiry, she challenged students to move beyond numbers and statistics, urging them to engage deeply with the human stories, lived experiences, and contextual realities that shape healthcare practice.
Her work with parents in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs), particularly fathers’ experiences and sociocultural influences on infant care, provided compelling examples of how qualitative methodologies such as phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, narrative inquiry, and case study designs can inform policy, strengthen clinical practice, and improve family wellbeing.
A Living Example for MPhil. Nursing Students
For the MPhil. Nursing cohort, the impact was immediate. Students engaged in thoughtful dialogue, asked probing methodological questions, and reflected critically on how qualitative research could strengthen their own studies.
More importantly, they saw what is possible.
Prof. Adama once sat in the same lecture rooms. Today, she leads nursing research across continents. Her journey stands as a testament to what alumni of the School of Nursing and Midwifery can achieve when commitment meets opportunity.
A Call to Alumni: Come Back and Lift Others
Her visit embodies the very spirit of academic community, returning to uplift the next generation.
As the School of Nursing and Midwifery continues to strengthen research capacity and expose postgraduate students to global best practices, alumni engagement remains essential. When graduates come back to share expertise, mentor emerging scholars, and build international bridges, their impact reaches far beyond a single lecture.
Prof. Esther Adama has demonstrated that no matter how far one’s journey leads, home is always a powerful place to give back. The School encourages alumni across Ghana and the diaspora to follow this example ... reconnect, collaborate, and help shape the future of nursing and midwifery scholarship because when alumni return, they don’t just teach, they inspire!
