Naya James Mbabila profile photo

Naya James Mbabila

Graduate Biomedical Engineer | Leader

Profile Summary

I am leveraging STEM and leadership to transform the African Medical Technology landscape.

Areas of Interest

Biophotonics
Medical Imaging & Sensing
Medical Signal & Image Processing
Biophysics
Bioinstrumentation
Telemedicine & Telemetry
Photonics
Biomedical Engineering Systems
Engineering Design
Biomaterials
Tissue Engineering
Biomechanics
IoMT
Nanotechnology
Sustainable Healthcare
Medical Physics
Cybersecurity
Quantum Computing
Artificial Intelligence
Web Development
Numerical Methods
Bioinformatics
Leadership
Management
STEM Education
Finance

Education

Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Biomedical Engineering | First Class Honours

Department of Biomedical Engineering
School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana

University of Ghana, Legon

2022 - Expected Graduation: February 2026

  • GPA: 3.81/4.0 (First Class Honours)
  • Capstone Project: Design of Novel Aspirator Connector for Fluid Evacuation during Cesarean Sections
  • Honors & Leadership: Dean's Honor List; OBED Fellow; President, GSBE-UG; Speaker of Parliament, ESUG; Electoral Commission Chair, ESUG

General Science Program

Nandom Senior High School

2018 - 2021

  • Highlights: Contestant, National Science & Maths Quiz (NSMQ 2021); Contestant, Senior High School Renewable Energy Challenge (SHSREC 2021); Health Prefect (2020/2021)

Professional and Academic Experience Highlights

Founder and Operations Manager

INNOGEN | Institute for Innovation and Next-Generation Engineering

Nov 2025 - Present

Ghana

  • Co-founded institute dedicated to accessible healthcare innovation and engineering education in Africa
  • Led technical workshops, including "Building Low-Cost X-Ray Machines," guiding participants through medical imaging physics, component design, and local fabrication pipelines
  • Developing open-source models and cost-reduction strategies for medical device manufacturing

Teaching Assistant (Medical Physics, Biophysics, Bioelectronics)

Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Ghana

Jan 2026 - Present

Accra, Ghana · Hybrid

  • Support professors in curriculum delivery, student instruction, and laboratory facilitation for undergraduate courses.

Editorial Board Member (National Service Personnel)

School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana

Nov 2025 - Present

Legon, Accra · On-site

Fully-Funded Global Delegate, Future Action Summit Malaysia 2025

Echo Change

Nov 27 – 30, 2025

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

  • Selected as one of top ten fully-funded participants from thousands of global applicants
  • Led working group on Medical Technology and Policy for Post-2030 Youth Charter
  • Engaged in SDG discussions with international changemakers and leaders

President, GSBE-UG

Ghana Society of Biomedical Engineering - University of Ghana

August 2023 - August 2024

  • Spearheaded GSBE-UG as its 2nd President, enhancing member engagement and organizational reach
  • Designed and implemented diverse programs including peer mentorship, Learning Space, 3 industrial field trips, and professional development seminars
  • Pioneered maiden Nationwide BME Webinar through collaboration across 7 universities

2024 OBED Fellow, Global Health Design Initiative

University of Michigan & University of Ghana | OBED Fellowship

Aug 2024 – Sep 2024

Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra

  • Conducted comprehensive needs assessment in Obstetrics and Gynecology through ethnographic observation, interviews, and stakeholder engagement
  • Assessed 60 unique problems, developed design specifications for capstone project
  • Supervised by Ing. Prof. Elsie Effah Kaufmann, Dr. Claude Fiifi Hayford, Dr. Dhanalakshmi Thiyagarajan, and Prof. Julia Kramer

Leadership Roles (continued)

Aspire Leaders Program Participant

Aspire Institute (Harvard-founded)

Feb 2026 - Present · 2 mos

Remote

  • Participating in a free global leadership development journey focused on strengths assessment, professional skills, and building trust as a leader.

Panel Discussion Moderator

World Engineering Day Celebration (UNESCO-supported) | School of Engineering Sciences

Mar 2026 · 1 mo

University of Ghana

  • Moderated panel discussion at the World Engineering Day event organized by the School of Engineering Sciences with support from UNESCO.

Debate Judge

IMPLEMENTERS · 5th Annual Impact Roundtable Discussions and Robotics Competition (AIRTAD 2026)

Feb 2026 · 1 mo

University of Ghana · On-site

  • Selected as judge for the debate on "Innovation should be prioritized over academic excellence" at an international event with delegates from Ghana, Liberia and The Gambia.

Moderator

Advancing Computational Neuroscience Through Collaborative Learning Webinar Series

Apr 2025 - May 2025 · 2 mos

  • Moderated Days 4 & 5 of a 5-day international webinar series featuring speakers from University College London, University of Ghana, and Yale School of Medicine. Supported by Allen Institute, Ghana Society of Biomedical Engineers, Ghana Neuroscience Society, and University of Amsterdam.

Ambassador

Studentpreneur Africa Network (SAN)

Feb 2025 - Apr 2025 · 3 mos

Ghana · On-site

  • Represented the network and promoted student entrepreneurship across African campuses.

Campus Ambassador

Euron

Nov 2024 - Apr 2025 · 6 mos

Hybrid

  • Promoted Euron's programs and engaged with student community.

Speaker of Parliament

Engineering Students Association of University of Ghana (ESUG)

November 2024 - September 2025

Previously: Electoral Commission Chair (Sep 2023-Aug 2024) 2nd Deputy Electoral Commissioner (Jun-Aug 2023)
  • Presided over parliamentary sessions for 19th ESUG Administration during General Assemblies
  • Facilitated policy approvals and resolutions for 1,000+ engineering students
  • Successfully conducted free, fair, and incident-free elections for executive positions

Head, Project Department

Street Fund Global Foundation Ghana

Jan 2025 - Present

  • Lead strategic planning, implementation, and oversight of community-focused social impact initiatives

Professional Experience (continued)

Biomedical Engineering Intern

Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital

May 2023 - Aug 2023 & Feb 2024 – Apr 2024

Kumasi, Ghana

  • Participated in calibrating, troubleshooting, servicing, repairing, and maintaining medical equipment including X-ray, MRI, ventilators, dialysis and anesthesia machines
  • Programmed and deployed EquiBase medical equipment inventory software for department management

Medical Laboratory Intern

Powerhouse Hospital

Oct 2022 – Dec 2022

Kumasi, Ghana

  • Performed laboratory analyses on biological samples (hematology, clinical chemistry, microbiology, serology)
  • Conducted procedures including blood cross-matching and microscopic examinations using diagnostic equipment

Academic & Committee Roles

Building Expansion Committee Member

School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana

Jan 2025 - Present

  • Contributing to planning and expansion of engineering facilities

Overseer

Science and Maths Club, Nandom Senior High School

2020 – 2021

  • Coordinated club activities including preparation for competitions and organizing internal competitions

Health Prefect

Nandom Senior High School

Mar 2020 – March 2021

  • Led health policies and coordinated student welfare initiatives

Technical Programs & Training

Teaching Assistant

VISPAD Institute of Technology

Oct 2025 - Dec 2025 · 3 mos

  • Led Alpha Lab sessions for the Introduction to Machine Learning Virtual Internship (Semester 1), focusing on foundational algebra and hands-on exercises. Prepared lab notebooks and guided participants through practical machine learning concepts. Received Certificate of Appreciation.

Hospital Planning and Equipment Management Workshop Participant

Hospital Engineering GmbH

Oct 2024 - Nov 2024 · 2 mos

Bioinstrumentation Lab, School of Engineering Sciences · On-site

  • Participated in a 6-day workshop focused on hospital planning and equipment management.

Quantum Computing Program

The Coding School & IBM

October 2022 - April 2023

  • Completed intensive quantum computing course with IBM quantum platform

Biomedical Engineering Immersion

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Summer 2022

  • Participated in virtual immersion program in biomedical engineering

Part-Time & Apprenticeship Roles

Paint Technician Apprentice

Lumba Vehicle Spraying Shop

2013 - 2021

Suame Magazine, Kumasi, Ghana

  • Progressed from preparation tasks to independently executing vehicle painting projects and customer engagement

Scholarships & Recognitions

  • Head of Department Recognition Award for Distinguished Leadership - Department of Biomedical Engineering (July 2025)
  • Best Project Presentation Award - 4th National GSBE Conference (Oct 2024) | Topic: "Design of Echolocation Glasses for Visually Impaired Individuals"
  • Dean's Honor List - School of Engineering Sciences, University of Ghana (2023/2024 Academic Year)
  • Educational Pathways International Scholarship (Jan 2022, Jan 2023, Oct 2023, Oct 2024) | approximately GHC 40,000.00 ($3,600.00 equivalent)
  • Overall Best Student - Nandom Senior High School (2018/19 and 2019/20 Academic Years)

Essential Skills & Certifications

Core Technical Skills

  • Engineering: CAD (SolidWorks, Autodesk Fusion), Medical Equipment Maintenance, Engineering Design, Research, Laboratory Equipment Operation
  • Technology: Python (Django, Scikit-learn, OpenCV, Data Science), MATLAB, Arduino, Proteus Design Suite, Machine Learning, SIEM, Cyber Security

Recent Certifications

  • Certificate of Oral Presentation - ICAST 2025 International Student Conference, Kumamoto University & National Chiayi University (Dec 2025)
  • Certificate of Poster Presentation - Medical Innovation Expo, Academic City University, Accra (Oct 2025)
  • Google Advanced Data Analytics Certificate - Coursera & Google (2025)
  • Google Project Management Professional Certificate - Coursera & Google (2024)
  • Hospital Planning & Design and Equipment Management - Hospital Engineering Academy (November 2024)
  • Particle Physics: An Introduction - Coursera & Université de Genève (Nov 2023)
  • Quantum Computing - Qubit by Qubit, The Coding School & IBM (Oct 2022 - Apr 2023)

→ View complete skills profile and certifications

Professional Memberships

  • Ghana Institution of Engineering - Student Member (2024-Present)
  • The Field Engineer - Student Member (2023-Present)
  • Elsie Effah Kaufmann Foundation - Volunteer (2023-Present)
  • Vispad Institute of Technology, Ghana - Member and Teaching Assistant (2022-Present)

Research Projects

→ View full project portfolio

References: Available upon request