Naa Dedei Tagoe

Dr Naa Dedei Tagoe is a senior lecturer and researcher in the Department of Geomatic Engineering at the University of Mines and Technology, Tarkwa, and holds a PhD in Geomatics from the University of Cape Town. She also serves as a member of the FIG Climate Compass Task Force. She is a geomatics engineer and licensed land surveyor where she is involved in photogrammetry, geospatial technologies and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mapping.

Early life

At an early age, Dr. Dedei Tagoe developed an interest in geomatics and spatial sciences. In an interview, she said that her father, who was into surveying, introduced her to technical drawing and fieldwork activities which influenced her decision to pursue a career in geomatics engineering. During her university days, she was among the few women in a prominent male-dominated engineering program. This experience shaped her to advocate for women's participation in science and engineering. She has over 15 years of experience in managing health research capacity strengthening programs and building institutional research.

Education

Dr. Dede Tagoe attained her Bachelor of Science degree in Geodetic Engineering from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). She later pursued her postgraduate degree of Master of Science in Photogrammetry and Geoinformatics from Stuttgart University of Applied Science, Germany. She continued to obtain her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Geomatics, where she specialized in photogrammetry at University of Cape Town from 2012 to 2016. Her research was focused on extracting spatial information from imagery, which included panoramic images used in spatial analysis and cultural heritage documentation.

Career

Dr. Dede Tagoe joined the Geomatics engineering department of the University of Mines and Technology (UMAT) as a lecturer before 2010. Her work included teaching and research in geospatial science, including remote sensing, photogrammetry, geographic information systems (GIS) and drone-based mapping.

In 2025, she was promoted to Associate Professor of Geomatics, which made her the first female academic in Ghana to specialize in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) application and photogrammetry at that level.