Sulemana Bawa Gbewaa

Meet Sulemana Bawa — Nominee for Welfare Officer

Sulemana Bawa is a DPhil candidate in Ecology at Oriel College, University of Oxford. His research focuses on advancing eco-acoustic monitoring for nature recovery, using artificial intelligence and unsupervised machine learning to analyse soundscapes and assess ecosystem resilience.

With a strong foundation in ornithology, herpetology, and freshwater ecology, Sulemana’s work examines species functional structures and energy flows across taxa to evaluate the ecological impact of restoration efforts. A passionate conservation practitioner, he integrates Indigenous knowledge systems with conventional Nature-based Solutions (NbS) through community-led conservation, highlighting the importance of Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) in sustainable resource management.

Sulemana holds a BSc and MPhil from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and a Certificate in Forest Carbon Management from the University of British Columbia (UBC). He is both a Marmont Scholar and an Oriel College Scholar for Sub-Saharan African Scholars. His leadership experience spans academia and conservation, having served as SRC Secretary, Exchange Programmes Coordinator, and Field Programs Coordinator.

A passionate naturalist, Sulemana finds joy in the outdoors and deeply values meaningful human connection in every sphere of life.

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Sulemana’s Vision for the Society

“As Welfare Officer, my vision is to foster an inclusive and supportive environment where every student feels seen, heard, and valued. Having personally experienced the challenges of adapting to Oxford life, I’m committed to creating structured support systems — including peer mentorship, early orientation programs, and mental health resources — to help new students thrive.

I will work closely with students and the administration to address concerns promptly, cultivating a culture of empathy and respect. Beyond Oxford, I aim to lead outreach and sensitisation programs in Ghana to inspire students to pursue world-class opportunities with confidence and ambition.

No student should ever feel unworthy of Oxford — and together, we can ensure they never do.”