Prof. Sandow Mark Yidana

Provost (CBAS)

Contact info smyidana@ug.edu.gh

About

Prof. Sandow Mark Yidana is a Professor of Hydrogeology with specialization in Numerical Modelling of groundwater flow and solute transport. He also has expertise in Geostatistics and the Advanced Statistical Applications in the Earth Sciences. Prof holds a PhD in Environmental Management from Montclair State University in the United States of America. He has published over 65 articles in International Peer Review Journals and other outlets of significant global impact and has been copiously cited by his peers globally.

Sandow Mark Yidana is a Professor of Hydrogeology with concentration in applied numerical modelling of groundwater flow and solute transport. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology from the University of Ghana, and a PhD in Environmental Management (with concentration in groundwater modelling) from Montclair State University in New Jersey, USA. He joined the faculty at the Department of Earth Science as a Lecturer in August 2009, having previously worked as a Project Geologist at the Utah Department of Natural Resources in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA. Prof. Yidana was promoted to the rank of Senior Lecturer in 2011 and Associate Professor in 2013. He was subsequently promoted to the rank of Professor in February 2017. Over the period, he has served in various academic and administrative portfolios to contribute to the governance of the University of Ghana and other professional organizations. He served as Departmental Examinations Officer from August 2010 to July 2014 and was subsequently appointed School Examinations Officer for the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences in August 2014. In August 2016, Prof. Yidana was appointed Head of the Department of Earth Science, and having discharged himself creditably, he was appointed Dean of the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences in August 2019. Prof. Yidana’s appointment as Dean was renewed for a second term in August 2022. He is currently the Provost of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences where he offers bold, inspirational, and visionary leadership which creates an enabling environment to stimulate excellence in teaching and learning, cutting-edge research and innovations, while ensuring engaged and motivated stakeholders. Prof. Yidana has previously served as Coordinator of the GhanAqua project from January 2015 to April 2021. His research works have led to the publication of over 90 peer reviewed articles in international journals and other outlets and have been copiously cited by his peers all over the world. He has also led the development of important national water resources governance documents including management plans for the White Volta, Oti, and Black Volta Basins. His research works are pioneering in the application of advanced statistical methodology to the understanding of the sources of variation in groundwater hydrochemistry and general quality in Ghana. 

Prof. Yidana has mentored several professionals at the PhD, MPhil, and MSc levels both within the University of Ghana system and among partner institutions. He has served on many boards and committees including the Appointments and Promotions Board, Academic Board (University and College), Board of the Office of Research, Innovation and Development, Management Committee of the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Management Committee of the Accra City Campus, Registry Appointments Review Committee, and a host of others. Prof. Yidana has an unwavering penchant for the adoption of technological processes to promote innovations in administration, teaching, and research administration and has provided leadership in that regard at various levels in his academic and administrative careers. His leadership has contributed to the mobilization of teaching and research resources exceeding fifty million United States Dollars (USD 50 million) over the years. 

As a Professor of Hydrogeology, he has provided consultancy services to many organizations including the United Nations Development Program, World Vision Mozambique, Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, A Rocha Ghana, Water Resources Commission, Water, Climate and Environment Program (WACDEP), Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovations among others. Since 2013, he has been on the Editorial Board of the Journal of African Earth Sciences (Elsevier) where he serves as a subject editor for Hydrogeology and regional editor for West Africa. Prof. Yidana is a Fellow at the Ghana Institute of Geoscientist and a member of the International Association of Hydrogeologists, the American Geophysical Union, among others.  

Education

[BSc( (Ghana), PhD (Montclair)]

Research Interest

  • Subsurface fluid flow and solute transport modelling
  • Climate change and rural livelihoods 
  • Impacts of climate change on water resources and health of vulnerable populations
  • Advanced statistical and geostatistical applications in environmental resource modelling
  • Application of artificial intelligence to natural resources governance (with particular emphasis on water resources governance).

Publications

Recent 15 articles out of over 90

  1. Yidana, S.M., Dzikunoo, E.A., Mejida, R.A., Ackom, E.K., Chegbeleh, L.P., Loh, Y.S.A., Banoeng‑Yakubo, B.K., Akabzaa, T.M. (2024). Evaluating groundwater resources trends through multiple conceptual models and GRACE satellite data. Environ Monit Assess, 196:290 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-12457-w
  2. Yeboah, F., Ackom, E.K., Yidana, S.M., Awotwi, A. (2024). Hydrologic Modelling for Flood Threshold and Hazard Prediction in the Black Volta River Basin, West Africa. Environmental Modeling & Assessment https://doi.org/10.1007/s10666-023-09946-6
  3. Yidana, S.M., Dzikunoo, E.A., Tetteh, J.D., Mejida, R.A. (2024). Multiple Conceptual Model Approach for Assessing Groundwater Resources Sustainability Under Multiple Stresses. Water Resources Management, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11269-023-03662-2
  4. Fynn, O.F., Dzikunoo, E.A., Chegbeleh, L.P., Yidana, S.M. (2023). Enhancing adaptation to climate change through groundwater‑based irrigation. Sustainable Water Resources Management, 9:36.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s40899-023-00814-5
  5. Loh, Y.S., Fynn, O.F., Manu, E., Afrifa, G.Y., Addai, M.O., Akurugu, B.A., Yidana, S.M. (2022). Groundwater ‑ surface water interactions: application of hydrochemical and stable isotope tracers to the Lake Bosumtwi area in Ghana. Environmental Earth Sciences, 81:518 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-022-10644-x
  6. Afrifa, G.Y., Chegbeleh, L.P., Sakyi, P.A., Yidana, S.M., Loh, Y.A.S., Ansah-Narh, T., Manu, E. (2022). Quantifying nitrate pollution sources and natural background in an equatorial context: a case of the Densu Basin, Ghana. Hydrological Sciences, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/02626667.2022.2114357
  7. Aliou, A-S., Dzikunoo, E., Yidana, S.M., Loh, Y., Chegbeleh, L.P. (2022). Investigation of Geophysical Signatures for Successful Exploration of Groundwater in Highly Indurated Sedimentary Basins: A Look at the Nasia Basin, NE Ghana. Natural Resources Research (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11053-022-10125-9
  8. Tetteh, J.D., Templeton, M.R., Cavanaugh, A., Bixby, H., Owusu, G., Yidana, S.M., Moulds, S.  Robinson, B., Baumgartner, J., Annim, S.K., Quartey, R., Mintah, S.E., Bawah, A.A., Arku, R.E., Ezzati, M., Agyei‑Mensah, S. (2022). Spatial heterogeneity in drinking water sources in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area (GAMA), Ghana. Population and Environment https://doi.org/10.1007/s11111-022-00407-y
  9. Afrifa, G., Ansah-Narh, T., Doe, C., Loh, Y.A., Sakyi, P.A., Chegbeleh, L.P., Yidana, S.M. (2022). A gamma mixture model‑based approach for the estimation of natural background levels of NO3 −–N in groundwater. Modeling Earth Systems and Environment https://doi.org/10.1007/s40808-022-01415-5
  10. Mensah, J.K., Ofosu, E.A.m Akpoti, K., Kabo-Bah, A.T., Okyere, S.A, Yidana, S.M. (2022). Modelling current and future groundwater demands in the White Volta River Basin of Ghana under climate change and socio-economic scenarios. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 41 (2022) 101117. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejrh.2022.101117
  11. Mensah, J.K., Ofosu, E.A., Yidana, S.M. Akpoti, K., Kabo-Bah, A.T. (2022). Integrated modeling of hydrological processes and groundwater recharge based on land use land cover, and climate changes: A systematic review. Environmental Advances, 8 (2022) 100224. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envadv.2022.100224 
  12. Akurugu, B.A., Obuobie, E., Yidana, S.M., Stisen, S., Seidenfaden, I.K., Chegbeleh, L.P. (2022). Groundwater resources assessment in the Densu Basin: A review. Journal of Hydrology: Regional Studies, 40 (2022) 101017
  13. Yidana, S.M., Dzikunoo, E.A., Aliou, A-S., Adams, R.M., Chegbeleh, L.P., Anani, C. (2020). The geological and hydrogeological framework of the Panabako, Kodjari, and Bimbilla formations of the Voltaian supergroup – Revelations from groundwater hydrochemical data. Applied Geochemistry, 115, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apgeochem.2020.104533
  14. Dzikunoo, E.A., Vignoli, G., Fleming, J., Yidana, S.M., Banoeng-Yakubo, B. (2020). New regional stratigraphic insights from a 3D geological model of the Nasia sub-basin, Ghana, developed for hydrogeological purposes and based on reprocessed B-field data originally collected for mineral exploration. Solid Earth, 11:349–361, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-11-349-2020
  15. Chegbeleh, L.P., Akurugu, B., Yidana, S.M. (2020). Assessment of Groundwater Quality in the Talensi District, Northern Ghana. The Scientific World Journal Volume 2020, Article ID 8450860, 24 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8450860