Meet the Nigerian teacher helping shape the future of STEM education across continents

When conversations turn to the future of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), attention often gravitates toward breakthrough technologies, billion-dollar startups, or the entrepreneurs bringing innovation to market. Yet behind every scientist, engineer, inventor, and researcher is an educator whose influence extends far beyond the classroom.

For Professor Ben Akpan, that influence has become a life’s work.

Over a career spanning more than four decades, the Nigerian professor of science education has quietly built a reputation as one of Africa’s most respected voices in STEM education. Through educational leadership, curriculum reform, international collaboration, academic publishing, and teacher professional development, Akpan has helped shape how science is taught not only in Nigeria but across the global education community.

His work demonstrates that the future of innovation begins long before discoveries are made. It begins in classrooms, where curiosity is nurtured and young minds are encouraged to ask questions that may one day change the world.

Born on November 11, 1959, in Ikot Akpasia, Ibesikpo Asutan Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria, Akpan’s academic journey laid the foundation for what would become an internationally respected career. He earned a Bachelor of Science Education in Chemistry from the University of Calabar in 1983, followed by a Master’s degree in Science Education from the University of Jos in 1986. In 1999, he completed his PhD in Science Education at the University of Ibadan, further strengthening his expertise in science education research and pedagogy.

While those academic accomplishments were significant, they marked only the beginning of a career defined by impact rather than titles.

Strengthening STEM Education in Nigeria

Professor Akpan has spent years at the forefront of efforts to improve science education in Nigeria through his leadership as Executive Director of the Science Teachers Association of Nigeria (STAN).

Under his stewardship, STAN has continued to champion initiatives aimed at improving science teaching standards, supporting educators, strengthening curriculum implementation, and promoting wider access to quality STEM education.

His contributions have been particularly visible in curriculum development. Akpan played an important role in advancing Nigeria’s revised nine-year Basic Education Curriculum, especially the Basic Science and Technology component, which was designed to encourage scientific thinking from an early age.

Recognising that educational reform depends largely on those who stand before students every day, he has consistently advocated continuous professional development for science teachers. Throughout his career, he has argued that strengthening teachers ultimately strengthens the nation’s scientific development future.

His commitment has also extended to educational infrastructure. In 2022, acting at the behest of STAN, he initiated efforts to establish a world-class STEM Education Centre at Yakubu Gowon University Abuja, a project intended to provide modern facilities for teacher training, research, innovation, and science education.

Although deeply committed to Nigeria’s educational advancement, Professor Akpan’s work has never been confined by geography.

His influence has reached classrooms, universities, and professional organisations across continents through his leadership within the International Council of Associations for Science Education (ICASE), where he served as President between 2011 and 2013.

Even after completing his presidential tenure, he remained actively involved, serving as Chair of the World Conferences Standing Committee for the following decade. In those capacities, he helped strengthen international collaboration among science educators while supporting conversations around improving science teaching in diverse educational systems.

Earlier in his career, Akpan also served as Secretary of the Africa Branch of the Commonwealth Association of Science, Technology and Mathematics Educators (CASTME), contributing to initiatives that strengthened science education throughout the Commonwealth.

International recognition of his expertise came as early as 1994, when the Commonwealth Secretariat commissioned him to produce a monograph Implementing Science & Technology for All: A Guide to Better Policy and Practice for Teachers. The publication formed part of an international effort to improve science education policy and classroom practice across member countries.

He has also contributed to multinational teams focused on strengthening science education in challenging environments and developing science teaching resources tailored to the West African region.

The Scholar Behind Influential Global Publications

Beyond institutional leadership, Professor Akpan has established himself as one of the most prolific contributors to contemporary science education literature.

His editorial work has brought together leading scholars from around the world to examine both the challenges and future direction of science education.

Among his most recognised publications is Science Education: A Global Perspective, published by Springer Nature, which explores emerging developments in science education while examining how scientific learning can coexist with diverse cultural perspectives.

He also co-edited Science Education: An International Course Companion, an internationally respected academic resource book designed for undergraduate and postgraduate science education programmes.

His contributions continued through Science Education in Theory and Practice, which bridges educational theory with practical classroom application, offering science educators evidence-based approaches to improving science teaching.

Another notable publication, Science Education: Visions of the Future, looks decades ahead, inviting scholars to consider how science education should evolve to prepare future generations for an increasingly complex world.

His editorial portfolio also includes Contemporary Issues in Science and Technology Education, which addresses modern challenges including sustainability, technological advancement, curriculum innovation, scientific literacy, and twenty-first-century learning.

Some additional global publications currently in development further demonstrate his ongoing commitment to advancing global scholarship in science education.

Influencing Research Worldwide

Professor Akpan’s contribution to science education extends beyond writing books.

He serves on the editorial boards of several international journals, including the Australian Journal of Science and Technology, Journal of Contemporary Educational Research, Action Research and Innovation in Science Education (ARISE), APEduC Journal on Research and Practices in Science Education, Mathematics, and Technology, and the Journal of Research in STEM Education.

Through these editorial roles, he helps guide emerging research while supporting academic excellence within the international science education community.

Throughout his career, Professor Akpan has consistently promoted STEM education not merely as an academic discipline but as a strategic investment in national progress.

His research interests span chemistry education, emerging technologies, environmental education, regenerative science, space science, and teacher development, reflecting a multidisciplinary approach to solving educational challenges.

Whether speaking to policymakers, researchers, educators, or students, his message has remained remarkably consistent: societies that invest in quality science education invest in their future prosperity.

His leadership style has been defined not by personal acclaim but by institution building strengthening organisations, empowering educators, encouraging research, and creating systems capable of producing lasting impact.

Professor Ben Akpan’s story is ultimately one of quiet influence.

Unlike many public figures whose impact is measured by headlines, his legacy is reflected in stronger classrooms, better-prepared teachers, improved curricula, internationally recognised scholarship, and generations of students who may never know the extent of his contribution to their education.

As countries continue investing in science and technology to solve global challenges from climate change and healthcare to artificial intelligence and sustainable development, the importance of effective STEM education has never been more evident.

For more than forty years, Professor Ben Akpan has worked to ensure that science education keeps pace with that future.

His career serves as a reminder that long before scientific breakthroughs transform the world, someone must first inspire the minds capable of creating them. For countless educators and learners across Nigeria and beyond, Professor Ben Akpan has been one of those people.