Akorfa Dagadu Named 2027 Schwarzman Scholar for Work in Sustainable Materials and Global Leadership

Akorfa Dagadu, an MIT senior in chemical-biological engineering, has been named a Schwarzman Scholar for the 2026-27 academic year. She will join 149 other scholars from 40 countries and 83 universities at Schwarzman College, Tsinghua University in Beijing, for a fully funded one-year master's program in global affairs. The selection process is highly competitive, with this year's cohort chosen from over 5,800 applicants—the highest number in the program's 11-year history.

Dagadu's selection reflects her dual expertise in technical innovation and systems-level problem solving. At MIT, her research focuses on designing enzyme-polymer systems capable of breaking down plastics at end-of-life. This work, which addresses the critical challenge of plastic waste management, has earned international recognition through publications and the CellPress Rising Scientist Award. Her approach bridges synthetic biology and materials engineering, creating enzymatic systems that can be tailored to specific polymer types—a technical strategy that could make plastic recycling more efficient and economically viable.

Beyond the laboratory, Dagadu founded Ishara, a venture that transforms recycling in Ghana by connecting informal waste pickers to transparent, efficient systems. This initiative addresses a fundamental gap in waste management across many developing economies: the lack of integration between informal collection networks and formal recycling infrastructure. Ishara's model provides digital tools and data systems to formalize the work of waste pickers, improving their income stability while creating traceable supply chains for recyclable materials. The venture has potential to scale across other growth markets facing similar challenges.

The Schwarzman Scholars program, established in 2013, aims to build a global network of leaders with deep understanding of China's evolving role in international affairs. The curriculum at Schwarzman College combines core courses in global affairs, leadership, and China studies with specialized tracks in public policy, economics and business, and international studies. Scholars participate in immersive experiences, including internships, mentorship programs, and cultural activities designed to foster cross-cultural understanding and professional development.

For Dagadu, the program offers a strategic platform to advance her long-term vision: establishing a materials innovation hub in Africa focused on addressing end-of-life challenges for materials ranging from plastics to electronic waste. This ambition connects her technical research on enzymatic degradation with her entrepreneurial experience in building circular economy systems. The global affairs perspective gained at Tsinghua will provide critical context for navigating international policy frameworks, trade relationships, and investment patterns that shape sustainable materials innovation.

The selection process for Schwarzman Scholars evaluates candidates on multiple dimensions: demonstrated leadership potential, academic excellence, and capacity to contribute to the program's mission of fostering cross-cultural understanding. Dagadu's profile—combining cutting-edge research in sustainable materials, entrepreneurial execution in emerging markets, and clear articulation of global impact—aligns closely with these criteria. Her work exemplifies how technical innovation can be leveraged to address systemic challenges in resource management and economic development.

MIT's distinguished fellowships team, part of Career Advising and Professional Development, provides guidance to applicants navigating the Schwarzman Scholars selection process. The Presidential Committee on Distinguished Fellowships offers additional mentorship. This institutional support reflects MIT's commitment to developing leaders who can translate technical expertise into global impact.

The 2026-27 cohort represents the program's continued growth and global reach. Scholars come from diverse backgrounds including engineering, public policy, business, and the sciences, creating a multidisciplinary environment for exploring complex global challenges. For Dagadu, the cohort will include peers with expertise in areas complementary to her own—such as international trade policy, environmental governance, and sustainable finance—creating opportunities for collaborative problem-solving.

Dagadu's trajectory from MIT's labs to global leadership training illustrates a growing pattern: technical experts increasingly need global perspectives to maximize their impact. Whether developing enzymatic systems for plastic degradation or building recycling infrastructure in Ghana, success requires understanding not just the science, but the economic, political, and cultural contexts in which these technologies operate. The Schwarzman Scholars program provides exactly this integration of deep technical knowledge with global strategic thinking.

Her work on Ishara demonstrates how digital tools can formalize informal economies—a concept with applications far beyond recycling. Similar models could be applied to agriculture, artisanal mining, or other sectors where informal labor dominates. The venture's potential to scale across growth markets positions it as a case study in how technology can bridge formal and informal economic systems while creating environmental benefits.

The materials innovation hub Dagadu envisions would address a critical gap in Africa's industrial development: the capacity to manage end-of-life materials locally rather than exporting waste or relying on foreign recycling technologies. Such a hub could integrate research, education, and commercialization, creating a center of excellence for sustainable materials science while generating economic opportunities. This vision aligns with broader efforts to build research and innovation capacity across the continent.

Dagadu's selection as a Schwarzman Scholar highlights the program's recognition of candidates who combine technical mastery with entrepreneurial drive and global perspective. Her work demonstrates that solving complex environmental challenges requires more than scientific innovation—it demands systems thinking, cultural intelligence, and the ability to build partnerships across sectors and geographies. The year at Tsinghua will provide her with frameworks for understanding China's role in global supply chains, technology transfer, and sustainable development—critical knowledge for advancing her vision of a materials innovation hub in Africa.

For MIT students and alumni interested in the Schwarzman Scholars program or other distinguished fellowships, guidance is available through Kimberly Benard, associate dean and director of distinguished fellowships and academic excellence. The program represents one of several pathways MIT provides for students to translate technical expertise into global leadership roles.

Dagadu's journey from Ghana to MIT, and now to Tsinghua University, reflects a growing recognition that the most pressing global challenges—climate change, resource scarcity, sustainable development—require leaders who can navigate both technical complexity and cultural nuance. Her work on enzymatic plastic degradation addresses a scientific challenge with global implications, while her venture in Ghana demonstrates how local solutions can create models for broader application. The Schwarzman Scholars program provides the global framework to connect these threads into a coherent strategy for impact.

As the 2026-27 cohort prepares for their year in Beijing, they join a network of over 600 alumni working across sectors and geographies. For Dagadu, this network will be particularly valuable as she works toward establishing her materials innovation hub. The connections formed at Tsinghua—with peers, faculty, and program partners—will provide access to expertise, resources, and collaborative opportunities that can accelerate her vision from concept to reality.

The Schwarzman Scholars program continues to attract exceptional candidates who combine academic excellence with demonstrated leadership potential. Dagadu's selection underscores the program's commitment to supporting individuals who can bridge technical innovation and global strategy. Her work in sustainable materials and circular economy development represents exactly the kind of interdisciplinary, impact-oriented approach that the program seeks to cultivate among its scholars.

For the broader MIT community, Dagadu's achievement represents the institute's ongoing success in preparing students to address complex global challenges. Her trajectory—from research on enzymatic systems to entrepreneurial ventures in Ghana to global leadership training—illustrates how technical education can be leveraged for systemic impact. The Schwarzman Scholars program provides a platform to amplify this impact, connecting her work to global networks of leaders, resources, and opportunities.

As the 2026-27 academic year approaches, Dagadu will join her cohort in Beijing for a year of intensive study, cultural immersion, and professional development. The experience will equip her with the global perspective and strategic frameworks needed to advance her vision of sustainable materials innovation in Africa—a vision that begins with enzyme-polymer systems in MIT labs and extends to recycling systems in Ghana, and ultimately to a hub of materials science excellence serving the continent.